Right now, a guide dog puppy is taking her very first steps. One day, she'll help someone with sight loss live a full and independent life. Find the crossing best. Good girl. When you sponsor a puppy with guide dogs, you're there for it all. Her wobbly walks, her first harness, the life-changing partnership. It's more than a donation. It's the start of a life-changing story. Search, sponsor a guide dog puppy, and be part of a story you'll be proud to share. Guide dogs. Advantage chewable. Rico, welcome to the program. Hi, Dr. Laura. I'm hoping you could help me and maybe have some other listeners that have or that are going through some issue right now. Absolutely. My parents are elderly. What's going on? Oh, thank you. How old is elderly? Well, they're in their, my mom's in her early 80s. My stepdad's in his older and his later 70s. And they're getting us some health problems. My stepfather's been able to take care of themselves still with the health problems. Almost not. My mother is not, my stepfather's just got diagnosed with dementia and he's starting to wander off and get lost. And I don't think my mom could take care of myself for much longer. Got it. So are they going to think of memory care place or something? Well, my sister's in the medical field. She's looking into avenues and that she specializes in elder care. Thank God. Hmm. Well, that's handy. She's in a place. Yeah, it sure is. But we're just, we're navigating the insurance and the cost and everything that leads me into my question for you. We're having a lot of trouble finding the motivation to care for them. Of course, we're not going to let my parents dwindle. But growing up, it was very tumultuous childhood. My mother was very, like, been abusive, physically abusive with us. She was very frustrated with her life. My stepfather, he married my mom when I was three. My sister's six years older. My brother's eight years older than me. And my sister and brother hid me from a lot of things, a lot of memories. And now my sister's just so frustrated. She's bringing back all those memories. Hey, remember this, remember that? My mom and stepdad partied their whole life. And now there's nothing financially left. And it wasn't a happy time growing up when my mom would come home. We'd all run to our rooms because it was terrible that she would come home on a war path and beat one of us because she's a fester. Oh, my God. Yeah. My stepdad would turn a blind eye to it. He was never physically or emotionally abusive towards us. But I remember one occasion, you're running to him for help. I was getting whipped with one of his dress belts by my mother. And he ignored me like I wasn't even there. And I questioned him on that recently. He goes, you don't understand. Your mom wouldn't talk to me for a week if I sided with you kids against her. Piece of shit your husband was. He's worried about not talking. Yeah. So it's a little frustrating. And now that he's losing it pretty fast, he's disappeared for 48 hours the other night. Walked 20 miles to get a prescription cell. It's a sad situation. And they blew through two very large inheritance from their parents, mutually. And there's nothing left. So my brother and sister are left picking up the pieces. And I'm just I'm torn emotionally. My sister is really reliving her childhood all over again because she meant to me every time we talk now. Bringing up new memories that I remember or realize. That many nights she had to go cook because my mom and dad blew it in either drugs or booze. And she had to go scrounge in the neighborhood for friends for food for me. And I remember her cooking. I just didn't remember the source of the food. So I'm torn. And I'm sure you have some other listeners right now that you're not you're not torn. You're not torn. What do you mean you're torn? Well, I want to help. Between what and what? I just want to I want to go. You don't want to help them. And if they passed tomorrow, you'd probably throw a party. I get that. I'll just say you're torn. A lot of guilt feeling that way. No, it's not guilt. Tell me it's anger. It's amazing how people use guilt for too many things. It's anger. It's anger that you put in the position where you have to do something. It's anger. It's not guilt. Understood. And it's perfectly reasonable. My heart goes out to your sister. Yeah, she's she's an emotional wreck right now. And she probably the thing you have to do the most is be supportive of her. She sacrificed a lot to take care of you. Yeah, she did. At a young age. So don't worry so much about the parents. Spend your effort on her. Help her. She's the one who needs it and deserves it. They need it and they don't deserve it. So give it to her. Yeah. OK. And stop being torn. You know exactly how you feel. No. Ingr. You're just embarrassed to say the truth. Fortunately, you're talking to someone who's not. Well, thank you, Dr. Holt. You're very welcome, Rico. Go take care of your sister. My number 1-800-375-2872. If you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast. Of course, I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media platform. SiriusXM Triumph. Is life presenting you with challenges? Get real answers with Dr. Laura. Call 1-800-Dr. Laura. No nonsense advice about relationships, marriage, kids. Tough love. It happened is not a phrase anybody uses when they take responsibility. Inspiration. Every time you go to bed with a negative thought, you have to match it up with a positive one. That's your new rule. Dr. Laura, weekdays at 2 PM East on SiriusXM Triumph 123 and on the SiriusXM app. What? You didn't know you could get club card prices on Tesco Travel Insurance? Get away. 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