The unspoken weight of becoming a caregiver

The unspoken weight of becoming a caregiver

I’ll never forget the day that my mother was diagnosed with myeloma. That was when the word “son” was entirely erased from my identity. Without any warning whatsoever, I became everything to my mother: her advocate, nurse, and custodian of all the secrets she wasn’t confident (or trusting) enough to speak aloud. This column is for all of the weary and worn-out souls who have ever Googled the phrase “caregiver mental health” at 2 a.m. My name is …