Well, I did not get the camera! But here is one from earlier in the year.

There's a lot of ways people age. People can become more difficult in old age because as we age, we gradually loose control of our lives and also gradually loose our sense of being important. A lot of that is societal, but some of it is just how individual people define power and control. I know plenty of seniors who still contribute to society even after they retire, by serving on boards and volunteering for community service. They relate to others as friends, not just as bosses. But some people, like my folks for example, who were bosses at work their whole lives and who define power and contol by being infallible, do not deal well with aging. I would say, generally, that controlling people have a very difficult time with aging, and get more and more difficult as time goes on. 72 is not that old, but some people act like they are going on 92 their whole lives. Which is ironic, because there are probably some spry 92 year olds out there! Bear in mind what others have said, you can't control your mom but you can control how you react to her. You have some rights in this situation, and she has some adult responsibilities. If she chooses not to act like an adult (assuming she doesn't have some kind of dementia), then you are not responsible for her problems. Choose what you will do, and make it very clear that you are going to do as you see fit and if she doesn't like it, that is NOT YOUR PROBLEM. That's the only way you can deal with co-dependent people. You're just going to have to accept that she is going to be elderly and difficult. There's a difference between compassion (which you should exercise with your mom) and co-dependence, and the key is to navigate the line between the two. Recognizing the problem, like you have, is half the battle. And I think it also helps to share the burden by talking with others who are going through the same thing. I know I get a lot of solace from comiserating with my friends who are also dealing with or have dealt with difficult parental relationships. (Just ask Annie, lol!)

Will say a prayer for your mom and your family. It's amazing what people will fight over. The ex's siblings fought over stupid things that their father left behind, he lived in a very old, run down dirty trailer and had basically nothing but old junk. They still managed to fight and demand things that belonged to him and his new wife. I hope your family doesn't go that route, especially since your mom isn't even gone yet. Geez. (((Nan and mom)))

The Botox Mom is a real piece of work. First when we thought she was giving her beauty pageant kid the shots, I thought she was teaching her the shallow way of thinking that beauty was the most important, then when she admitted to lying...well we all see the lesson she was teaching the kid, then. Shameful! As for the nursing doll, well maybe it could teach little girls what breasts were really made for, instead of sex objects.