When I first got diagnosed with Graves' Disease and I found out what it was all about (Still learning). I told my mom. Well as always she was sicker than I was. If I told her my heart was racing and I was scared...she just knew she was going to have another heart attack (last one was in the 80's, she has a pace maker). When I told her about the tremors in my hands...she thought she was getting Perkinsons. When I had my first eye surgery, she came over that night I got home. I was resting sitting up and couldn't see much and was in so much pain. Also I was out of it. My mom made me move my feet so she could sit on the couch to watch a movie. I told her I wanted to rest and she said it was not that bad her surgeries were much worst. She wanted to watch the movie yet stayed talking about her own surgery all evening till my daughter said I really needed to rest.
My husband kept the light off by me because the light hurt my eyes, she kept turning it on. All through this disease I have tried not to tell my mom much about any of it. She will always be sicker and hurt more than me. I had not talked to her since Christmas. Today she called to wish me Happy Birthday (It was a week ago). She asked how I was feeling, I said I was tired. She went on and on about she was so sick this past week. She could not even get out of the house. Same old same old.
I guess that is way I did not talk about my illness very much for a long time. I don't want to be like her. But, I do have an illness that is not curable. I have learned that I do need to talk about it. People have to know about this disease. I have to get others with this disease to not be ashamed of having it. I realize I am not acting like my mom and just complaining. With so many people with this disease being told that they just complain it is hard for us to talk about it. Even doctors don't believe us sometimes. Well, this is my vent for today. My mom just upsets me. I do have to keep my distance from her much of the time. Not a problem. I am the black sheep of the family.