Dear Annie: My husband and I have been friends with "Bill" and "Karen" for many years. Last year, Bill was diagnosed with a terminal illness and is now undergoing experimental therapies that are very painful, physically draining and extremely expensive. He can no longer work. 

At first, Karen rose to the challenge and supported Bill, but now she has decided to file for divorce. She claims the problems in their marriage began long before his diagnosis, but I'm not buying it. Over the years, I've seen Karen leave a fiance, a friend and an employer when things didn't go as planned. Whenever the going gets tough, Karen gets going. 

I have to draw the line somewhere. Divorcing a terminally ill man when he needs his wife the most seems inexcusable to me. Karen tells me she knows this is the right thing for her. She doesn't say whether it's right for Bill. 

I was there when Karen promised to stay with Bill "in sickness and in health." If those vows mean anything, shouldn't Karen be held accountable for breaking them? My husband thinks we should write off our friendship with her. I'm inclined to agree. What do you think? -- Disillusioned Friend in Massachusetts 

Dear Disillusioned: Karen certainly isn't showing much integrity or loyalty. She runs away when the burden weighs too heavily on her. There may be ingrained psychological reasons for this, but it doesn't make her behavior any more acceptable. 

Only you can decide if Karen has other qualities that make up for her abandonment of Bill, and if so, you can continue the friendship on that limited level. Otherwise, we wouldn't make any great effort to hang on to her. Meanwhile, please keep an eye on Bill. He's going to need his friends.