Had some disturbing news from my Mom

[alarimer]

She said my sister is going in for an MRI tomorrow. She has been having problems with her right leg- lack of feeling, unable to work properly. The MRI is to determine if it is MS. That is the worst-case scenario; morel ikely it is a pinched nerve. She has worked forever in retail, has spent a lot of time on her feet. I don't know whether that could cause it or not. She is doing something else now, not retail, and her employers are quite supportive so that is good at least but she has trouble driving (her current car is a stick shift).
I am not particularly worried about the worst case scenario. It think it is likely to be a pinched nerve or something but what bugs me is that no one ever calls me to tell me what is going on. I found out my brother lost his job and was living back at home several weeks after it happened. A couple of years ago my dad had some issues with his heart (a spot on a scan that turned out to be nothing) but I never heard about for weeks. Even good news doesn't get reported- not even by email. I do talk to them every 2-3 weeks or so.

[mvd]

1. I am..

sending good vibes her way! :hug:

[alarimer]

2. thanks

[Heidi]

3. Good vibes.

I'll write "alarmer's sister" on a little piece of paper, roll it up and put it in the hands of the Buddha on our altar, if you don't mind.

[alarimer]

5. Thanks

I am sure it will help.

[I Have A Dream]

4. I hope that your sister is OK.

I understand your situation about not being told about the news of what's going on back home. I'm in the same situation. I've just decided that it's not because they don't love me or that they don't think that I'm still as much a part of the family as everyone else, but that they have to make a special effort to tell me the news. Because of this, when I speak with them, I just try to specifically ask if there's anything new. I still don't get everything, but it helps.

I'm like you -- I speak with my mother every two weeks or so unless something happens where I need to call more often. My sister calls my mother every day. She has much more information than I do because she's right in the mix; she's speaking to my mother when it's all going on. Because I call less, I have to realize that my mother's not necessarily going to think of everything that's going on at the very time that we speak.

Bottom line: I'm sure that it's not personal.

[alarimer]

6. I don't think it is either

We may all be bad communicators.

On kind of a funny note:
the reason I called today was to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day. he was at WORK. He works 7 days a week if he can. Actually I think he says he gets more done on the weekends when no one is there but still.

[Ilsa]

7. I hope your sis's test gives her some good news... something

easy to take care of and quickly resolved.

I think some people don't want to discuss their health issues until they have a diagnosis, or are on the verge of getting one. I had a spot on a bone when I was 23, and I didn't tell my folks about it until the weekend before i had to go to the hospital for the test (and ultimately, surgery).

Still, maybe you could directly ask your mom and dad to make sure you are included in family news -- that it's really important to you. You might even mention how you feel left out if they don't. Sometimes people assume others don't want to be bothered unless there is definitive news.

Hugs.

[steely]

8. another diagnosis could be sciatica

wife has that, but there is pain involved - numbness of foot/leg accompany it - scan revealed herniated disc. She put off cortisone shot as long as she could, until she sprained her foot twice from tripping on it (due to lack of feeling).
best wishes

[alarimer]

9. I thought of that too

I don't think whatever it is results from an injury. You'd think a person would notice a back injury like that. I haven't heard her talk about a lot of pain though, mostly numbness.

[steely]

10. yeah, I thought she was having regular ol' back pain.

Apparently got so bad she couldn't get up one day. She scored some pain killers that did nothing but make her queasy, the next step was the scan. I was shocked when they called it (2) herniated disks. No injury that she recalled, we think it has something to do with (ahem) age.
don't wanna dump personal stuff, but maybe it could help someone - I know the mods frown on med threads.

[driver8]

11. Same thing happens to me -- my family never tells me shit

I live in California -- they are all back east. Two months ago my father went in for a physical. He had some blood in his urine and they were running all of these tests. My youngest sister happened to spill the beans to my wife and that was how I found out.

WTF?? I'm an adult...not a fucking child. Just because I am 3,000 miles away doesn't mean I shouldn't be included.

Pisses me off...