Annie 6.8.11

Dear Annie: My best friend, “Jamie,” lives five hours away. She and her husband, “Bob,” are both disabled. Jamie has several chronic illnesses that leave her in pain and exhausted most of the time. Bob weighs about 500 pounds and is immobile and bedridden. They have two teenaged children who are also obese.
I recently visited and was appalled to see their living conditions. What used to be messy has devolved into absolute filth — dirty clothes, papers, half-empty soda cans, candy wrappers, dirty dishes and spilled food, topped off with cat urine and feces. I was horrified and disgusted.
Jamie’s husband and children treat her like an indentured servant. Bob has a caregiver during the day but relies on Jamie at night. And he is impatient and surly. The children whine for Mommy when they can’t find things, and they claim to be too “exhausted” to lift a finger. The weekend I was there, the children did nothing but eat, sleep, sulk, whine and play computer games. They are two of the laziest humans I have ever met and are totally self-involved.
Bob and the children don’t care a wit about wallowing in filth. I have watched them drop food and garbage on the floor and walk away. Jamie has given up trying to clean up after these three little pigs.
I think Jamie’s surroundings are slowly killing her. I realize she is a major enabler, and I don’t want to criticize her when she feels so overwhelmed. But watching their lives disintegrate isn’t an option. What can I do? — Frustrated Friend
Dear Frustrated: We’re surprised Bob’s caregiver hasn’t called the authorities to report the filth. There’s not much you can do for someone who refuses help. Perhaps you or a group of friends can offer to send over a cleaning service if Jamie is amenable and you can afford it. Beyond that, please talk to her and express your concern without judgment or accusation. Suggest that she look into low-cost counseling for herself so she can develop better coping skills. Tell her to do it for the sake of her children.
Dear Annie: My mother died six months ago. The morning of her service, a cousin I hadn’t seen in more than two years decided to tell me what a horrible daughter I was and brought up many things that had happened in the past. Two aunts refused to speak to me. Granted, my mother and I didn’t have the best relationship, but we had taken many steps forward, and things were better.
My relatives live in a small town, and criticizing and gossiping is what they do for fun. Why can’t they let go of the past and look at all the great things my mother and I did in the last several years? I am very hurt that my cousin thought my mother’s funeral was the best time to chew me out. — Still Hurt
Dear Still: If your relatives relish criticizing others, you shouldn’t expect them to be considerate and kind simply because the circumstances seem to require decorum and respect. Ignore them.
Dear Annie: This is in response to “Gone to the Gym,” who complained about the overweight nurses in the cardiologist’s office.
Most nurses I know never dreamed of becoming overweight. Unfortunately, they have horrendous schedules that don’t benefit their health. Many work long hours with breaks too short to do anything but grab a quick bite. Some nurses work 12-hour shifts and then go home to take care of a spouse, children and household responsibilities. Sleep is a luxury. Numerous studies have pointed to the effects of rotating shifts on metabolism, as well as the effects of lack of sleep on our weight.
Most people are aware of the punishing schedules of medical residents in training. But that only lasts a few years. Working conditions for nurses last for decades. — No Name Nurse
Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Annie’s Mailbox and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Published in The Messenger 6.8.11

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