Hi Tina: Wow, you are dealing with a lot & have every reason to be upset. This is a good place to vent (and no, you are not being selfish). I have two things I'd like to share. First of all, I visited my brother the day after his neck surgery and he was up and complaining because he couldn't find a section of the paper he wanted. He complained about the wait (delay in surgery, someone's surgery delayed his). In short - he was his usual self & not in much pain. At least none that he would admit to. Your mother may also be like this.

Secondly, as you are noticing, you are and will be under a lot of stress, both in dealing with the immediate needs of your mom, and in dealing with your own feelings about her and what is happening to her. Therefore, you may want to talk to your doctor at some point about anti-depressants for you. There are so many new ones on the market now, developed to target special aspects of depression. Many are developed to treat anxiety, some for sleep disorders, some for manic depression. Most are not addictive and will help you cope. Anxiety is a symptom of depression and it can be treated w/medication. Another aide is exercise. Exercise is also very helpful to in coping w/stress. Take time EVERY day to go for a walk or work out. Take care of yourself! Eat chocolate (seriously, it does help lift moods). This will be a difficult time and like Ed, said, you need to take care of yourself too. I am joing Helen in sending hugs! - Candace