I’m worried sick I’m going to lose my job and crumble from stress

DEAR DEIDRE: I’M worried I’m going to lose my job and my partner and I’ll crumble with the stress of everything.

I’m a nurse of 49 and my husband is 55. Our kids are grown up. I lost my dad to cancer last year and since then, I’ve been looking after Mum who is 75 and has a disability.

I go from work to her house to cook her a meal, then I sleep over there and it’s back to work again.

I go back home as and when my shifts change but I miss my husband terribly and I miss my children and the grandkids too.

I am so tired all of the time and last week, I almost left some swabs in a patient in the operating theatre as I’d miscounted. I’ve got to go to a meeting about that.

My husband is getting cross that he never sees me but I can’t leave Mum alone 24/7.

DEIDRE SAYS: You can’t be doing everything yourself.  If your mother has a disability then all being well, she’ll be entitled to the attendance allowance which will pay for extra care, giving you some time to yourself.

If you have siblings, talk to them about doing their share of caring for your mum.

Contact Turn2us (.turn2us.org.uk, Tel: 0808 802 2000) which helps those in financial need access money available to them, through benefits, charitable grants, tax credits or other financial help.

My support pack Help For Stress will help you too.