Reply #35: I am ok and thanks for asking.

[DURHAM D]

Both of my parents have Alzheimer's - my mother is 86 and father is 92. My mother's is much more advanced. What has been so amazing is that dealing with this ongoing crisis has brought me very close to my siblings. They told me several months ago that they were shocked I had stepped up and was doing everything I could think of to help out. They acknowledged that because of the way I had been treated by the whole family for 40 years I could take a complete pass. I told them their acknowledgment was enough and we still had time.

My sister and brother-in-law have now reached out to a lesbian couple in their small town and have pulled them into their social circle of seven or eight straight couples. My sister baby sits (for free) their kids so the women can get away for a weekend. I asked her if she had taken any shit off of anyone. She said NO - I am passing it out, not taking it.

I know she is doing this as her way of making it up to me. My sister's grown children are very proud of their parents now.

My sister has become my best friend and three years ago we were on different planets.