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AIBU?

AIBU to completely cut my mother out of my life, even if she might die soon?

191 replies

GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery · 21/11/2018 13:25

I apologise in advance that this is a LONG post... But I need to give you the full facts. Bear with me!

Bit of background first. I'm 41, live with my DP, no DC yet (hoping to adopt in next couple of years), we work FT and are really happy as a couple.

The major fly in the ointment is my mother (I can't bring myself to call her my 'D'M, for which the reason will become clear in this post). She's 62, lives alone in nice sheltered accommodation and she's been an alcoholic since 2003.

I have always had a strained relationship with her, she fell pregnant with my older DB out of wedlock, didn't have a home or a job and ended up having to give him up for adoption. I came along two years later, premature and very sick as a baby, I even had my last rites read to me by a priest as it was so touch and go. Then another two years later my younger DB arrived. Our parents split when I was about 4-5 y/o.

As long as I can remember, my mother has favoured my younger DB over me, I noticed it in part as a child. Like he would do something cheeky and mother would laugh and cuddle him, so I would invariably copy what he did and get a bollocking, I was expected to help round the house whereas he sat there like a little demi-god and didn't have to lift a finger as "he was a boy", Mother used to call him her little prince... that sort of thing. Family have since told me as an adult that they were always pulling her up on the favouritism, especially when we went to stay with our Nan in the holidays and she'd unpack our case to find DB's clothes were all brand new with tags, whereas mine where looking fit for a bin! She always denied it, but it was very obvious my family say.

This favouritism continued throughout childhood and into adulthood, my DB messed about at school, got in to trouble with the police, flitted about from one dead end job to another, got into fights, but could never do anything wrong in mother's eyes. Whereas, I worked hard at school, got decent grades, paid my own way as soon as I started working PT aged 15, bought my own house in my early 20s and paid for my wedding etc. Never asked her for anything, although acknowledgement of my achievements would have been nice.

After she'd split with our Dad, he wasn't about much in our life, he's a nice person, but selfish and feckless. Mother remarried when I was 6 and after a year or so, SD's temper started to show and he started getting violent. He and my mother would have almighty physical ding dongs where they both were violent to each other, then they started to take the violence out on me, with my SD 75% of the time and my mother the other 25% in hurting me.

I was punched, slapped, slammed into doors, thrown about from one end of the room into the opposite wall, thrown out into the garden the rain in my night dress and locked outside for answering back once. SD once grabbed me by the throat and threw me backwards off a breakfast bar stool in front of my friend for questioning him. My mum also regularly beat me with stiletto heels or a belt, my brother who was a little shit would only ever get a telling off.

Another time a local lad told my SD that I had thrown stones at him (I hadn't) and (as it turns out) SD was having an affair with the lad's mum, he came storming out of the house, screamed at me for my supposed violence to this lad and dragged me all the way back home by my hair as I was screaming in pain and humiliation.

The only time my mother would ever step in was when he was close to hospitalising me. She would say "Stop, we don't want the police or social services involved." So self-preservation, rather than preventing me further harm.

Anyway, fast forward, she left him when I was 16 because of the affair, but had a good few months of both of them refusing to leave the house and every night they were up screaming and fighting which each other. I was doing my GCSEs at the time and ended up having a nervous breakdown after finishing them and ended up on Prozac for a decade.

After I moved out in my teens, I had a ton of counselling, managed to kick the pills and reconcile my shitty childhood and useless parents. I still saw my mother, but on a fairly arm's-length basis. And I consider myself well-balanced, successful, popular and kind (and modest!!), but seriously I am proud that I have made myself a good life when it could have gone the other way so easily. My counsellour believed that my mother was actually very jealous of me.

Mother met a really nice man when I was 19 and living in London. and she and my DB moved in with him, I even moved back for a while until I met my now ex-DH.

Also, she'd been bleating on for years about how desperate she was to find her eldest long-lost DS. So I spent two years trying to find him and when I did, she made zero effort with him, effectively rejecting him all again. (He and I have a close relationship to this day).

In 2003, it all kicked off. Mother's DP decided he wanted to end their relationship, it had just run its course, no dramas, violence, or affairs, he had decided to wait until after my wedding to tell her, sadly it was the week we got back from honeymoon and WW3 kicked off. Cut a very long story short, she turned to drink, had to move in with me and my new DH, was getting drunk and abusive every night, threatening suicide and so began the years of misery where we are today.

