What nobody warned you about — say it here

I worked in dementia care for over 15 years before it entered my own family, and I'll be honest: the professional knowledge helped less than I expected. Nobody warned me how much of caregiving is grief in slow motion, or how angry you can feel at someone you love, or how lonely 3 a.m. is when they're finally asleep and you can't be.

This thread has one rule: you don't need a question to post here, and nobody owes you advice. If you write "today was awful and I yelled and I feel terrible," that is a complete post. Being heard is the point.

So — what has nobody warned you about?