This was a good idea for a topic. My wife and mother-in-law are very dependent on me. For my wife it's both physical and emotional dependence so she can't go without me for very long. As caregivers know, caregiving never ends-it's 24/7/365 so I know it might sound silly but sometimes just a quick 10 minute trip to go get gas and be alone with my own thoughts is all I need to catch my breath and recharge so I don't break from exhaustion. However, sometimes she'll say "I want go!" So, I either softly let her down and tell her I need to take this trip solo, in which case it will hurt her feelings (no matter how I say it) and now she feels bad because I've made her feel like a burden, OR, I don't have the heart to hurt her feelings so I say sure and let out a silent scream because I can't even get 5 minutes. Either way, no matter how it goes down, I feel guilty. I feel guilty for wanting 5 minutes.