Several days have passed since the earth suddenly shook beneath us and left a hole that is hard to fill. In some communities, buildings fell as if they had been built out of dry earth. Before the earthquake, our days went by calmly, with a set care routine, mealtimes and a few medical appointments, and everything seemed to unfold slowly and serenely. Now every minute is worth its weight in gold, and every bit of support we receive feels like a drop of water in the desert.
I have cared for my mom for more than ten years. The two of us live in the family home in La Guaira, and little by little we have each become the other’s best reason to stay alive. A decade ago our life changed after a terrible accident that transformed my mom’s life and mine for good. Maybe at some point we had talked about how important it is to have support, or a network of women friends to look after us, but sooner rather than later that thought became our reality. She had always been very active, a teacher in public schools from a very young age and a caregiver at heart.
It has always been just the two of us, because men have not been present in our lives, and we don’t need them either. Since her accident, little by little I have become her support for daily tasks such as showering, going to the bathroom, changing clothes, eating, and much more.
On the day of the earthquake, I remember, we were at home drinking herbal tea when all of a sudden we felt the world collapse. They were seconds of terror, and all I could think about was how to keep her alive and unharmed at a moment when I couldn’t even think about my own life. We got out however we could and saw a whirlwind of people and dust sweep through us. Then came crashes that I will always remember. In the end there was only silence, and tears when we realized we were alive and that many of the people we knew in the neighborhood had not been so lucky.
Our house was left badly damaged. Half the roof caved in, and so did the outside walls. In that moment I felt very afraid, much more than during the earthquake itself. I felt that my mom’s care was going to depend entirely on me and on whether we could get some humanitarian aid. That night we were able to sleep at the home of some neighbors who took us in, and since then we have felt the true strength of collective care. They helped us get her medicines and a temporary place to stay. Here we are, alive, accompanied, and feeling that the strength of support from those around us is a network we need to survive the worst crisis.
We have not received any support from the government, and we don’t expect any. What we have felt is the solidarity both of those who have come here to offer their support and of initiatives from other countries that have touched our hearts. I can’t deny that I feel very tired and sometimes wish someone could take over the daily care for a while. At least I have been fortunate to have the support of the women in my neighborhood, who reach out to us however they can so that together we can survive this upheaval.
Thank you to everyone who thinks of us women who provide care and of those who need support and care in these times. We feel your hugs from afar.
