Bipolar and Attempting to Care for Aging/Sick Parents

Hello Everyone!

I am hoping to get some input from others on this post. I am currently struggling to deal with my own bipolar disorder and my parents' failing health has now been thrown into the mix. I'm an only child so all the work falls on me. Both of my parents have severe illnesses. My father still works but he's slowing failing due to Multiple Scerlosis. My mother has had several heart attacks and is now battling breast cancer. Both are in their mid 60s living in their own home.

I have my own small low-income apartment, but I spend most days at my folks place, even sleeping there some weeks on an air mattress. While my mother still had drains in from her mastectomy I was in charge of cleaning them and emptying them. Those are now out, but I still have a lot to keep up with.

I have to now do my folks laundry because my mother cant carry it up and down the stairs any longer. With their old machines this takes a full day. Then another day I spend cleaning their house top to bottom, another day taking my mother to get her groceries, and other days I'm mowing and doing yard work. I also fix most dinners. My crock pot has been a god-send.

The problem is my folks are only going to get worse, and how am I supposed to have a life of my own? I'm the only child and I'm stuck. I can't move away because they need me, but my bipolar is getting worse.

My anxiety had risen and my anger has risen. Its flowing into my other relationships. I don't know what to do. I am on disability and cannot afford to bring in outside help. My folks cant afford to bring in any help either. All of us are over our heads in debt.

I tried finding resources for bipolar adults dealing with aging parents and I couldn't find anything. All the general articles I find say take time for yourself, don't look for thanks because you probably wont get it, know your limitations, and find others to help. I have no one else to turn to. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm going to be stuck here until both my parents die doing everything for them.

Are any of you dealing with some of the same issues?