Am I a wimp?

Zak - we all have our moments. No one is super human. We grow through these experiences, we fall, we pick ourselves up, and go on and face another day. I don't think you are a wimp. You are human. You cared for and still care for your wife. There is nothing wimpy about that. Everyone has different challenges.

mincemeat - that would be my mother's aspiration, but she has not succeeded with me anyway, though she had one psychiatrist jumping and asking how high on the way up. Time to detach, detach, detach. It does your dad no favour to enable his unhealthy behaviour. Detaching and setting boundaries is not disrespectful.

Those of us who were the true baby boomers were raised with this strong sense of duty and respect to our parents. There are 4 of us and get us together with our nasty angry disrespectful 94 year old father and we ALL become wimps, walking on eggshells, going to a pale ...cold sweat....almost ready to vomit...scared state when we have an "altercation" with Dad. This group includes professionals that have done it all and our father reduces us to quivering lumps of jelly!!! In summary, Richie, in one way or another, we are all wimps!

One thing I learned on this website is that not everyone can be the same type of Caregiver. I know I can't, it just isn't in my personality.... at work I can manage an office building without a sweat but driving my parents to a doctor's appointment I am a basket case :P

Richie, it doesn't come easy, at least not for me. I suspect that like me, others have to work hard at it. It's a constant learning and balancing experience for me.

Thankful or wimpy? Should you have to choose? I would say just be the best you can be for you and your wife (and doggie too!). I think that's more important than falling into categories.