I was thinking today about how nice it is to have this forum where we can offer each other the kind of support that we so desperately need. Dealing with chronic pain is so difficult, and even though we love our families, the frustration of trying to explain something that is so foreign to them causes us even more pain.
I am a Mother tiger (a title that I wear proudly), so my claws tend to come out when I see someone treating Stacy in a way that I perceive as wrong. I have even been kicked out of hospital rooms for being too demanding... It is never a good idea to mess with a mother tiger...
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Even though she is an adult now, I still feel the need to protect her at all costs. I sometimes worry about being overly protective, but fortunately Stacy has never had a problem sticking up for herself or speaking her mind.
My poor husband (Stacy's stepfather) has had to put up with so much these past few years. I know that this has not been easy for him, and I don't know if I could have done as well if the tables were turned and it was his child. I think he should be nominated for Sainthood. In hindsight, I know there were many times when the bond that I have with Stacy made him feel like an outsider. I blame myself for this. Rich is a very gentle person, but there were things that really bothered him, and he learned to keep them to himself. Not a good idea, because eventually it had to come out, and the resulting anger made us say things that we can never take back. We are learning to communicate better, and I am learning to let go of some of my need to protect. Somehow we will strike a balance.
Rich has been working in Alaska for the past four months; it has given me a lot of time to do some soul searching. He is coming home next week, and I think it will be a fresh start for us, and I am looking forward to it. Candy
