Larry, like so many others I've wondered in recent months where you were -- thanks for letting us know what's going on with you!

It's so sad that you must deal with difficult relatives in addition to the strain of caring for your mother. Nearly two years after my father's devastating stroke, which left him deteriorating physically and unable to communicate in any way other than vague indications of pleasure or displeasure, my mother and brother and I finally made the wrenchng decision, with the doctor's encouragement, to remove his feeding tube and let him go. This of course occasioned a lot of opinionating among family and friends, and in one evening I was yelled at over the phone by one person for "murdering" him, and by another for letting the situation go on so long. Wouldn't it be nice if friends and family could just be supportive? In a perfect world...

But you are a person of real inner strength, and you will make it through. When you do, we'll be most happy to see you here again regularly. And, of course, we'd love to have you come to the Getaway again -- you made a real contribution the year you were there!

Best wishes to you and Genie (may she mend quickly from her terrible accident!),

Nancy