72,

About 6 months ago, my 16 yo son said "Yeah, it's been going on for 6 years already.....get over it"

It felt like he punched me in the chest.

That night was a big ol' pity party !

This past Tuesday morning, my 15 yo son spent a half and hour SCREAMING in my ear because he WANTED to make my pain worse (severe headache d/t occipital neuralgia) because I woke his brother up for a shower before him. After the pain finally subsided, I had a good ol' cry for myself because I raised such a monster. By that evening, he apologized and we had a long talk in the hot tub.....not about my pain and the impact that has on him, but about my sil with stage 4 breast CA with brain mets and how he feels so bad for his cousins who are younger and don't know the seriousness of her condition.

Just like we can be overly irritable because of the stress of chronic pain, our loved ones can also find inappropriate ways to vent their frustration. I get that now, when my pain is managable, but when it's soaring then I'm back to the "my kids are heartless monsters and I've failed as a mother" pity party.

I think it's normal and natural to have some days like that....when we mourn our old "healthy" lives or get angry about being ignored by doctors or feel unsupported by family and friends. When you get stuck in that rut for too long, I do think it's important to seek psyciatric help. A few moments of frustration when you are dealing with insensitive schmucks is just a vent......and that's allowed !

So....Who, in particular, was being a schmuck to you ?