She's even more vile a person when drunk and takes umbrage to me as I don't pander to her as much as others do and I tell her how it is. She's slowly over the years lost her friends, alienated all her family, lost her job, lost her house, lost her good looks and just become a bitter and more twisted version of herself. She was extremely lucky to get a flat in her sheltered accommodation considering her age.

Her behaviour was one of the factors contributing to my marriage breakdown and my DP after that absolutely hated her as she was so incredibly vile towards him and me.

It all came to a head about 8 years ago when younger DB met a decent woman and they decided to get married. DB decided he wanted to invite mother's second husband. Bear in mind I'd had 10 years on anti-depressants and years of counselling to get over the violence I endured as a child, my DB conveniently doesn't recall any of this, ex-SD was only ever lovely to my DB.

Anyway, his DW to be knew about the history and asked DB to put me first and uninvite the ex-SD, which DB did. My mother then calls me up screaming at me (bear in mind it's been me wiping her arse since losing her job and home and helping her out with food and money etc.) calling me every name under the sun for "making DB uninvite his DD", erm our feckless dad was coming to the wedding, ex-SD isn't his DD.

I then pointed out that I never interfered, my SIL to be had been sensitive enough to recognise he shouldn't be there. I lost my shit with her and asked how she can justify how much I was beaten as a child, she replied "All parents hit their kids." I pointed out that this wasn't true and smacking and beating were two different things, especially as I was almost hospitalised regularly. I asked her what she would do if she now saw a 16st 6ft man beating a whip thin 7 year old, she said she would step in. I said you didn't when it was me and she's replied "You were a bitch, you deserved it." I was gobsmacked and replied heartbroken, "No I wasn't, I was a child." and hung up.

Since then, both DBs have moved away and washed their hands off of her as she's getting worse and more vile with every month that passes, none of her siblings speak to her and she probably only had three friends left.

As I am her only family local for 100 miles, I was put down as Next of Kin despite keeping her very much at arm's length and this is where the phone calls started, the warden at the home calling me as mother has been unpleasant to other residents, she even pinned a dear old lady up against the wall and threatened to smash her face in for daring to knock at mother's door while she was trying to have a lie in!

I was getting calls from her all the time, self-pitying, crying, moaning abut nonsensical things, blaming everyone else for er problems and just constant "woe is me" behaviour.

Three years ago she was told she has first stages of cirrhosis, but refuses to quit drinking. She's been in hospital more times than I can count and usually discharges herself as "she's bored", "hates the staff" or simply as she can't drink in hospital.

But what has been the final nail in the coffin is this year, she's started taking to calling for an ambulance about every two weeks, for really minor things, swollen legs for example. Her legs are swollen as her liver is failing and her abdomen and legs are retaining fluid. She lives a £5 taxi from hospital but calls 999 herself or pulls the read cord in her flat and they call one and then call me every time.

When the paramedics arrive, she then refuses to go to hospital, they then spend an hour trying to persuade her, all the time they could be attending people in more need. Half the time when she does go with them, she kicks off in hospital because of the waiting and usually discharges herself, before calling the ambulance again the following week for the same thing. It's never ending and exhausting for all involved.

I finally lost my shit in June thsi year, I was at a festival and got a call from the red cord call centre and the warden, she had asked for an ambulance for her swollen legs again and when it arrived, she asked them to change a light bulb and fix her land line phone!!!!!!

She refused to talk to me when I called from the festival, kept telling me to fuck off, so I told her fried to tall her to change her Next of Kin to some other mug and to stay out of my life. Then blocked her number and on Facebook etc.

I'm ashamed to say that my life has been much nicer and less stressful last 5 months since I told her to fuck off for good. Then last week, I find out she's in hospital again, but nobody can get anything for her as my little DB doesn't ever answer his phone and is now her Next of Kin. She kept trying to contact me too, I refused to speak to her. She's since discharged herself and the warden thinks mother will be dead in next 6 months. Which is hard to hear TBH.

Mother told warden and friend she's been drinking more heavily recently, which put her back in hospital last week "Because of her daughter not talking to her", she takes no responsibility for her actions.

