Jeanne, I missed this post last week. Dear god, do you not have enough on your plate without the people who should be the most understanding of what you are living with saying stuff like this. All I can think is that she was trying to help????
As you've seen, you are not alone in this. Far too many of us have experienced this incredible lack of true support from people who love us.
In a way, she's right ... but not in the way I understand she meant this. There have been days when having to get up for work is the only reason I arose in the morning. I'd have been mired in pain and depression otherwise, unable to do anything. But that doesn't mean my AS was cured - it just meant I was too afraid of losing my job/benefits to call in sick so I forced myself when, perhaps, I shouldn't have.
But that's me and my personal AS road, which technically has nothing to do with yours, if you know what I mean.
I hope sending your mom this thread helps, Jeanne. Somehow, there has to be a way to make our invisible illness visible, if only to the people who love us.
Many hugs,
