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Sort of O/T -- My Mom passed and all I heard was crickets

Merry's picture

Crickets. Oh, not from everybody. DH's sister called me. My bestie called. Several others. Nice cards and flowers and donations from people at work.

My Mom was 99 and ready to go, but I will miss her. And I am grieving more intensely than I thought I would, given her age, poor health, and the relief I feel now that she is not suffering. But I'm ok with that. It's a process.

SS30 did express his condolences when he called his dad on father's day. SD36 sent a text message several days after the funeral, but I know that was because DH told her she should. SD was good about sending pictures and videos of her kids (who I adore) while my Mom was so ill, and based on DH's reaction to that, you'd think that she was the only one who had ever thought of doing something so extraordinarily wonderful. I did appreciate the pics/videos though, and told her so.

Even most of my friends were silent. DH did notify our mutual friends of my mom's passing and I heard from exactly three of them. They all expressed condolences to HIM with a request to please tell Merry how sorry they were. Nary a card or a fb message to me directly. I don't get that, and it hurts my feelings. It wasn't DH's Mom. DH isn't responsible for relaying their messages when our lives are upside down.

But...DH has been a saint through all of this. He has some narcissistic tendencies, but he has kept all of that in check, and self discipline isn't his strong suit. He loves me.

What lessons have I learned? My semi-disengaged approach to DH's kids is the right one. We are polite to each other. Even some laughs among us. But they are his kids, and I am his wife. That's it. As for my friends, well, I suppose their intentions were good and they are all "busy." But I realize that social media is too easy, that reply button is too convenient. Those aren't real friendships, and I will nurture the real ones.

Comments

moeilijk's picture

I'm sorry for your loss. I can't imagine.

My mother is aging and in poor health. She could live a long time, but the quality is continuing to decrease. I have mixed feelings - I love her and admire her and think she's great, and I have lots of great memories of loving things she's done and said and been. But her mistakes were doozies, and she didn't necessarily learn from them.

And I am so not ready for her to pass on, I miss her. I haven't lived on the same continent for almost a decade, and for a decade before that I lived on one coast and she on the other. The time difference is horrible, and I can't do anything from here anyway.

Sorry about making this about me... I just don't think anything prepares you.

Tuff Noogies's picture

awwww... ((((((hugs)))))))

i'm glad your dh is being so wonderful during this difficult time. i am sorry that some of your friends are either showing you who they are, or are just that insensitive. and i am so very sorry for your loss.

iluvcheese's picture

I'm very sorry you're hurting:(. Your post is making me cry. Take the time you need to heal, like you said it is a process, one you may go back & forth on for a long time. Not that this is an excuse, but some people are very uncomfortable with grief & we all appreciate different things when we are grieving. Perhaps your "friends" are the kind of people that prefer space, so that's why they haven't reached out directly towards you? They've given you what they'd want. Maybe they figured your guy would give you the message & when you were ready to talk you'd call. I can't say for sure, because that's a lot of people to have that response. Well they always say you learn who your friends are when times are tough & I've learned that's true. I say stick with the people that are taking care of you in your fragile state, the people that are making you feel good. Again, I'm so sorry.

AlreadyGone's picture

My sympathies to you and your family. I lost my dad some time back and I don't think I'll ever truly get over it.

(((Hugs)))

robin333's picture

I'm so sorry Merry. It's been my experience that death is so uncomfortable for some folks, they have no idea how to talk to someone about it.

Indigo's picture

I feel for you losing your Mother. {{ Hugs }}

I just took my mother to the eye doctor and got cross with her rewriting history and kvetching. Your post today is a great reminder. Moms are so important in our lives --- whether we had a great relationship or not --- and their passing leaves a hole in the tapestry of our days.

What are some of your favorite memories of your Mother?

I remember when I was tyke going up to Zomba Plateau and walking with my mom around a small lake surrounded by trees. I remember the most amazing huge bugs which were the color of rainbows and flew so fast. My mother named them: "Dragonflies." I thought she was magic.

Exjuliemccoy's picture

I'm so sorry you lost your mother, Merry. I think that losing that primary relationship is awful no matter what age we are. There's an enormous void left. Please be good to yourself as you grieve.

The last illness and death of my mother was the one and only personal crisis I've had since marrying into a family filled with dysfunction. The exploits of my in-laws and skids read like a movie on the Lifetime network, and I bent over backwards helping many of them. Yet when mom passed, it was mainly crickets. Fortunately, I have some great friends who were there for me, but the lesson was there.

Hard times show us who we can really count on. It may be time to tighten your circle.

Merry's picture

Aw, thanks everybody.

I am taking care of myself. This tough girl (uh, just like my Mom) gets teary over the most ridiculous things these days, and I really think that's healthy.

And many of you are right. This death thing is uncomfortable for a lot of people, so it's easier for them to ignore or think a nod to my DH is sufficient as they scurry past that reality. I would understand that from a younger group, but my friends are in their 50s/60s and we're all losing our parents. I haven't always been the perfect friend either, but I am learning from this experience and will do better going forward.

And I'm going to do my best to put SD in the category of being uncomfortable too. She doesn't really know what to do with me anyway. Rarely causes DH and me any difficulty anymore, and as I say she is great about allowing me to be another grandmother to her kids. I hadn't really thought about her not knowing what to do or when -- was so focused on my own hurt feelings.

Ok, deep breath and we go on. Thank you, everyone.

Merry's picture

Thanks, Monkey. This really helps.

My Dad passed away about 25 years ago, and some days I still think of things I need to talk to him about. That always makes me smile. I lost my Dad to cancer too, and it truly and absolutely sucks. I am so sorry you are dealing with this. 73 is way too young.

I think I'm bothered that so many people seemed to take the easy way out with an electronic reply to DH. Quick, easy, move on. I sort of see that as losing touch with real people. At least that's the way it feels. And I'm way willing to think about it in another way, and you and others have helped me do that. Maybe I can stop focusing on this and start to figure out what I'm really feeling. It has to be more than a simple breach of etiquette that has had me bothered for almost a month now.

Hugs to you too. Big hugs.

ntm's picture

My condolences on the loss of your mother. They are irreplaceable. I think sometimes when the decesased is very old, people figure you won't be sad. Losing someone is losing someone, no matter how old they are or how long they've been in your life.