How did your life change when you became a caregiver?

Prior to my father’s disability, he was still active duty as an Army Chaplain. When he abruptly became disabled after a routine surgery, my family did not have time to process the new predicament we were in. We had to simply jump into the role and navigate each day without fully knowing his prognosis. My search for a career path was put on hold as my time and energy now revolved around my father’s care, in addition to helping my mom take care of my younger siblings, who were in elementary school at the time. Luckily, my father taught me how to drive the summer before he became disabled, which was a saving grace when I was immediately needed to stay with him during the day at inpatient facilities.

What are your biggest challenges as a caregiver?

My biggest challenge is how I always carry my worries and anxieties for my father's well-being and everyone else's needs. I do not prioritize my needs as much as I would like.

Tell us who you are outside of your role as a caregiver. What interests you? Do you go to school, work, or volunteer? Are you an entrepreneur?

Every day, I am always searching for opportunities to connect with my community through advocacy and volunteering. I am a social worker by training and have engaged in mental health advocacy and policy-making for individuals with lived experience in Washington state for the past seven years. I also serve as a city council member in DuPont, Washington and will complete my first term at the end of the year. As a council member, this role has opened many doors in building relationships with individuals in leadership on the local and state level. In addition, I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers-WA Chapter, NAMI, USO, and many other community-based and veteran service organizations.

How do you maintain your own well-being?

I enjoy singing karaoke and at open mics. This became a huge escape for me over the years. It has been my source of self-care as a caregiver and helped me build a community of support. I also have found passion using music as a tool for healing and outreach to service members and veterans through an organization called MusicWorks4Veterans.