There is really no way to put a dollar amount on it. It really consumes your every minute. I worked very closely with our caregivers. I spent a lot of my own money to boot if you want to include airline tickets, rental cars - then once I had moved back - I grocery shopped for them, bought out of pocket a lot of things needed for mothers care. Until Hospice came on the scene, we had to purchase everything - rubber gloves, even the thickening agent we had to add to mother's pureed food. Plus rental fee for the hospital bed, comode, wheelchair - and on and on and on.

Maybe one day I'll try to add up how much I spent of my own money - but probably not. What's the point. They appreciated everything I did - dad was so unhappy in the end he could barely look me in the eye.