My Mom is in a nursing home for rehab purposes. We are so hoping that she doesn't have to stay there forever.

Before Christmas, I saved and saved and bought Mom some fish and a lot of things she needed for her aquarium. I am sure my mother has accidentally killed more goldfish than any other human being in the world.

Anyway, the deal was I would take care of the tank and she would name them, love them and feed them, but not touch the tank.

Mom's been in the hospital and then the nursing home since Christmas Eve. I had been trying to go to Mom's house every day to feed the fish, but I had surgery and was off my feet for over a week. My brother and niece wanted to flush my fish down the commode! In fact, they demanded it.

I insisted that they not do that. I scratched and saved and did without to buy them for Mom and darn it, no one is flushing them unless they're dead.

So today "Miss Germophobic" here went and took the aquarium apart, cleaned every bit of it, and carried it, the parts, and the fish over here. The only place I had to put them is my dining table. I don't want fish on my table, but I can't afford to buy a stand and it would be a waste because I want to give them back to Mom when she gets to come home.

I am so worn out. I haven't regained my strength from the surgery and I'm having to take pain meds to be able to walk. I feel like screaming.

I do realize this must seem really minute to all of you. I'm sure it is minute in the grand scheme of things, but I still feel like screaming.

Jan