Something Only A Mother Could Do

Well, anyone want to hear part 2 of my story about church? I could see for the last little while that I was being treated like I was less active (boy, I have to say, if that's what it feels like, it sure is amazing that anyone who actually is less active comes back!) But when you feel so sick all the time, I get to the point where I really don't care about other people's perceptions. I just don't have the energy to expend on it. If they are so judgemental that they do not make the effort to really find out what's happening, that is their problem, not mine. (Wow, gee, I just sounded a little testy, didn't I?)

My parents came up last weekend to visit and with the plan to then bring me back to Idaho with my two littlest boys to try some new treatments there. So we all went to church on Sunday, and right after sacrament meeting a woman came up to my mom and started talking with her. In the conversation, she said to my mom "Oh, well we know that Emily is inactive. She just doesn't come to church very often."   Well, for those of you who know my mother, that came off like a lead balloon. She didn't tell me this, but it became her mission to "educate" the ward on my situation!

I went home to try and rest and she shortly attended Relief Society. When they welcomed her she asked the Relief Society President if she could address the woman. She then turned to them and said "I just would like to explain to the members here what is happening with my daughter. She is suffering from a serious auto-immune disease that she was diagnosed with this summer at the Mayo Clinic. I am 78 years old, have a pace maker, and can run circles around what my daughter is physically capable of right now. My daughter is not inactive. She is terribly, terribly sick and suffering from this terrible illness. Her dear husband has to shoulder all the responsibility of feeding, caring for and raising their 3 young children."

Well, poor Dan, when he walked out of his primary class at the end of church, he was suddenly swarmed by older ladies in my ward asking what they could do to help. Human nature is funny, isn't it? Now, while I have never asked for help, I have been in this ward for almost 9 months and have explained in depth my situation to the Bishop and the Relief Society President (when they were both trying to extend me callings), and others who have asked why I am sick so much. But I don't think they actually realized I was really sick until my mom stood up and had to hit them over the head with it. Now, does that embarass me, of course! Do I want help from any of them? No. I have long ago accepted that there is not much anyone can do that will help things. Will it help others to be a little less judgemental? The jury is out. I'll have to wait and see. Either way, none of this changes my relationship with my Savior or how I feel about the gospel. But no one enjoys having their testimony questioned!