I have become the caregiver to my father since the passing of my mother in 2002 when she died from Lung Cancer (she used to do a little to much for him in my book, but now it is on my plate).  My dad was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam -he now has adult onset diabetes, has had multiple surgeries (vasular surgeries on both legs, amputations on both feet, then a lower leg amputation on his right leg two years ago after the vascular surgery didn't work).  Now we are "babying" his kidney's because the kidney doctors are looking at wanting to put him on dialysis.   

When my mom got sick, about 3 years before that, she thought she had a pulled muscle in her ribs, but come to find out she had multiple areas of cancer in both lungs.  She had chemo and radiation, the radiation was terrible it disinigrated her vertibrae in her back and she lived on pain meds for the rest of her days.  We thought she was in remission, but one day I didn't think she was looking well and I insisted she go to the hospital and they checked her in and the doctor told us that we had to make a decision because there were blood clots near her heart.  They also found more cancer in her abdomen and other areas so it had spread.  She said she did not want to be kept alive artificially.    She passed away that Sunday, we took her in on Saturday morning.

SO...I take care of my household, my immediate family and my dad.  In the next diaries I will tell you about the rest of the family stuff.