Adventures with students, vol. 24

I had a conference this morning with a female student who shared the following things that have affected her life:

• she lived with her grandparents while both of her brothers were in the hospital with cancer.
• her grandfather was thrown in prison (she didn't say why)
• her elder brother had an aneurysm two years after defeating the cancer, and now lives at home, severely mentally disabled.
• her youngest is in the hospital (an hour away, of course) with RSV.  For the second time.
• she is living with her husband because her mother wants her to try to make it work.
• her younger brother is on drugs.
• her mother has approximately 20% heart function.
• she lost her academic scholarships because of illness.
• her middle child recently got bathroom cleaner in his eyes, which necessitated a trip to the hospital, whereupon she was held in suspicion of child endangerment/abuse.

I don't know how people keep going under those conditions, to say nothing of going to school.  My heart just breaks.