For five years, I cared for my 90-year-old MIL after my FIL passed away, doing my best to make sure she never felt lonely. No matter what I tried, nothing seemed to help. I have health issues myself, and eventually, I was completely exhausted from handling everything alone in my free time.
We finally decided that a nursing home would be best. When we told her, she shook her head and said, “I never thought it would come to this.” My husband stayed silent, which made it even harder.
A week later, we were stunned to find out that her sister’s family had taken her in—and she planned to leave her inheritance to them. After everything I had sacrificed, it felt like a deep betrayal. I wanted to care for myself, too, but now she treated us like strangers. Was I wrong to step back?