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I have what I consider a huge responsibility - my dad had looked after my mother (and vice versa) for 63.5 years when he died last year. My mother can't look after herself now as she has been paralysed for going on 5.5 years.
I felt totally deflated last year after my father had paid for me to go on a wonderful cruise in September with my fiancee AFTER I'd abandoned both my parents in June (I couldn't cope seeing my dad getting weaker every day and after 2.5 years I decided I had to get back my own life).
My dad died in August. We went on the cruise in September. When I returned I saw the investments my dad had carefully built up over 35 years of retirement going down the proverbial plughole.
I knew hardly anything about investments. I know hardly anything about investments now, but a lot more than I did six plus months ago!
I'm delighted to have not only made back a huge amount of the investment losses on paper but also managed to increase the income that my mother needs to pay for carers etc.
I apologise if I came over as being big-headed; I am just very happy that my mother, at least for the time being, can stay in the villa she loves instead of being put away in a home where, under normal circumstances, she'd be!
So - apologies to those I gave the impression that I am big-headed...... I am really quite an insecure person and have been working as hard as I can to at least gain some financial security.
The fact that I have found somebody special in my life is worth far more to me than any fortune, but obviously I want the best for her as well.......... if she's doing 'ok' why should I drag her down to my level, if I decide to give up on life and become a 'no-hoper'?