by Helen Suenaga

Created on: July 19, 2010

There are seven siblings in my family and I am the last of the seven.  My father was married two times before my mother and had four children before my two full siblings.  I have an older brother about 11 years older and a sister about 9 years older than myself.

As I remember back my childhood was no different from any other child, alcoholism, abuse, and neglect.  I still loved my parents because they did the best they could with all of us.  Although I do not think my siblings today are very happy then from when they were growing up before.

My brother then was a strong and hard working person.  He could hustle and get things done.  He was crafty with his hands and could fix things easy.  He could cook a variety of dishes and grow any kind of plant.  He inherited the green thumb and I know I did not.  I always envied him for that gift. Now or today, my brother is homeless, stricken with substance abuse.  He stopped drinking alcohol and does not drink as much as he used too, because now he is diabetic.  Nevertheless, he cannot stop the drug use without help.  He has been through a treatment program over 10 years ago for about six months.  He actually did well and was clean and sober for another three years after treatment.  Unfortunately, he slipped back into his old habits and starting to use and drink again, which brought him to his current state.  I see him often at least once or twice a month, if he is the town nearby or in the town I live in.  Occasionally, I will give him some work to do for me around the home when he is not doing other odd jobs.  I will normally pay him with a gas gift card or buy him other items he may need as a bartering system.  I do not give him cash anymore, because I refuse to support his habit of substance abuse.  We have a good relationship with healthy boundaries and communication.

My sister then was hard working, friendly, and loving.  She could cook, clean, and get things done efficiently. She was another one with a green thumb and I envied her for that trait, because I kill plants and they do not survive even if I remembered to water the plant.  Now or today, my sister is stable for the most part. She has two children around the same age as my son and a roommate of a boyfriend.  They do not participate in an active or loving relationship anymore.  They are indifferent and only roommates now.  She has a job as a driver for a local tour company on island.  She has seen some hard times and lived through all of them through faith.  She enjoys going to the church as well as doing things for her children’s school.  She is still looking for other ways to grow both financially and emotionally.

My other siblings I do not know too much about, I met a couple of them in the past several years.  They did not really care for my father for the things he had done in the past to them, but the couple I did meet were nice and caring.

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