Only a very few of us can be Special, Jamie.  It's a curse, but I think you and I are up to shouldering the burden.  (The others will tell you they're normal, but I prefer to use the term "ordinary" for them. )

I'm sorry to hear about your mother.  That must have been very difficult for the entire family.  And it's sad that you didn't have close females to talk to about things like periods, though in all honesty, neither my mother nor my sister said anything about it til I just came right out and asked them last year.  I had so many unanswered questions as a teen and young woman, too, but was too shy to talk about it with anyone.  Thank God for the internet, eh?

Like I said, feel free to vent here.  Or pop down to the Lounge (below) and join in our Pardon Me... thread.  The more the merrier.  I've made such wonderful friends here-- we say we bonded over periods and panty liners.  Who knew that was possible??

Good luck with that phone call.  I'll be watching to see what happens (I'm in Nova Scotia right now, so I'm ahead of you in time zones for a change.)

Keep breathing...

Deb
2 adult children (so they tell me)
TCRE  06/15/09
(Not the best decision for me image )