Stay strong and hopeful. Take care of yourself.
What are the most significant lessons you have learned from being a caregiver?
Patience and still learning. Learning to live a life that almost always seems out of my control.
At what moment did you realize you were a military caregiver?
I didn’t know that was what I was called, but I knew that I would have a lifetime responsibility to my veteran daughter the first day she returned from the Navy.
How do you find strength in the difficulty of your day-to-day?
I pray a lot, meditate, and step back for a minute. I go for walks or drives and listen to peaceful music.
Resources That Helped Me
Easterseals
Easterseals has provided me with moral support, comfort, and compassion, while connecting me with professional help.
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My Story
Nancy cares for her daughter, Sloane, who was sexually assaulted by a group of women during her Navy boot camp in 1986, sustained a psychotic break, diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, and was no longer able to function on her own. Nancy subsequently married Arthur White, a Navy veteran, submariner who five years later exhibited post traumatic syndrome disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and has deteriorated since.
Sloane has become more functional since 1986 with the assistance of many caregivers in their community. In Nancy's role as a Dole Caregiver Fellow, she hopes to enlighten her community and beyond about the mental health issues faced by caregivers and the possible ameliorates for caregivers and their wounded veterans. She hopes for healing for her family and of all wounded warriors' families. Nancy has long since retired from her position managing three major east coast airports. After retirement, she has cared for mentally and physically challenged people, building group homes for their care.
