Ooooh my first rant, I'm excited!
It's about my mom. She called me the day of my first chemo after not having to do the whole BC thing since Oct. Excuse me but that was a tough day, what with waking up at 4am to drop off my brand new baby and big sissy THEN driving two hours THEN my port surgery THEN to my first Taxol tx THEN to hear that I have a spot on my liver and we don't know what it is.
She asked me how everything was going and I told her about the spot. She said "Well, I believe that that's God's way of showing us that it was there, but he removed it. It's just a scar, honey." Not that I am assuming it is cancer becaused I'm not, but she doesn't know anything!!! OMG it made me so upset. Not mad, just that she doesn't know what she's talking about and I couldn't explain it to her right then and there because 1) I don't want to explain it to anyone and 2) even if I had tried she wouldn't have been able to understand me because if I tried more that one syllable words I was going to lose it and go into a huge sob fest. So, instead I just held my breath and did the one syllable answers until she was done talking.
Then, my brother told me about how last time he talked to mom she was going on about how she thinks I am mad at her. Now, how the heck is it that now on top of everything else I feel bad about making my mom think I'm mad at her? ><
Comments
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That is so upsetting and frustrating. I will say this though (and I hope no one gets upset with me) - i have found that some very religious people see things through a different lens than others. So much so that they actually process information and reach conclusions differently and in a way that makes PERFECT sense to them. My MIL is like that. She talked to her daughter (my beloved SIL) who was hard at work looking for a job and said that if she just prayed more, she wuold have one. Nothing about the economy or unemployment statistics around here, just that one dimensional approach. then when SIL said she had a great interview and was 'crossing her fingers' that she'd get the job, her mom said "WE DO NOT CROSS OUR FINGERS IN THIS FAMILY." (SIL DID get the job, btw wihch I'm sure her mom attributes to her prayers.) She never understands why her daughter doesn't want to talk to her much, either.
OF COURSE this story does not compare to BC stuff in importance. But it does show that sometimes people are just so convinced of one approach/solution that there is NO talking to them. I would NOT try to explain to your mom - you will end up even more frustrated and possibily sad and disappointed as well. And it won't sink in to her anyway.
Just come here and rant and get support. We understand.And I mean no disrespect at all to those with a strong religious or spiritual faith. It's just those who WON'T LISTEN that are difficult to deal with.
Good luck. This probably will not be easy, dealing with her.
Amy
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What your mom said was not intended to reassure you, it was intended to reassure her. I have said all long, I'm glad that I'm the one with bc and not one of my daughters. She isn't talking to you about her own pain, which is a good thing.
Which doesn't mean you shouldn't rant away. You need to do that sometimes.
Leah
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Yeah, I agree that this was said as most definitely a coping mechanism for her, not to reassure you. Sometimes you just have to bite your tongue and come here to rant.
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I actually do have a strong faith in God and you didn't upset me:) I do my fair share of praying and I have the faith to know that what is in God's plans is what is going to be. What you said is exactly right though, a lot of people think if you pray something that you just have to believe that God will do that for you, That's not the way it works, I just have to hope that what I want is what God has planned for me. If not, then I have to deal with it, not think I didn't pray hard enough, AND, the other thing I have realized is that I have the right to be mad about it! It doesn't mean I don't believe in God if I am mad about something. He's GOD, he made Earth - He can take my rants, too.
Just wanted to say too that everyone has the right to believe how they want to believe, so don't think i'm trying to push views on you either!!!
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Your Mom like a lot of other people don't know how to respond and need to make themselves feel better, which is what it sounds like. There have been many times with my sister that I end up answering like you, short answers and then wish I hadn't said anything. My sister has a heart of gold, but somehow never seems to say the right thing and/or just dismisses what I'm saying. Frustrating - YES INDEED!!! With that said, please feel free to rant away, that's what we're here for.
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Billynda....((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))
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"It doesn't mean I don't believe in God if I am mad about something. He's GOD, he made Earth - He can take my rants, too."
Billynda-just had to comment. A wonderful friend of mine who always knew just what to say (or not to say) told me when I was ranting that God wanted us to come to him with everything. Whether its complaining about a bad hair day or crying about cancer. God asks us for a relationship and that means ongoing not only when things are going our way. He made us human, he designed us, and of course he understands our emotions. I would certainly want my children to feel free to rant to me and I'll give God that same courtesy.
(Funny there was a long discussion here before about Jewish belief says never to write the name God in cas it may be defaced and now I am feeling a bit guilty each time I type it out.)
I'm so happy you are here to rant with us...we really do get it!
God Bless in good times and in Bad.
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Thanks girls, you know it really did take it off my mind writing it here so that is SO good:) My mom also called me since then and I just acted happy and normal so she didn't think I was mad at her and she didn't bring it up. So, I'm really happy I didn't have to try to explain....
Just had to say something cute about my babies too....
My little girl was just caressing the babies head and kissing him. Then she kissed me, and then she pointed at him and made kissing noises to tell me to kiss him too:) So sweet:)
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well, don't get too worried yet.. i've had several BAD scares from scans and such.. when they saw things.
i love your attitude Billynda. you're just soo cool. you can't do a thing about other people except graciously tolerate them sometimes.
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Billynda, I know just what you mean!! It's so hard for us to deal with all of this, but to have to TRY to explain how we feel to someone who can't possible understand it is frustrating. And when they think we are mad at them... then we have to feel bad about that too!! It's just too much! What a long and extremely difficult day you had! Rant as much as you need to! I really dislike talking about all of this over and over again to family/friends/co-workers etc. When I have an update on tests, treatments, scans etc. I tell my parents and my son, and everyone else has to read about it on my CaringBridge page. Much Love! Jessica
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Rant away B...keeping everything in is not good ...getting it out FEELS GREAT!!!ml C
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