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I have posted here before and you all have been so helpful. I'm hoping you can help again. I have been in reunion with my bmom for 1 year and it has been up and down (mostly downs recently) and I had been trying to get her to tell me the birthfather's name for health reasons (genetically passed deteriorating condition which was also the reason I initially looked for her). She finally told me but with so very much anger.
I don't know how to go on with her from here. She never told anyone about the pregancy (late 70's very small town, i.e. a couple hundred people) until 2 weeks before giving birth. Her oldest brother found out, he told her parents, they immediately made adoption plan in much secrecy. She has told me so very many stories about the circumstances and I finally got the original social worker's version this week. Every version is different but the basic gist from each is that it was a one night stand with a guy who worked for her father. They scheduled a c-section over spring break and she went back to school as if nothing had happened (her words).
She never told her husband about me or her 3 kids (although I am still in amazement her husband never noticed a 1970's c-section scar when they had a baby together less than a year after she gave me up as well as the fact that she kept an 11-pound baby pregnancy a secret in that small of a town). She is very close with her children and ironically one of her teenage daughters just had a baby and also kept the pregnancy secret.
Her husband however has a child that he gave up for adoption right before the two of them got together (i.e. golden opportunity to tell him about me!) and they are in reunion, however it is not a good situation (he asks for money, etc.) which is why I totally understood her taking a while to trust me. But I have done everything she asks and kept my identity and existence a secret. I've also never asked for anything but information.
She says that she never dealt with what happened. I tried sending her to this site - big mistake. I thought she could read about other people that had gone through similar experiences - I know it has helped me. But she saw it as a personal attack, basically like she does anything else I say.
She also finally told me the bfather's name but only after blasting me saying that all I ever do is test her and call her a liar (which by the way I never did) and that I am the bad person and that she may just send me over to her brothers who will "chew you up and spit you out because someone like you could never handle someone like them." What? Why? B/c I was born as their niece?
Basically every conversation we have had since I first contacted her has involved me repeatedly apologizing for my existence and I honestly don't know how much more I can take of it.
One minute she tells me she loves me; gives me cookbooks and pictures. The next she tells me all I ever was or will be is a stranger to her and I am a horrible person.
Do I end this relationship? I've written several draft letters to her expressing my hurt and also that I hope she can come to peace and if so that I will keep my contact info updated.
Can I help her deal with this or do I just let her be? Do I send a letter or just stop contact (it has been about 3 weeks since she sent me the last email)?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
She sounds like she has issues that go way beyond her experience. The bottom line is that you do not need to be her punching bag. No one deserves to be treated that way.
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Cindy, I agree with Brenda. This woman has some issues, and NONE of them are your fault! Maybe there are some mental health problems, which would explain the ups and downs and mood swings.
Next time "she loves you" maybe you could mention counseling. It sounds like she needs to deal with the emotions of loss and reunion.
There comes a point when you have to decide if it is healthy for you to have her in your life. If you feel like you need a break from the roller coaster, get off for a while. I would send her a letter expressing your feeling of hurt, and tell her that you're going to give her a break for a while. Maybe she'll see it as you caring about her feelings. Bottom line: do what you need to do for you.
Thank you for your words of kindness and I guess just validation of my feelings. I just want to do the right thing for her. I truly and sincerely hope that someday she can come to peace with my existence. I hoped that meeting me and seeing that I have had a blessed and happy life would help with that. I guess all it did was make me real to her and force her to think about the events of her past and me as a real person instead of an unacknowledged pregnancy that went away over spring break 28 years ago. I think that maybe she feels some guilt that she is projecting onto me because of my illness? I don't think of it that way. Just something I have and have to deal with and that she needed to know for her other children.
I don't know how I would deal with it either if I had no one to talk about it with and not even my husband or if I couldn't read about other's thoughts and feelings on this site.
I haven't responded to her in 3 weeks since she told me the bdad's name and said so many other mean things. I've written so many draft letters but just haven't been ready to send them. But then I read from so many bmom's that not responding is so much worse because it makes you doubt. I don't want to do that to her regardless of how she treats me.
My husband and I have talked it through a lot and I do think I have to go my separate way from her. It is not healthy for me. I have become consumed by it.
But I guess I just feel like I am giving up on her. And she hasn't lived a life (i.e. the small rural town where she lives) that has allowed her to get help with her emotions or understand how to learn from life's hard experiences. I just wish I could help her.
My husband thinks that this is the time and relationship to break that lifelong cycle I have had in always, and often to my detriment, putting aside my feelings and best interests to potentially help someone else or make them happy at all costs to me. I know he is right. It is self-destructive and fatally optimistic (i.e. magical thinking that I can come in and get her to break down 30 year walls). But boy it is hard to do.
And honestly, aside from her best interests, it makes me terribly sad for what I am losing - getting to meet my brothers and sisters, grandmother, uncles, and cousins. All because of her choices. It is very frustrating. How can she be so sure they would hate me?
Thank you for listening. It helps to say it out loud to people who actually understand! I can say things to you all that I can't to other people. I truly appreciate that.
I feel like others that she has issues that she doesn't even know how to handle. You are a person who deserves respect and I probably would remove myself from the relationship if I were to be constantly berated by this woman.
You will know when you should end the relationship. Our gut feeling is usually the correct one. Good luck and take care of yourself.
[FONT=Fixedsys]Yes your b.mom has problems but you don't deserve to be abused and that is what is happening.[/FONT]
[FONT=Fixedsys]My only other suggestion is that perhaps you could invite her to go to counciling with you to work on your relationship. She might do it and she doesn't seem inclined to go on her own.[/FONT]
[FONT=Fixedsys]Some of this anger may be due to the having had to tell you about the one night stand- something she probably feels guilty an embarrised about. She may fear that you might reveal that information to other family members- like her husband. Who knows? We can only guess. [/FONT]
[FONT=Fixedsys]I have had a lot of distress since my daughter pulled away shortly after meeting me in person. However, I never mistreated her. If it comes down to your having to walk away you should not feel guilty. You can't afford to stay upset all the time. [/FONT]
[FONT=Fixedsys]I will say a little prayerfor you both- Patty[/FONT]
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Are you sure it was a one night stand? Her Dads friend? However, I agree, time to let go and move on. Her loss. Enjoy the family you have.
Jmac, welcome to the forums. You may have noticed that this thread is two years old. You probably won't get a response from Cindyl who hasn't signed on for a year.
Cindy,
My heart goes out to you. It sounds as if you birthmom grew up in a dysfunctional situation and that keeping secrets and burying feelings was their norm and still is.
She sounds sooo conflicted over so many unresolved issues. I know that if she was just a stranger you met, you would wish that she would get some therapy to help sort things out. Please just know, though I realize how hard it is, that her problems are her problems, you are not the cause of them, and you cannot solve them for her. I know how much you want her love, acceptance and at least some kind of a relationship. My advice is to tread lightly, email occasionally or send cards and ignore her tirades. Maybe some counseling would help you also to help navigate these difficult waters. My prayers are with you. Blessings! Nanie B
Be thankful to some extent that you can walk away. My birthmom won't leave me alone! My advice would be to stop expecting normalcy or rational behavior from her, because it sounds like she is incapable of seeing you as a unique individual, separate from her past and the guilt she apparently bears. In terms of helping her, how can you? She's an adult and must help herself on her own accord.
If your reunion/relationship is anything like mine, you'll be gaining a lesson in emotional strength and patience, regardless of if you asked for one.
I'd also like to thank you for your post, I feel a small bit better now after being reminded that it could always be worse.
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