"My in-laws haven’t shown me respect in 20 years and my husband won't defend me"

Family is everything.

READ: Posted up: "My boyfriend of a year is hiding me from his friends and family"

But family doesn't always have to refer to those you are related to by blood.

Your friends can become like family, as well as your co-workers and anyone else really.

READ: 5 of the most emotional moments on #StaceyAndJSbu

As "easy" as it might be to add new members to your family, it certainly is more difficult having to cut your actual family members out of your life.

Just thinking about never speaking to your parents again or your siblings sounds like the strangest concept in the world. And when people mention that they don't have relationships with their family members there is always a lot of questions, like: "What do you mean you don't communicate with your parents on a daily basis?"

READ: "My drug-addicted brother has stolen everything from our mother... twice"

But does being related justify maintaining toxic relationships? Are you supposed to ignore the wrongdoings of these people just because of society's expectations of what a family should consist of?

If we can get rid of friends who don't contribute to our lives in a positive way, if we can remove ourselves from toxic workspaces, and dump good-for-nothing significant others, why is doing the same to your relatives so frowned upon?

READ: "If he was man enough to bring home the money we wouldn't be in this position."

As you know, #TheFixer is a feature on Stacey and J Sbu's show in which the duo gives KZN listeners an opportunity to share their dilemmas that they seek advice on. Together with the help of fellow KZN listeners, Stacey and J Sbu try to help the concerned party fix their problem.

Miksha sent in her dilemma and after reading more about her situation, we could feel our hearts breaking.

READ: "I think I'm gay but I don't know how to tell my conservative mother."

Not only did she lose her mother at a young age, but since she married her husband, she has been taking care of and supporting her in-laws.

Even though she has done so much for her extended family, there seems to be no appreciation from their side.

Take a listen as Miksha shares her devastating story below:

READ: "The father of my kids has been having an emotional affair with 10 different women"

We asked KZN to come through with the best advice they had to offer and this is what they had to say:

Main image courtesy of iStock/Fizkes