Hello All -
Well, it's been pretty quiet down at the Geri-psych/Assisted Living facility! My mother has been there for almost 2 months, and there has been only 1 phone call. We have had many weekends to call our own - gardening, antiquing, going away, seeing friends, going out to dinner. It has been such a relief and a pleasure to do what WE want to do. There is no pit in my stomach with any upcoming weekend, knowing that I would have to see her. I really look forward to them now. God, the anxiety was awful, self-imposed, due to years of manipulation and control.
Am feeling much better about myself and am gaining self-confidence. My therapist helps me along too - along with meds. For the first time in 20 years of marriage, we will be going to see my husband's family on Thanksgiving. It was unspoken that we had to either host my parents or them us. All hell would break loose if I even mentioned a chance to the pattern, always from my Nmother.
Funny thing, we never judged a holiday by how nice our time was, it was always based on how good or bad my mother behaved. How pathetic.
This year she is going to find out what it's like to be alone and I don't really care. It's been almost 5 months since we saw her last and I plan on not seeing her yet. I will have to be good and ready to do that, if that ever happens.
