Who is there for you no matter what?

[mackmama]

Who do you have in your life who is really there for you, no matter what? Whether it be family, friends, etc -- who can you call at 3am, who would drop everything to visit or even stay with you in the hospital, who loves you unconditionally and really really cares what happens to you?

I've been thinking about my parents' health recently and have realized they might be the only people who really fill all of the above for me besides DH. I have close friends, but they all have their own families and their own busy lives. Besides spouses, are family (parents, siblings) usually the only ones who would fit all of the above for most people? (My siblings don't.)

[Corie]

Here is a list of the VIPs in my life:

DH
my kids
my sister
my one brother (Heck, my brother flew to Ohio from Texas to watch my daughter perform with her Show Choir.)

I'm not that close to my Dad and my Mom passed away over 20 years ago.

[TwinFoxes]

DH, MIL and SILs, my book club (all neighborhood mommy friends, we are tight, and have supported each other through bad things) and several close friends from various stages in my life. I'm very blessed because I don't have immediate family to count on. (Parents dead, brother unreliable).

[basil]

My DH
My parents
My brother and his wife
Maybe my SIL and her DH. Other ILs couldn't be trusted to help.
That's pretty much it. Maybe my kids someday. I don't think I've ever been close enough to friends to be that type of person. Not sure if that's normal or not.

[pinkmomagain]

My DH, my parents (although my dad is wheelchair bound and my mom is his caretaker so it's difficult for them to jump into action), my sister and BIL. That is it.

[weech]

My DH, my parents and my ILs. My brother, too, but he lives halfway across the country and doesn't have the resources to just jump on a plane to come home. I have two friends I could call but they couldn't drop everything and be here physically (busy moms).

[specialp]

DH, my mom, one sister (other wouldn't really be able to), one friend.

[KrisM]

DH
My mom and dad
My brother and SIL
DH's family, although they are 700+ miles away
4 or 5 friends.

I called on one friend near midnight once so I could take DH to the ER. I asked her to come sit in my house so my kids could stay asleep. She was sleeping, but answered figuring it was an emergency. She got dressed and came right over.

Another friend was my back up when I was pregnant, since my parents are an hour away. I called her first and my parents in the morning, so my mom didn't have to drive at 1am. She came at 5am instead.

[MamaMolly]

This is a very painful subject for me. I learned the hard way that my family is not there for me, one bit. When the crap hit the fan with DH's health in 2010 they did nothing NOTHING to help, other than answer the phone when I called to ask for help. It shocked me to the core. I was truly devistated. There is nothing like it. Before it happened I would have said that they would have come, no doubt about it. One take away, It did cement my MIL as my 'true' family, though.

My advice is to not count on anyone until they come through for you. You never really know.

[SnuggleBuggles]

The bigger question is who I'd ask. I'm terrible about reaching out. I'm happy to help others but terrible about seeking it out. But, if I did, I am sure I could count on
Dh, parents, ILs (parents and siblings), my sister, my SIL, at least 2 friends