Life After Caregiving,Re-entering,One Step at a Time
A personal story about the struggles of caregiving and the joys of regaining independence through the help of a trusted mechanic.
![Life After Caregiving,Re-entering,One Step at a Time](/content/images/size/w2000/2022/12/Life-After-Caregiving--Re-entering--One-Step-at-a-Time.jpg)
"Life After Caregiving, Re-entering, One Step at a Time" - A personal account by Sharon Clayton, a caregiver and friend.
![](https://www.caregiverrelief.com/content/images/2022/12/Life.jpg)
I want to share a story, a different one, one that's not tinged with sadness or anger, which my stories often are. Today, it's a story of happiness.
As you know, I rarely left my mother's side for nearly two years. I feared that something might happen to her if I weren't there. She was my top priority, and everything else took a back seat, including my trusty old car, a red 1990 Nissan 240 SX named Sophie.
Sophie and I were a match made in heaven. She handled well, had the right size for me, and was dependable. But, with my mother's care consuming my life, Sophie sat untouched for a year, and her battery went flat. It was time to face the music and get her up and running. I turned to Steve, the guy who'd been caring for our cars since '84.
Steve came over, tried starting Sophie with a jump, and she roared to life. He didn't even charge for it, saving me a tow fee. The battery needed replacing, a minor issue. Steve and his mechanic took a closer look, and we found Sophie had more problems from her long slumber, like a leaking pipe.
Money was tight, and I couldn't afford all the necessary repairs. But Steve had a solution – they could repair the pipe instead of replacing it, though it would take time. We agreed on a price for the immediate fixes, with the understanding that the remaining repairs would have to happen soon for safety.
![](https://www.caregiverrelief.com/content/images/2022/12/Life-2.jpg)
This morning, Steve called to tell me that Sophie was ready. The mechanic had even hand-washed her, an extra touch. Sophie purred like new as I drove her around the island. It felt like a positive step back into a normal life, sans my mother. It hit me – I was free after 15 years of being her caregiver. I could enjoy some fast food, save on groceries, and take my cat to the vet. I was indebted to the folks at Mobile and planned to show my gratitude with a small token of thanks.
Life was a mix of emotions – sad, lonely, yet awesome. Selling our condo and leaving friends was tough. But I was free. Darn, it felt good!