Mother-in-Law

by Elaine
(Mississippi)

I'm not sure where to begin. My mother-in-law or as I should say soon to be mother-in-law is one of the hardest people I have ever had to deal with in my life! She constantly talks to herself. Which really bothers me since I love my quiet time and that just doesn't happen around the house. Only time I get any type of quiet time is when everyone in the house is asleep or when I am at work. My fiance has told me countless times she wasn't like this before she began taking the medicines the doctor prescribed her. I've never known the sweet caring person he talks of and it's very hard to try and see her that way.

I should explain myself a little better. Kathy, my mother-in-law, has had multiple surgeries. She has had back surgery, stomach surgery, hip replacement, gall bladder removal, gangrene..the list goes on and on. I really do feel I should have more compassion towards her for everything she has gone through but the past 4 years of my life have really been very hard. She takes Methadone, Soma, Naratin, Xanax,and Lortab.

One moment she is the sweetest person you have ever met and the next second she could rip your head off. She ran off my fiance's last wife and children by her constant mood changing and complete paranoia. She accuses anyone and everyone of stealing from her when in reality she is stealing from everyone else around her.

She constantly complains and argues with her eldest son who came to help me with her when I am away at work. One minute she can do everything herself and the next she can't do anything not even get her own drink or use the bathroom. She has one bill in this house and won't even pay that half the time so my fiance had to take control of her money.

She has so many addictions that if she doesn't have this certain thing she will freak out. To top it all off my fiance is in bad shape and disabled himself so at times I am taking care of her and him with no time for myself. I am tired and I don't know how to do all of this. I can't stand the constant bickering and arguing it makes work a pleasant place and that says a lot when I am a waitress.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I need help real help. I did leave for about 3 months but I love my fiance so much I don't want to lose him because of her and I consider myself very stubborn and won't be run off by this woman. I just wish at some point God will give me serenity from all of this turmoil.