Follow
Share

OK, to be brief: I've caught a cold, one of those nasty ones where the symptoms shift quickly and it's pretty intense but it's usually over fast, too. (Actually starting to feel human again.) Well, mom calls and I'm coughing and hacking, and as usual she drags the conversation on and I finally just say I can't talk anymore. I want to rest. So I end the call and she calls back later, and my husband picks it up. She and he chat a bit, and at one point she mentions she's going to change her will to include him -- in case I die before him. Now it could happen, just like anything could happen, but I'm dealing with a nagging cough and she's ready to throw me in the coffin. How on earth do people get like that? If it snows, she thinks the roads are these impassable highways of ice, etc. Sometimes a cold is just a cold!

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing

8 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
Well, you don't say how old mom is or whether or not you're caring for her. But assuming she's "up there," and that you ARE care giving for her, you are second in importance only to herself...albeit a distant second. ;)

So. When you catch a bad cold, it occurs to her that her lifeline could die. (OMG-ha!) So to ease her irrational fear that her only care giver will up and die on her? She's going to schmooze your husband. ;) ;)
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Yep, Maggie, that's it in a nutshell!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Yep. She's on the ball, that Maggie. Good answer!
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
If she is a child of the Depression, she remembers all too well, a time when there were no antibiotics, no vaccines, and a lot of sick people who didn't make it. Maybe a small dose of anti depressant would help her.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
It's just thought associations, isn't it, Heidi? I agree, a little extreme - how bad was this cold??!! - but they start a train of thought, and it gathers carriages from whatever else might be on their minds, and before you know it - daughter-cold-cough-terrible-disease-death-affairsinorder-will-ohmygodthatniceyoungmanmightnotgethisshare!!! And then would you know it he picks up the phone and she thinks she might as well mention it.

You should have called across the room "you haven't seen me off yet, mother!" Then touch wood quickly...
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
My mom was like this before antidepressants.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
my mum watches SKY NEWS all day and is convinced the world will end!
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
My mom watches the news all day and thinks everything is going to h*ll. She's 77, lives on her own, has some dementia, and is on antidepressants, which clearly aren't working so well for her! She's been like this a while, though. I was a chubby kid and I remember her telling my I wouldn't live until age 20, so this is nothing new, but still frustrating. Maybe she is trying to butter my husband up. A month ago she accused him of stealing from her, and now she's schmoozing him. When the mind goes ... Sigh.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter