Wendy

I'm Wendy and I've been a carer for my two sons and also my husband. As a single parent, I cared for Jazz who has Asperger's syndrome, a form of Autism, and Spike who developed severe Eczema. It was particularly difficult combining the different types of care and keeping hospital and clinic appointments for both children with no support.

Jazz could not talk until the age of five and was still in nappies. He also had a lot of obsessional behaviour and was at times very challenging. Spike's Eczema was so severe I had to take him to the Dermatology clinic at the hospital. Twice a day I had to bath him in special oils, smother his skin in steroid creams and emollients and wrap him in wet bandages. His Eczema frequently became infected and he had to spend periods of time in hospital trying to get the infection under control. This was particularly distressing for both Spike and me as I tried in vain to be in two places at once.

In 1999 I married my husband Comeg who is a talented musician. Over the years due to his increasingly unstable and uncontrollable behaviour, we could not always live together on a permanent basis as man and wife. In 2008 Comeg was diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder and although it was a relief to finally get a diagnosis sadly we have yet to find a combination of medication which can control his mood swings and not cause distressing side effects

Last year I achieved a long held goal and qualified as a counsellor, although because of my caring commitments I can only work a few voluntary hours a week. I'm still really proud to have fulfilled my dream and feel that the insight from being a carer has really developed my skills at being a counsellor who has "really been there".

I still feel that very few people in the outside world truly understand caring and mental illness but Carers UK has provided me with a lifeline of support from people who care and support me.

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