Families and How to Survive Them

[liadnan]

It was my mother's birthday this weekend*, so I, and my brother, his wife, and their child, went down to see her, and my sister, her husband and their two came over for lunch.

Absent, as they live at the other end of the country, were my other sister and her family. So she wasn't there when my mother let slip that she (my sister, not my mother, obvs) was pregnant again and I spat wine across the table.

You see, my sister:

• is 42 (though, as my other sister pointed out, so was my mother when she had my brother);
• has had two miscarriages;
• has just sent her fourth child off to school and, presumably, given a sigh of relief;
• is chronically ill. As in, will probably die unless she has treatment (and the treatment is to be rather alarming and potentially dangerous surgery) fairly soon and is on fairly hefty pills in the meantime.

Though I disagree with her about all sorts of things (in particular, and with some relevance, she's extremely devout in her Catholicism), she is actually a fabulous mother, and I personally don't have any issue with her having loads of children. But, frankly, I think I can be forgiven for not seeing this as unmitigatedly good news.

*She was terribly impressed that the entire country seemed to want to celebrate her seventh birthday, she once told me.

Comments

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

Ack. I had a rather pointed phonecall from my mother this morning telling me she was off up to her mother's for a fortnight and reminding me that my youngest (ie, three years older than me) sister is overdue with number three almost-certainly-son and that I should call her when said child is born.

However, in turn, I pointed out that there's sod all to worry about in my family and it's not like it's the sister who's had two Caesarians (and they were very straightforward, and I suspect mostly because said sister is tiny). I was rather wondering why mum was being so pointed considering that she herself pointed out that all her children were a fortnight late and my consideration that expectant sister is the most disgustingly fit of the lot of us (damnit, she was hockey captain at school and caused terror to appear in the hearts of many - I'm *still* terrified of the woman).

And then I realised it was a pointed "you're not being a proper Catholic daughter because you refuse to have children" comment from her.

*sigh*

[alan1957.livejournal.com]

oh marcus, i really 'ate your faith (or your family's faith, 'owever yew wanna put it)...can i say, though, that i genuinely 'ope it works out okay. a crass comment, i know...but sincerely meant.

my best wishes are wiv your sister.

[sshi.livejournal.com]

about the spitting wine across the table: at least it's better than the other option, which involves much choking and probably asphyxiation...

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

I'd worry myself sick too, if I were in your place. Good luck to your sister.

[(Anonymous)]

I do hope things work out for your sister. That's a really tough spot to be in, and beyond my capacity to understand.

-Bunty

[liadnan]

Yours and mine both, to be honest.

[dr-lovely.livejournal.com]

What illness has she got ? I don't wan to judge, but it is a bit naughty to take pills that could potentially really harm a baby.

[liadnan]

She won't be. That's going to be part of the problem.
Will tell you about it in more detail some other time.