PERSONAL STORY
The Ups and Downs Of My Crazy Life
In answer to the August 2022 prompt of The Memoirist: my life in sixty-six six-word chapters
Chapter 1: Born In South Africa
Firstborn. February 1967. Mother almost twenty.
Chapter 2: First Steps At Nine Months
Friend took toy. Stood up. Walked.
Chapter 3: A Sibling
Brother born when I was two.
Chapter 4: Starting School
Five years old. Loved the books.
Chapter 5: Loving Grandparents
Frequent sleepovers and church on Sundays.
Chapter 6: Friend Of The Family
Nine. Bedtime reading. Touching. Sexual abuse.
Chapter 7: Long Distance Holidays, Twice
Driving three days. Swakopmund. Family time.
Chapter 8: Almost Eleven
Moved to Windhoek, South West Africa.
Chapter 9: Best Childhood Years
Happiness. Friends. Barefoot in the rain.
Chapter 10: Survival Week In Namib Desert
Part of a group. Thirty girls.
Chapter 11: Boys!
Sneaking out. Movies. Touching and groping.
Chapter 12: Choosing Activity
Not choir. Gymnastics became a passion.
Chapter 13: Another Move
Bloemfontein. Fifteen. Joined school gymnastics team.
Chapter 14: Want To Be Together Forever
Two years my senior. First love.
Chapter 15: Success In Sport
Regionals. Bronze medal. On to nationals.
Chapter 16: Still Fifteen
Best academic year in school career.
Chapter 17: Summer Holidays
Namibia. Spent time with best friend.
Chapter 18: Almost Sixteen
New year. Academics sucked. Sport sucked.
Chapter 19: Friend’s Mother Called
Day before. Motorcycle passenger. Accident. Died.
Chapter 20: Grief And Panic
Grief for friend. Failed a test.
Chapter 21: Pregnant At Just Sixteen
Parents mad. Boyfriend disappeared. Immense sadness.
Chapter 22: Studies And Single Mom
Started university; daughter three months old.
Chapter 23: Second Year Uni
Met a soldier. Fell in love.
Chapter 24: Married At Twenty
Wedding day: I discover his dishonesty.
Chapter 25: Second Child, First Year Marriage
Son. Sickly. More strain on marriage.
Chapter 26: Second Year Marriage, Disaster
He slapped daughter’s face. Police. Divorced.
Chapter 27: Single Mom Again
Sick child. Frequent hospitalization. Father absent.
Chapter 28: Joined Military
Medical corps. Good money. Military training.
Chapter 29: Mom Left South Africa
She moved to country of birth.
Chapter 30: Missed Mom, Feeling Lonely
Moved to corps HQ. Family closer.
Chapter 31: Bad Choices, Abusive Relationship
Groomed. Married man. Wife involved. Violence.
Chapter 32: Escaping The Horror
Immigation. Netherlands. Mental breakdown. Finally safe.
Chapter 33: Threatening Eviction
Found partner, eviction avoided, unhappiness gained.
Chapter 34: Left Relationship
Back to threat of being evicted.
Chapter 35: Unexpected Change
Met someone. Asked me to marry.
Chapter 36: Eviction Avoided
Registered relationship. May stay in country.
Chapter 37: Married Again
Six months in, I knew. Mistake.
Chapter 38: Divorced Again
Four years marriage. He never committed.
Chapter 39: Finally Life Smiled At Me
Met the love of my life.
Chapter 40: Third Time’s A Charm
Three years later. November 2005. Married.
Chapter 41: Mutual Interests
Photography. Music. Movies. Computers. Kinky stuff.
Chapter 42: Breakdown After Visiting Father
No pictures of us. Psychological help.
Chapter 43: Burnout From Work
Workload high. Four months at home.
Chapter 44: Breakdown Of Son
Autism. PTSD. Depression. Shizophrenia. Always angry.
Chapter 45: Brother Moved To Netherlands
Narcissist. Made mom’s life into hell.
Chapter 46: Mom Sick In Bed
Brother in same house, ignored her.
Chapter 47: Brother And Family Moved
Refused contact with mom and us.
Chapter 48: Mom Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
Doctors gave her only six months.
Chapter 49: Brother Visited Mom
Took him five weeks after diagnosis.
Chapter 50: Five Months Later
Hospice. Held mom’s hand. Last breath.
Chapter 51: Mom’s Funeral
Last day I saw my brother.
Chapter 52: Day After Mom’s Funeral
Cloudburst flooded entire groundfloor of house.
Chapter 53: A Year Later
Psychological help. Grief. Suicidal thoughts. EMDR.
Chapter 54: Another Year Later
Son moved out to assisted living.
Chapter 55: Life Smiled Again
Finally a year without major bumps.
Chapter 56: Then Life Shut Down
Covid hit. Lockdowns. Work from home.
Chapter 57: Suicide Watch
Son. Fifty attempts in seven months.
Chapter 58: Just The Two Of Us
Youngest moved. We became empty nesters.
Chapter 59: Another Disaster While On Suicide Watch
March 2021. Husband had a stroke.
Chapter 60: Covid Entered Our House
On April first, I tested positive.
Chapter 61: Another Stroke
Father. Massive stroke. Never regained consciousness.
Chapter 62: Husband’s Health Worsened
After stroke, diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Chapter 63: Discovered Parents’ Lies
Boyfriend never disappeared. Contact was forbidden.
Chapter 64: Daughter Found Her Father
She was welcomed with open arms.
Chapter 65: Preventing Another Burnout
A coach taught me about self-care.
Chapter 66: Despite All, Life Is Beautiful
Living every day to its fullest.
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