🏡 When Home Feels Heavy: Navigating Family, Expectations, and Chronic Illness

Lately, things at Granny’s house have been tense. My mom thinks it’s time for me to move out, and she’s not shy about saying so. But every time she brings it up, Granny gets fired up and yells at her. It’s not easy being caught in the middle of that kind of storm.

I know where Mom’s coming from. She feels I’m not helping enough around the house—especially when it comes to caring for my grandparents. And I get it. But I also have my reasons.

I live here, yes. But that doesn’t mean I should carry the full weight of caregiving. I’m dealing with sickle cell anemia, which means chronic pain and fatigue are part of my daily reality. Some days, just getting out of bed feels like a marathon. I help when I can, and I do what I’m able to. But I can’t push myself past my limits without risking my health.

There are other family members who can step in. I’m not the only one. And I’m not trying to point fingers or blame anyone. I just know my body, and I know when it’s telling me to rest. That’s not laziness—it’s survival.

Granny sees that. She knows what I go through, and she’s protective of me. That’s why she speaks up when others don’t understand. I appreciate her for that, even if it makes things louder around here.

At the end of the day, we’re all trying to do our best. We all have different capacities, different struggles, and different ways of showing up. I just hope we can find a way to support each other without burning out or breaking down.

Because health—mental, physical, emotional—isn’t something we can afford to compromise. Not for pride. Not for pressure. Not even for family.

Let’s all just do our best. And let that be enough.