Haas 1

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
17 September 2015
Word Count: 632
Dealing with My Sisters Depression
Ever had to deal with depression or see someone you love go through it? Here is the
story of my exposure when dealing with my sisters depression. I am relaying this experience to
demonstrate two things; firstly, every choice a person makes has consequences for themselves
and/or for others and, secondly, depression affects entire families not just the individual who
suffers from it. I am about to disclose what kept both my mother and I on the edge of our
emotions for a good five or six years. My older sister's problems emerged at the age of 12 as she
started the seventh grade. I boarded the roller coaster having just started the fourth grade at the
age of ten.
It all started very innocently when, due to my cerebral palsy, It took me a little longer to
assemble my homework materials prior to leaving class. Occasionally, I would accidently leave
materials for assignments that I needed to complete that night at school requiring my mom to
driving me back to the school to get them. Unfortunately, many times the school was closed and
as a result, I was unable to complete assignments in a timely manner. After several trips, my
mom asked the teacher if she could check my agenda prior to my leaving class to ensure I had
the needed materials. Initially, she refused but following a staff meeting regarding the matter, at
which my IEP teacher was present, she was instructed to check. My teacher was not happy about
having to spend the couple of minutes necessary to make sure I had my supplies.

Haas 2
A few weeks later, a Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer came to our school.
Following a presentation, he asked students questions regarding the material. I responded to a
general question he asked about my home life. The teacher, in probably an act of revenge,
twisted my answer to make it sound like my sister was abusing me and alerted social services.
Gradually, the situation was settled and my mom transferred me to another school but the abuse
continued for my sister because she wanted to finish her final year there. The administration and
the teacher made up more lies about her that eventually triggered her depression.
During her depression, I for the most part, was kept out of the loop due to my mother and
sister wanting to keep it confidential. Finally, I was allowed into the loop following the visit of
yet another social worker coming to our house. Originally, I thought that the depression was just
a way for my sister to get more of moms attention. To be fully honest, I would cry every single
time they left the house either to go to a hospital, a therapist,or to drop my sister off at another
helping facility. I was the person that held down the fort and waited for them to come home. I
believed I had to be strong and comfort my mom. I felt so alone. Slowly but surely, I came out
of the mindset that my sisters depression was for attention and began to see it for what it truly
was. Thats when my older sister became one of my personal heroes.
Bit by bit, my sister got better and now is in her final year of undergraduate study at
Cleveland State University. My mother, a single mom, continues to work full-time at the
hospital. They both to some extent are my role models. The lesson I learned from this is to never
give up hope because during this ordeal, hope was the one thing I could hold on to. That roller
coaster has finally ended and now all three of us are just riding on the roller coaster of life with
its own twists and turns.