This shall be considered Amendment #7 to the Spousal Immunities and Protections for Sanity (SIPS) Bill of Rights:

The caregiver shall retain the right to remember that Uncle Lewy is a guest in this household.

An unwelcome guest, to be sure.

But a guest nonetheless.

It is hereby recognized that:

• Uncle Lewy did not rent this home.
• Uncle Lewy did not raise the pets.
• Uncle Lewy did not create the memories.
• Uncle Lewy did not take the wedding vows.
• Uncle Lewy arrived years after all of the important work had already been done.

Household Standing

While it is acknowledged that Uncle Lewy cannot be permanently removed from the premises without causing mortal injury to the resident he inhabits, this limitation shall not be interpreted as ownership rights.

Uncle Lewy remains a tenant.

He is not the landlord.

He is not the head of the household.

And he most certainly does not get the final word.

Rules of Occupancy

Uncle Lewy shall be expected to abide by all household rules, including but not limited to:

• Respecting the caregiver.
• Not monopolizing every conversation.
• Not rearranging furniture without authorization.
• Not interfering with expressions of love.
• Not convincing anyone they are less than they were before his arrival.

Repeated violations may result in eye rolling, sarcasm, and formal complaints filed with the Committee of Exhausted Spousal Caregivers.

Statement of Principle

The presence of Uncle Lewy shall never erase the person who came before him.

The husband came first.

The doggie father came first.

The friend came first.

The life came first.

And on the best days, despite Uncle Lewy’s best efforts, they are still here.

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