I have a friend who is a strict Christian and she was making me feel like I was BU last week as I wouldn't visit her or take her calls and friend says I should understand my mother has an illness. But my well-meaning friend hasn't had to endure what I have.

I said that I was living this illness with her was making me ill too, I had another mini breakdown through the stress of it all a few years back, but counselling when I was young meant I was better equipped to deal with it.

When she's in my life, she makes me miserable, it affects my work, my relationship and causes me worry. My friend said I should make amends before she dies, but it's not as easy as that.

She's a stranger to me now, I look at her photos and feel nothing for her, she's chipped away at any feelings of love I ever had slowly since I was born, which have been exasperated since she became an alcoholic. Plus she's been given six months to live countless times and keeps on dodging death somehow.

Sorry this post is an essay, truly am. But WWYD?

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whatwillbewillbe03 · 21/11/2018 14:32

My mother was an alcoholic. At 21 i took custody of my then 14 and 16 year old DS and DB. I tried to help her but nothing stopped her drinking. We never really got on she was lazy, selfish and when i had my own child and thought back at all the shit she put me through as a child i just could not understand it and i distanced myself even more and only saw her when i visited my siblings if she happened to be there. I had to for my own well being and life was so much better when i forgave myself for it and moved on.

I don't feel guilty as more or less disowning her.. I cried a few tears when i got the call but nothing after that. There was nothing i or anyone could do about her demise she wouldn't accept help when offered and there is only so much you can do. I think you have done more than enough for your mother given everything you have said. Given my past i am also very proud of the woman that i am today and my own achievements. I don't need anyone to verify that for me. You should be proud of yourself too. my advise is to move on with your life without her in it and do not feel guilty for that. You have done what you can and in my opinion done more that enough.

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longtompot · 21/11/2018 14:33

My dhs mum died last year. She wasn't as vile as your mum but not far off. She was also an alcoholic, as is his dad, but for far longer. She hated men and would say things to warp her dds against them, my dh (their brother) included.
Towards the end, he stopped calling them mum or dad, but by their first names. When she died he didn't and still hasn't cried. He didn't go to her funeral. I cried when I heard she had died, but more for the childhood and relationship my dh & siblings should have had with her.
The relief of not having to deal with her phone calls anymore is huge. We actually just started to screen calls so we didn't have to deal with her. She did leave us wonderfully angry messages though, which when my dd was home would not enjoy.
Maybe write a letter to her and to the home explaining why you will not be coming to visit or take her calls anymore.
But you are NBU in not wanting to continue any relationship with her Flowers

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morningconstitutional2017 · 21/11/2018 14:34

No sane individual could blame you for remaining NC at all. The sentimental claptrap of 'how will you feel when you hear she's died?' is just that. You can't possibly know how you'll feel - relieved probably. Don't take part in this guilt trip. You've said and done quite enough over the years. This is awful for you and you deserve so much better. Flowers

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Rachelover40 · 21/11/2018 14:35

I think you are an amazing woman, so full of compassion despite all you've been through. I hope you can adopt a child before too long, I know they will have a lovely mother in you.
Flowers

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WeeMadArthur · 21/11/2018 14:39

Jesus Christ OP, you could have written only a tenth of that and you would have had grounds for never speaking to her again.

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cavycavy · 21/11/2018 14:39

NC seems the only plausible way forward, for even when you are in contact it doesn’t change anything, she just gets more attention.

Sadly, she sounds like a horrible, abusuve woman (I wonder what her childhood was like?) and has done nothing to apologise or rectify the abuses she has put you through. You owe her absolutely nothing.

I don’t think ‘making amends’ is necessary before she dies as you have nothing to amend. If she has any remorse at all she may want a last minute conversation where you tell her it’s ok and you forgive her. But I wouldn’t even consider it.

You are going to be the most amazing mother, having been through all of that and made it through the other end a happy well rounded adult. Adopt your children, immerse yourself in your own little family and enjoy every single minute. You deserve it.

