Did I Use My Grandma for Money?

Recently, I received a comment accusing me of exploiting my grandmother—using her for financial gain, disregarding her dignity, and continuing to profit from her memory. It’s a painful accusation, but instead of ignoring it, I wanted to address it openly and honestly.I understand why someone might feel that way. If you only saw a few of my videos, I can see how it might look like I was using my grandmother for content. To be transparent—no, I never got full, explicit consent from her to share our journey online.She didn’t understand the internet—not because of her age or cognitive function, but simply because it wasn’t something she had ever been exposed to. The idea of making videos and sharing them publicly wasn’t within her frame of reference. I want to be absolutely clear—I never saw that as an opportunity to take advantage of her.That’s not who I am.What truly broke me was this part of the comment, "Thanking God that you can't hurt her anymore."That cut deep. Because the one thing I know, without a doubt, is that my grandmother was safe with me. She was loved. She was cared for in a way that no facility or outside caregiver could have provided. I gave up years of my life to make sure she felt seen, valued, and never like a burden.That’s why I recorded this episode—to break down every core accusation, from financial gain to dignity to consent. My cousin and I also discuss why I continue sharing my caregiving journey today and how this has never been about money—it’s about serving others the way I served my grandmother.You don’t have to agree with me, but I hope you’ll understand where I'm coming from.At the end of the day, the only thing I ever wanted was to serve my grandmother well. I can only hope she’s looking down, proud of the way I carried her legacy forward.Thank you to those who have supported this journey—it means more than you know.