as far as alternative (and price-y) treatments go, my mom seemed to react well to wheat grass (you have to get a juice extractor for it which runs around 200 dollars and the fresh wheat grass isn't cheap, either, and it's hard to find). It wasn't for helping with chemo side-effects, but was supposed to help fight the cancer and give her energy. She did live 4 months past the "drop dead" date given by her doctors, and was very active until a week or 2 before the end.

You may want to do some damage control with your mom -- telling her that the pills aren't all E says they are, and it's a lot of money for something with dubious results.

then you may have to take E aside and give her a piece of your mind. However, that can backfire, and E may stop helping so much with N, and N will suffer from that, unless you or others are willing to pick up the slack. Point out to E that the 65/month N would be spending on that stuff isn't going to make that big a difference in her husband's salary, and if it IS, then the man should possibly start looking for another job (one customer shouldn't make or break his income, you know?).

This was why I was so terrible as an Amway distributor - I could NOT make a profit from my family members. It just felt morally wrong. even though I believed in the products, at the time (but not the sermons that went with them. Man, that was creepy!).

best of luck with dealing with this situation.

These things always put a major amount of stress on family structures and individuals. and people will show their true colors. I am sooooo greatful that our experience has brought out the best in my brother, my father and myself.

And if E really believes in all the "new age mumbo-jumbo" like you say, tell her to light a damn candle and pray for her sister, instead of causing all this tsuris.

hugs to you