My youngest wont call me back. I fear she is so scared about this down turn in my health that she cant even answer my calls. I miss her and the babies. She has Epilepsy and stress can make her worse. It has caused seizures. She is 33 and has 3 children and a full time job so she has her plate full.

I respect that she needs to protect herself, her health. Her first grand mal was during a time when her middle child, my granddaughter was going for immune system testing as she was sick all time. I am not sure what to do. She tried to be around and has tried to talk to me and was so up beat. But it has been too long.

Annie59

I am sorry about this situation.

I am feeling bad because I often don't call my mother back when she calls. Sometimes she brings up issues that cause me stress and I can't handle stress at all, so I avoid it. Stress makes my MG symptoms severe like nothing else does. I do explain this to her, but still, I am not a very good daughter, sister or friend at this time. There are many other people in my life that I have stopped talking to.

Maybe there is something you can do that will relieve her stress. I have not figured out a solution for this situation in my life. I miss having friends and family around...but when talking to them causes me to spend a week in bed, I can't justify that, I have two kids to take care of and myself. I wish there was a way to make the stress go away or for me to handle it better.

I wish you the best.

Desert flower, I am very glad to hear your persective as a daughter. I think this is some of what I needed to hear. I did some therapy last year when I was well enough to get there and drive. He was a chronic illness specialist. About my daughter he mentioned that I should try to avoid discussions of my health when I am with her. I have done this. In fact I find myself worrying about being honest with them about how sick I am. She is tho the daughter who is best at taking on crappy behavior so I sure could use her as a protector right now tho I sure never thoguht I would be needing to say that at 59years old.

I see I forgot to mention that I am her only parent. Their dad died of cancer when he was only 42 and it was a very bad situation. She told me one nite late that she is afraid I am going to die. It is a very pressure loaded situation.

When I posted last nite about this I remembered the nite when my grandson was running around the house and ran his head into the wall gashing it open bad. Oh and I guess it was my birthday tho I didnt remember that. My Juli grabbed him and took him to the kitchen to see how it was but quickly realized she was going into a siezure from the sudden stress. She handed the little one off and sat down. I had just learned a tool that is said to help deescalate a seizure. I went to her and told her this might help and did it. Shortly she said it felt good and to continue. That was the last time I really felt like the kind of mom I used to be.

I miss that.

Annie59

I am happy you were able to help your daughter. Your story brought happy tears to my eyes.

This also made me realize that I should find a therapist to help me with stress. I was seeing one before I got MG and he helped so much (I have PTSD). Maybe he will be able to help again with my new situation with MG. I don't have seizures but stress can put me on the floor if I can't quickly get to a chair or my bed. I am finding that I am avoiding more and more people and situations as time goes on.

I also think I will call my mom, maybe she has something to say that will help. I know she wants to help. She told me that she was going to retire this year but had decided to wait just in case I need help financially (which made me feel really bad, even though I know she did this because she cares).

I applied for Social Security Disability last week, after having MG for a year and a half and not figuring out how to work with MG and my stress problems. If I get disability I think this will help me, it will take one stress away, and maybe then I can be able to spend more time with family.

I mostly wanted to say that your post made me realize that I should call my mom more often, I'm going to try...

Thank you.

Annie,

I'm so glad that you understand that your daughter is staying quiet because she loves you so much that she's afraid. It is good that you know how much she cares. I know you miss her, but it is really wonderful how well you understand her.

The other day I was taking a little break on the floor on the way to bed. My husband, who was helping me, lay down there with me to keep me company while I got my strength up for crossing the rest of the living room. My 14-year-old daughter came and lay down with us companionably. Then her little brothers came through and just stepped over us without blinking an eye. It was hilarious. My children are young enough to take all of this, shall we say, in stride. (I have to say, though, that the reason we can all laugh at this is that no one here is afraid for me--I don't have any breathing trouble or anything scary like that, at least not yet.)

It may be that it's not until you're a mother that you understand how much you need your mother. My children are young, and take me for granted (as they should). Your daughter is grown and knows how much she needs you. I hope you two can find a way to reassure each other.

Abby

Annie,

Sometimes the stress of daily life becomes too much even for the strongest of people. Dealing with chronic illness, your own or someone else's can be overwhelming at times. It's not that people are indifferent, i just think that it just tires everyone out both physically and mentally. From what you've told us about your daughters in previous posts they seem like caring people. After caring for two chronically ill parents I can tell you there was nothing harder for me. Sometimes we bickered about the simple things, other times we found strange humor in the most awful situations.

We somehow found the strength we needed to care for each other, I'm confident you will as well!

Stay strong, TOGETHER you will work it out.

Rachel