Caring for yourself while caring for others

My partner is undergoing chemo for stage 4 sarcoma and co-incidentally, my 13 month old happened to get sick on the day my partner started (around 2 weeks ago)

Looking after a sick toddler by myself, whilst also trying to juggle WFH has been... I haven't felt this level of depression and hopeless since my early 20s. I've never been more overwhelmed in my life.

Honestly, there is no coping mechanism in that scenario. You're being pulled from 20 different directions, the house is a mess, you're emotionally a wreck. It honestly feels impossible.

Thankfully yesterday I was finally able to put her into daycare and the weight that was lifted from my shoulders was immense.

I'm honestly worried for the future and I might just have to quit my job if it comes to it. But that's just life. I never knew it could be so brutal.

My partner died of cancer when our daughter was one and half years old. The year before that was a blur, I quit my job to focus on helping the two.

Brutal is a good word to describe it. Hang in there! Your life might get better yet some time in the future...

As a fellow 13-month-old parent, I'm so sorry for what life is throwing at you. Hang in there and feel absolutely no shame or guilt for letting anything go. If some responsibility has to get dropped on the floor, so be it.

It can be very difficult; but hang in there and do not be ashamed to ask for help from anybody/everybody. My experience/advice here - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42072648