My husband and I live 1,500 miles away from my father in law who is hospitalized with leukemia. We feel terrible, what should we do to help?

Have you checked with United Way. They offer free help of all kinds. If you feel comfortable to have them in your fathers home they could help get things sorted and boxed with some direction and make it alot easier for you when you come in to do the final clear out. Also, they would be a good resource for the things that you plan on getting rid of

I can't imagine anyone else being stuck with the credit card bills. After all, no one else's name would have been on them. But if it were me, I'd call the credit card people and explain about his mental and physical health after he dies. You don't say if you have kids to take care of at home. I ask because I was wondering if you could be your husband's hands and feet during this. Is it possible for you to stay in your father-in-law's house and be with him while he's dying? Given enough caffeine you could probably start throwing stuff out or at least pushing things around while you're there. Anyway, it was just a thought.

Father in law is unable to travel as he is currently in ICU. Not sure how much time he has left. My husband traveled out to see him and came home a few days ago. Hard to know when to say it's time to go back with limited leave etc. The brother in law will not travel (he's 6 hours away from his father) and everything is falling on my husband's shoulders. So hard to be so far away and something like this is happening to a loved one. My husband spoke with doctors today and they cannot even say how much time is left. I guess we are overwhelmed with grief and not knowing what to do. I appreciate your posting. Any ideas or suggestions are welcomed. Husband has POA for finances for his father. Also, discovered that his father is in credit card debt to his eyeballs. We think that he may have been getting dementia as well. Also, buried in the paperwork in the house are documents for life insurance and who knows what. What to do for credit card bills etc?

Which part are you asking about, the hoarding or your father-in-law in a hospital dying alone? Will your brother-in-law clean out the house if he can't go see his dad? Can you move your husband's father closer to a hospital near you? You could probably hire someone to take of the house, but I would think the dying man in the hospital would take priority. Forget the house till there is no other choice but to deal with it. Like my dad always say, 'it's not eating hay'.