When we are at our most vulnerable, we hope that family will catch us. However, one woman related a terrible experience with us about how, instead of receiving aid following a critical surgery, she was refused. Her experience made her reevaluate everything she believed to be true about love, dedication, and belonging.
This is what she informed us about.
I slept in a hospital bed for several days after my surgery, recovering slowly and waiting for a familiar face to enter. However, no family showed up. Not my brother. My sister-in-law is not
I assured myself it was alright. Maybe they were busy, or didn’t know how terrible things were.
I went home after I was well. With startled eyes, my SIL opened the door and halted at the doorway. She then took out her phone and threatened to contact the police since I was no longer welcome there, acting as though I were a complete stranger.
“You paid for nothing here,” she said. You didn’t even inform us that you had money. Your body is the only possession you have in this house, so enjoy yourself!
I was speechless and stood still. She added that she could verify I was a stranger in this residence. Simply because I hadn’t lately paid my rent or other household bills,
In actuality, I had saved that much money, but not for a pointless purpose. I needed surgery for a long time, so I went for it. Yes, I missed paying the payments for a couple of months, but before that, I always donated without fail. Is all of that erased by a momentary lapse? Do I actually become less of “family” as a result?
My sister-in-law and brother are currently at odds. I can see the tension straining their relationship, and he claims that throwing me out was too severe. I’m afraid that I may have contributed to the dissolution of their marriage. The guilt is overpowering.
How should I proceed? In my own family, have I truly become an outsider? Is money all that matters now