Mari, care giving is very rewarding as I cared my my terminally ill neighbor last year. I was my mom's care giver.

Donna, it makes sense what you say and it made me almost wished I would have tried harder with my husband's family. What I went through though however; was more like abuse. Things like being left home alone all day Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so my ex could be with his family because I was too sick to go with him 70 miles away. My in-laws even told me to stay home because they didn't want to catch my cold. Another Christmas I spent 6 hours alone in a cold flooded basement at my ex's mom's house because my mother-in-law made my time upstairs hell. My ex stayed in a warm kitchen with her. Sorry but when I hear about in-laws it brings back some pretty bad memories of my husband's family.

befuddled2