Helping is expensive

  Mom needed my help so I obtained a thousand dollars from my retirement account, enough I thought so I wouldn't have to worry about things.  During the two weeks before she left I made four round trips to see her.   In addition to the gas and food I purchased her medicine and spent $54.00 on packing boxes plus picked up a few extra  inexpensive items for her.  After she left I drove to Hickory 5 times in the following two weeks, the last time to retrieve and mail some things she wanted from her home. 
    I had to repair some damage caused my the rescue workers when they broke into her house, fix a hole in her roof, replace her smoke detectors which had to be replaced after she almost set her house ablaze when she fell asleep while frying some burger, and I had some garments dry cleaned for her which I had shipped. 
  I did go to the Pioneer ($35)once and to a Mexican place ($23)   once and I had a mirror replaced I broke ($32) as well as maintenance on  my mower($153) done  but other than those expenses, all my credit card bills were related to me helping Mom.  My bill was for $1016.00.  Of course Mom reimbursed me for $132.00 but I spent $274.00 in cash, much of it for food but some for small items like light bulbs or batteries  or stuff to fix the small hole in the roof.  All told, it cost me close to $800. to help Mom and close up her home. 
   All of the canned goods and the food from the stand alone freezer went to aid a need family, probably about $600 to $800 worth of food, plus I split the remainder of items between two other families (about a $100.00 bucks apiece)
   My younger brother of course has helped too as he drove from Georgia twice to see her, the second time to take her home with him.  He made his annual pilgrimage to Colorado so he hired a private nurse to care for Mom  for the three days he will be gone.
  The joy I receive from having my Mom and the peace I have knowing she is well cared for now more than offset any expenses.  For her, nothing can replace being in her own home but she is well satisfied that she has a place to go where she is cared for with love rather than just as part of a persons job.