My mother in law with dementia has lived with us for 4 years now. We both have full time jobs and we have a care giver stay with her during the day. She is actually pretty easy. I guess I’m selfish because I want to just come and go as I please without having to find a sitter for her. My husband just had knee surgery and we put a raised seat on the toilet. If you have used one you know they get kinda gross. The seat is too tall for my MIL. I can’t handle the potty messes and smells that she makes and don’t want them using my bathroom. (Told ya, selfish) So, my husband is now going to see a specialist to have a Geniculate Artery Embolization which means more recovery time. So, am I really selfish for not wanting her to stay with us? I think his brother needs to take his turn taking care of her.
someone posted that everyone on this forum are all "giving people", something like that. yeah I guess.
one day we will all get a medal for what we do. is the medal worth it? I dont know.
But , as far as Angel, yes I suppose so. in a way I'm trying to drop my wings!
But SELFISH? You have already done too much. You are saint, but need to quit being a saint
Your husband, mother in-law are being selfish thinking that this can be an ongoing arrangement. I think it is time to start with making arrangements for an assisted living or a nice home. I've seen some nice group homes for the elderly and they are really nice.
You know your limits; good for you.
You can’t caregive for 2 people! Each person needs 2-3 caregivers to be ideal.
Take care of you! 💐
You are only able to be a caregiver for your husband , so you are resigning from working for your mother in law.
B. MIL needs a caregjver. DH out of action so that is also you.
A + B = overload for you.
So which one will go elsewhere for recovery or care?
Discuss with your dear Husband. Tell him you are Amazing 😁 but just ONE person - so one of you must go elsewhere for care. Suggest MIL goes to stay elsewhere for the short term. Then mention, soonish you'd also like to discuss the longer term plan for MIL.
While it would be NICE if the brother offered, or was open to the idea if you asked him, it was yours & DH's decision to take MIL in, right? Therefore, you have the responsibility to arrange an alternative. Brother is not obligated to be your backup. Although, ask him! He may see that as fair!
Warning: If at any point your DH calls *you* selfish for not taking care of BOTH he & MIL - get a mirror ready to hold up. To reflect that back to him. For him to examine..
Q. Are his expectations realistic?
Q. What is his motivation to look after his Mother in his own home?
Q. Did he *promise* this?
Q. Was that wise?
Q. How can he make adaptions fo suit ALL of you as you all age?
PS or maybe your DH will have to go elsewhere for his revovery?
This way the OP is offering everyone a choice.
I can't understand why MIL wants to be a burden to anyone in her family. That includes BIL. Elders don't automatically deserve a bed in their relatives' homes when they become decrepit. It should be up to them to plan and save for their own care.
When it gets to the point where the family has to deal with MIL's feces, that's the line. She needs to go to memory care. Period. Go. Gone. Tell husband that's what needs to happen and work out a plan that MIL must follow. She's the one with the problem and needs to accommodate to you, not the other way around.
She will also get better care by professionals who are trained to do what you're doing now. Everyone will be better off.
Selfish is not a word that should even be mentioned here. You have already done more than most folks could stand to do, and it's time to stop doing it.
Second, accept that you and your husband chose to let your mother-in-law (MIL) live with you. No need to call yourself selfish or have any guilt! You tried, which is admirable, and it's no longer working. What do you do now?
You must sit down with your husband and help him figure out a longterm plan for his mother. If you're on good terms with your BIL (hint hint) and he's a reasonable person asking his opinion may be helpful.
What are her finances like? That's really the first step in figuring out realistic options.
Guilt is out of the question.
You didn't cause your MIL condition.
You cannot FIX MIL condition.
Both those things would be necessary to enable you to feel guilt.
What you feel is grief and helplessness.
You are not trained nor equipped to do care of this level and you have jobs and lives.
You may think that the brother should assume the care.
I don't.
I think the brother is wise to in no way assume the care for someone he is not ready, willing and able to take care of. I spent my entire life as an RN and I can tell you right now that I personally wouldn't assume this care. I know my limitations. I accept my limitations. I am not up for Sainthood and it is a kind of hubris to think that we have unlimited abilities to address all that can happen in life.
I am very sorry your MIL is going through this. You are as well. That's called GRIEF, not guilt. That is called a tragedy happening to her that you and her son must stand helpless witness to you. I caution you to put your MIL into safe care, visiting her and loving her. Assuming care you aren't trained for will make you a caregiver, not a son and DIL. You need to stay a DIL, not a caregiver.
That's my advice. Not everything can be fixed in life. Not everything has an answer. And throwing your own lives on the funeral pyre of an elder will not help her or you.
What you should do before you ask him is to do the research for Plan B as the back-up. If he says no, then you can leverage this in that conversation. BIL doesn't want to take her in? Ok, here is our Plan B and you must live with it unless you come up with another solution that doesn't involve us in any way.
Then see what he says.
It's your home, your marriage, your life, your wellbeing. What you are doing is having normal, healthy boundaries. That's not selfish.
You do not have to justify to anyone why you're not having your MIL come stay at your house. There's nothing selfish about it. You had her for four years and enough is enough. It's someone else's turn to take care of her. It's your BIL's turn.
Hold strong to your boundaries and your refusal to have her at your house again. Don't let anyone talk you or guilt you into taking your MIL in.