Mom's new thing is saying, "Well, if everyone wants me to do this, I will."

More and more my mother is telling people that since everyone is telling her to do such and such, she will, likes it a great burden. Things like have heart surgery, actually exercise, get a life alert button. If it will make everyone else feel safe, better, happy. I'm getting tired of it. Part of me wants to say, actually, just do whatever the heck you feel like and don't come running to us to fix it when you get hurt."

While she is copping this attitude, she is becoming more dependent on the rest of us. She's spent her whole life depending on her parents and sisters - and now depends on us kids.

Sometimes I fantasize about telling her exactly what I think.