Comments on: The question that turned into a brain dump.

By: bethieee

bethieee — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 23:25:00 +0000

You are brave and wonderful. Thank you for being brave enough to share.
I have some inkling of what you’re going through, and immense respect for how you’ve presented it.
Good luck and don’t be afraid to lean on your friends.

By: Kay

Kay — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 03:38:00 +0000

Wendy! I can’t believe I am just reading this. Sorry!

Eldest of 4 sibs here, and much older than you. It’s okay for you to hang back. A much older friend calls it ‘detaching with love’. That can sound like psycho babble/self-serving claptrap, but I think it can actually be healthy for both parties, if the love is as real as the detachment. Guilt is natural but not logical because feeling guilty implies that one can do something about the problem. When one oftentimes can’t. Anyway that’s what I’ve evolved to thinking.

Knitting some denim cannot hurt your mood. Despite its inky blueness. xoxo Kay

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 03:05:00 +0000

i’m reading your blog for the first time, following links to knitting blogs, and i wanted to chime in here.
7 1/2 years ago, my mother attempted suicide, and it is painful to admit that i am still not ready to forgive and forget. i think that’s the hardest part. know that you’re not alone, and i know it doesn’t help, but know that your brother didn’t do it ‘to you’. yes, it still hurts you, of course. and it’s something you will never forget. but at least it’s out there, and it seems to me like you have some great supports. its okay to laugh and have fun, even to put it behind you some times. take this experience and run with it, let it make you strong.

good luck

By: CynCyn

CynCyn — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 07:02:00 +0000

bravo to you for putting it out there. the push-pull of guilt, anger, love, more guilt, and disappointment is very difficult… some therapists actually specialize in issues of suicide (surviving family members, attempters, etc). email me if you need/want some info? hang in there…

By: Kristen

Kristen — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 05:50:00 +0000

some of what you wrote is true for me as well and I’ve been trying to remember what’s been said to me in the past that meant the most… please know that I admire that you put it all out there, and I hope that things are calmer and settled soon. I hope you have a simple project on the needles – I’ve found that it’s great for helping my brain settle down.

By: Jennifa

Jennifa — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 07:55:00 +0000

That’s how I feel reading entries like this. I want to help, and say something brilliant…but I guess I’m more of the feeling, silent types. And I do feel for you. It sounds like a myriad of emotions, but I can say no matter what…I think we all work through them in our own time.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 22:08:00 +0000

For someone who said she’s not good at sharing, you did a bangup job. AS I emerge from lurking, I just wanted to tell you to hang in there (oooh, helpful), and that many many folks are sending good vibes your way. My best buds little brother was just involuntarily committed to the hospital, so I’m seing up close how very very hard this can be.

By: Wanda

Wanda — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:33:00 +0000

I feel like your friend that doesn’t know what to say in this case. What I do know is that has to be such a horrible thing to go through and if your brother is continuing to try, he really needs a lot of help and that this will continue to hurt you. If you can’t deal with him right now, maybe it’s best to keep your distance, or not allow yourself to get dragged down with his stuff. You can’t save anyone, they have to do it themselves. Hopefully he will reach for the lifeline.

By: Cathi

Cathi — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 20:34:00 +0000

I didn’t see this post until now- thank you for being so open and honest with us. Many big hugs to you.

By: Kellee

Kellee — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:32:00 +0000

*hug*