Amanda – Bournemouth – Young Carer

I was eleven the first time I saw my mum have a seizure. One minute, she was standing in the kitchen, talking like normal, and the next, her body crumpled like her legs had forgotten what to do. Her hands shook, her breathing changed, and her eyes looked distant, like she was trapped somewhere I couldn’t reach. I remember my stomach twisting with fear, the sound of my own voice cracking as I called her name again and again, wishing it would bring her back.

After that day, everything changed.

My mum was diagnosed with FND, and suddenly I had a new kind of life to learn. I learned what to do when her body stopped cooperating, how to help her lie safely, and how to keep my voice calm even when my heart was racing. I learned to watch for the little warning signs, the way her face would tighten or her movements would slow, and I learned to always be ready.

Some days, it feels heavier than I can explain. I still go to school and laugh with friends, but in the back of my mind, I’m always listening, always thinking about home. It’s hard watching someone you love go through something so unpredictable, something that can steal her strength without warning. There are nights I lie awake, exhausted, feeling like the world is unfair, and I wonder why my mum has to fight her own body just to get through the day.

But even with all of that, I wouldn’t trade this life for another.

Being a young carer has shaped me in ways people don’t always see. It’s made me stronger, more patient, and more grateful for the quiet moments when she’s okay. I’ve seen my mum at her weakest, but I’ve also seen her bravery and her determination to keep going.

And no matter how scared I get, no matter how difficult it is sometimes, she’s my mum, and I’ll always be right there beside her. Even when my brothers are scared, I always try my best to keep them calm and remind them that their mum is going to be okay.

I love being her carer, and I would never change that, because it means I will always know she has someone beside her who loves and cares for her deeply. xx