My mother told me EVERYTHING! from every tiny splinter to post polio syndrome and quite frankly I resented it as a young woman that she tried very hard to have me stop my life, and make hers better. She would smoke, eat bad food, curse like a sailor, talk to me like I was an idiot, but wanted me to come make it all better. Clean her house because she couldnt, go shopping for her because she couldnt. It was also unfair that my sister was given a pass on any of this because "she had trouble of her own"I felt trapped and over burdened by her.

I guess I went to the other extreme with my kids. They knew momma was sick when I had breast cancer, but I didnt ask them to carry it. I didnt add extra chores because I couldnt do them. I didnt allow them in my room to watch TV with me if I was having a crying day where I didnt know if I was going to make it. I had dad direct them outside or onto a new project. They did get to bake me cookies and stuff, but they never once had to go to school worried if momma was dying.

with my MS I guess I follow the same pattern. They know the spoon theory, and they know that I have my struggles, but when they ask "how are you?" I say "im pretty good." and then I switch it over to "tell me what you did today" I guess if they were to sit down with me and say "tell me" I would talk a bit more, but its never been my personal style to allow them to carry what is my burden. When I couldnt clean the house, I hired someone. When I had trouble I hired someone. When they saw me doing blind orientation therapy even tho I was scared to death, I smiled and stepped forward with ease.

Ah, the things we do for our kids. I wish my mom would have been honest with me WITHOUT putting such sizeable burdens on me to make it better, or carry it for her. I am so sorry she has polio, but it was unfair to ask me to hold it for her. To this day when I go to visit her its all about fixing broken things, cleaning, meal prep, speaking to her doctors for her. My sister lives 15 mins away and yet she gets a pass. Silly.