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Puzzledandpissedoff · 21/11/2018 14:41

you won't realise it until it stops but once you're not waiting for the next call or the next pile of crap to come your way, it feels great - it's peaceful

WhoGivesADamn is absolutely right here

It's actually enormously to your credit that you've come through this horror still standing, but the ghastly woman has caused enough damage and it's entirely right for you to decide that she's not going to cause any more. There's not even a moral obligation after how she treated you, so you can walk away from the whole mess with a completely free conscience

I'd also recommend that you avoid discussing this at all with your "strict Christian friend". Staunch beliefs can sometimes lead to the striking of attitudes which bear little relation to reality, and while she's entitled to her views I think you need more supportive people than this around you

Above all, keep on with the progress and clear sightedness you've achieved. Many would have buckled under the strain and your obvious strength suggests a much better future once you've got this dreadful woman out of your life completely

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Ethel80 · 21/11/2018 14:41

OP, you have nothing to feel guilty about and owe your mother nothing.

People who have good relationships with their families often cannot understand how someone could cut a parent out of their lives and I don't blame them for that but they shouldn't impose their values on you.

I've done it and I maintained NC until my mother died apart from an awkward visit on her death bed that I felt pressured into.

Stay NC and protect yourself.

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MyGardenNeedsHelp · 21/11/2018 14:50

Oh my goodness OP. NO WAY are YBU!

This person who calls herself your mother doesn't deserve to have you in her life. Nor does she deserve to have you there at the end.

If it were me I would stay NC.

She's made her bed, let her lie in it.

For you Flowers

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Vampiratequeen · 21/11/2018 14:55

What you need is closure and unfortunately it doesn't sound like you will get that while she is alive, as you stated in your OP that she won't take responsibility for her actions. Maybe ask the warden to call you when her time is up so you can go and say goodbye and then lay everything to rest at the funeral. YANBU to stay nc, but do get some closure somehow, wether that is on her death bed or at her funeral.

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SirVixofVixHall · 21/11/2018 14:55

Reminded me of Davina MacCall’s decision to have nothing to do with her mother, who died while they were still estranged. Davina has spoken about this in interviews, so it might be helpful to do a google, as it may lesson your conflicting feelings of sadness, trauma, anger and guilt.
Honestly you have clearly been through a horrendous time and your mother is obviously incapable of having proper relationships with anyone. You have done all you can, sometimes you simply have to end contact for your own sanity and wellbeing. You can’t solve her alcohol abuse and no one can go on for years on end caring for someone with this sort of abuse being given back.
Accept that it is sad, but that for yourself and your family you need to detach. Let go of guilt, this is not your fault.
Flowers
Yes she will almost certainly kill herself with her drinking, but you can’t stop that, only she can.

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Honestlyofficer · 21/11/2018 14:56

I broke away from my toxic mother nearly 40 years ago and whilst it gave me space to get on with my life there was always a little tic in the back of my brain that wouldn't stop.
When she died I felt nothing. No remorse, no sadness, no pity ..and the little tic was finally quieted.
You've done the right thing.

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Slytherdor · 21/11/2018 15:00

My alcoholic father was nowhere near as bad as your mother and I was very LC with him.

He died this year and I didn’t give two hoots. It was worth it.

Stay NC op, don’t let your friend guilt you. She’s not been though what you have.

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MamaHechtick · 21/11/2018 15:01

Don't feel guilty, she'll never feel guilty for the hell that she put you through.

I'm NC with my mother, almost 4 years now. She's on a downward spiral of drugs and illness and will die soon. I have no plans to make any peace with her, she wouldn't ever change and she'd never be nice. I only feel sad that I didn't have a relationship with a decent mother.

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plaidlife · 21/11/2018 15:01

It isn't Christian to try and guilt trip others into changing their behaviour. Your friend should be working on herself not you.
You cannot make your mother into someone she is not and you cannot make a relationship out of less than nothing.

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Anniegetyourgun · 21/11/2018 15:02

I hope you manage not to feel guilty if your first emotion on hearing she has died (whenever that is - could be a lot longer than they think!) is relief. Not just for yourself and for your brothers but even for her. It doesn't sound like she's enjoying her life too much. However, there isn't anything she'd allow you to do that would make it better - it's not as though you haven't tried. In return she's made your life a misery and managed to split you up from at least two nice partners. If the only thing she wants out of you is to be her whipping boy then sod that. It's one kind of entertainment she isn't entitled to.

