By: Sarah Aceves
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| Overgrown trees and bushes encompass the home of Angie Friday, mother of Melissa Friday. Angie Friday was recently diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer's disease. |
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| Melissa Friday washes the dishes, the first of many daily chores. She goes straight to her mother's house to help after completing her shift at Fresenius Kidney Care. |
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| Melissa Friday takes the recycling out of her mother's house. "I wake up to go take care of people to then leave work to take care of my own mother." |
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| Melissa Friday sweeps leave and cat food off the front porch of her mother's home. "I wake up everyday at 5 a.m. to then get to my mother by 5 p.m. and hopefully I am home by 7 p.m. I mean, that is a fourteen hour shift." |
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| Cat food lies across the dining room table, more commonly called the "cat's den" by both Melissa and Angie Friday. Melissa Friday is allergic to cats and has to take Benadryl every day to be able to go into her own mother's home, where the pets bring her mother joy. |
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| Melissa Friday throws out old cat food that has sat out for over a week. "My mother doesn't have the capacity to take care of these animal anymore; it's sad." |
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Melissa Friday holds a photo of her mother holding her daughter as an infant. "I take care of her, because I can finally repay her. She was a single mother working sun up till sun down. She never told me no and I never went without. She raised me to take care of people and now it's my turn."
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Angie Friday joins her daughter, Melissa Friday, in making her bed. Angie forgot how her pillows were arranged, which caused an argument between her and her daughter. Melissa Friday points towards the work desk where she arranges her mother's doctor's appointments, manages her medications and pays her bills. "I try not to be resentful, but it's hard to not get overwhelmed."  Melissa Friday takes out the trash before leaving for Walmart. "Luckily my mother invested when she was younger so she has some money to sustain herself, but it's not enough for additional care or help around the house."  Melissa Friday grabs a shopping cart from the corral in a Wilmington Island Walmart parking lot. Even though her mother's money sustains her mother's household, it does not pay for the time, gas or products Friday needs to provide care.  Melissa Friday browses through the clearance aisle at Walmart for toys for her grandson. "My grandson helps me stay grounded during these changing times, even though he sometimes makes me feel overwhelmed."  Melissa Friday uses a toy lightsaber to reach a box of litter deodorizer for her mother's cats. "One thing I feel bad about is something I struggle with, getting frustrated with her. She doesn't mean what she says and I love her, but sometimes I do get mad."  Melissa Friday bends over to reach a large bag of cat food on a lower shelf. She has been injured several times while caring for her mother, including pulling her back.  Melissa Friday picks medication for her mother at the Walmart pharmacy. "I try my best to not show how hard it is on me and how stressed I am, because she still notices and it still affects her. It only adds to her stress and makes her sleep worse."  Melissa Friday arrives home at 7:20 p.m. She tries to arrive home by 7 p.m., but piling chores at her mother's house often makes her late.  Melissa Friday sets down a folder of information on Alzheimer's support options. "Even when I am at work, I am thinking about her. I look at resources, but the bad thing is we can't afford it. She has too much money for medicaid, but not enough for a sitter or nurse. She is stuck."  Melissa Friday plays tug of war with her dog, Tito. "I'm too tired all of the time. So my house is a wreck and nothing ever gets done around here but at least her house is clean and she's taken care of."  Melissa Friday grabs a treat for her dog, Tito. "I wish I didn't have to do this and I had help. So, I could just be with her and there for her. I wish I could go back to when she was my mom and I was her daughter." |
