My husband and I were already living with Mom, keeping her company after Dad died, doing the "heavy stuff" that she could no longer do. I happened to be between jobs when Mom was diagnosed with bone cancer, then her heart began acting up and she was reduced to the unenviable position of looking for a nursing home or being cared for at home.

Mom and I had always been close (as the youngest of four, I think I'm her favorite!), so for me, it was a simple choice. I'd been brought back home for a reason, and the reason was now quite clear. Mom needed me.

My husband's meager laborer paycheck just wasn't going to cut it. Mom's pension and Social Security incomes were quite limited, as are most of them. As I would no longer be able to work outside the home, I put away my resumes and began to explore my options.

I thought a Virtual Assistant, typing for people by way of the Internet, sounded pretty cool. But there were deadlines to meet and I couldn't always be sure my home situation would mesh with that scene. After all, if Mom's in the hospital and I need to be with her, my "virtual boss" might not be too understanding about why my assignment wasn't completed as promised.

OK, enough of this. I wasn't brought up with a "can't do" attitude. I put away the thoughts of what I can't do, and switched to the other side of the ledger. What can I do to make money from home? That's when the fun really began!

From all the pop-ups, banners and junk e-mails I'd received through the years, I knew somebody was making money on the Internet. Could I do that, too? After a great deal of research, I finally found a program that was right for me.

Can you imagine how liberating that felt? I was no longer a victim of the "poor me, stuck at home" mentality. I'm blessed with the privilege of caring for my mother in the comfort of her own home, accompanying her to the end of life's journey.

I'm doubly blessed to actually be contributing to the family income instead of feeling guilty that I'm not "doing something."

Are you "stuck" at home, too? It's truly a privilege, you know, to be a caregiver to a loved one. You are a Very Important Person in his/her life. Instead of turning your financial frustration into resentment, turn it into a lucrative career on the Internet! You can name your own hours, work as little or as much as you want, and still have a big part in making your family's financial dreams come true. Do your research carefully, but rest assured--you, too, can make money from home.