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staffiegirl · 21/11/2018 15:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DonkeyHotei · 21/11/2018 15:07

I don't think I've ever read a post by a stranger on the internet and wanted to literally reach into my computer screen and give that person the biggest hug ever as much as I do now Flowers. There aren't enough words in the world to tell you how sorry I am for what you've been through. There was a post on here the other day about mothers, and I was going on about how much I missed mine, and a couple of other posters (quite rightly) said that the way I'd phrased it made a bit of a mockery of those whose mothers were abusive. I felt awful then, and reading your post I feel awful all over again. I can't even imagine being treated the way you were, and the fact that you are even coming on here and questioning whether you should do anything other than dump that awful woman (preferably into the 7th layer of hell) just shows what a wonderful person you are. You've become that wonderful person all by yourself from the sounds of things....no one guided you to be that way; you just did it. Please, please make sure the rest of your life is surrounded by good, loving people and leave that shit behind you Flowers. I know a couple of people, one an alcoholic, and one with drug issues who nevertheless manage to be wonderful parents (...that is a different story, for a different time and I'm not going to hijack your post with details...) but what I'm trying to say is that there is no excuse on earth for treating a child the way you were treated. All the love in the world to you, OP Flowers

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Lizzie48 · 21/11/2018 15:10

I think the problem with your friend is that people who had normal loving parents don't get that other people didn't have that experience. So they can't see what bad advice they're giving.

You should definitely stay NC, @GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery your mum sounds horrific, and you've done so well to come through as strong as you have.

I recommend that you take a look at the Stately Homes thread on the Relationships board, that's a great source of support for those of us who grew up in toxic families. ThanksThanksThanks

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GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery · 21/11/2018 15:11

Just a couple of points to add.

My Christian workmate hasn't been guilt tripping me, she just listened and offered her opinion. I only told her the basics. That mother was alcohol dependent and ill in hospital. It was hard enough to share that but people were wondering why I wasn't rushing off to the hospital when I got called. So told my manager and two colleagues privately. But didn't mention about my childhood, so they only know half of it really.

My manager has been amazing. Told me 121 that her dad has an alcohol dependency and she also went NC and didn't attend his death bed with her siblings.

Also, it's worth adding, years ago my mum got a place on a residential detox / rehab in North Wales. On the NHS. She was in for three weeks, got dry. Only to start drinking on the train home.

Then she moans and wails over the years since that she's paid her taxes and NI and how the NHS should be helping her.

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onthenaughtystepagain · 21/11/2018 15:12

Can you legally refuse to be her next-of-kin? I would disown her totally, you owe her nothing at all, she's had far more than she deserves from you and you're not responsible for her funeral costs either. If she has no funds she'll get a simple cheap funeral, personally I wouldn't even go to that.
Good luck, you seem to be on the right track despite your appalling upbringing.

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TheABC · 21/11/2018 15:14

You deserve love, respect and admiration for what you have achieved. Surround yourself with people who are worthy of you and bring positive things into your life.

Your mother is not one of them.

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MotorcycleMayhem · 21/11/2018 15:15

YANBU. You have earned the right to go NC and deserve to do so guilt free.

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Nancydrawn · 21/11/2018 15:16

As many people have said, those who haven't been exposed to abusive people really don't understand.

I have an abusive family member (not immediate, thank God), and when I told my absolutely lovely mother-in-law that the family member and I don't speak, she was completely nonplussed. She kept saying things like, "Have you ever thought of calling her? After all, she's family." At first I was taken aback, but then I realized that this reflected on her, not me: it's not that she was being rude, but that she genuinely couldn't comprehend the effects of abuse. She really is a lovely woman, and she can't understand, really can't, just how important NC is to maintaining equilibrium.

I have now adopted a blithe tone, and when she occasionally broaches the topic, I just say, brightly, "Oh, no, I don't talk to X." And if she pushes, I relate, in the same tone, something horrible this relative has done recently. Cheerily, brightly, quickly, and with absolutely no interest in feeling ashamed.

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GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery · 21/11/2018 15:16

Also I'm not slating Christians BTW. I was raised Catholic, not religious now as an adult and I respect people's beliefs. I only mentioned it as she's very devout and forgiveness and family are a big thing in her life. x

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