Mental Health Support
Related: About this forumAm I wrong/crazy/unreasonable?
Please be frank. Others' input is appreciated. I have TMJ for decades. Finally, my jaw snapped and is out of alignment about 8 mos ago. I searched and found the best rated TMJ specialist locally. The phase 1 splints he constructed have moved my jaw back into position. I may just stay with this.
Cost of dental corrective work 25k. That's a lot. Its very stressful. But, it is what it is.
My greedy sister wanted 25k from me in loans and had been harassing me about doing "something cheaper" for my dislocated jaw. Iow, i should get into 25k hock over her and her kids, and skimp and cheap out on my dental care. My normal cousin thinks that's too expensive. Okay, fine.
Should I have NOT sought out a TMJ specialist even tho i was symptomatic now for TMJ, despite the cost? Wouldn't I seek out a cancer specialist if I had a particular type of cancer, or try something cheaper? I feel its my business how i go forward. Iow, one just wants my money. I'm no contact now. The other thinks I'm being ripped off. I'm sorry i told them
Isn't this my business? I think it is. I'm the one living with this condition. There could be further damage, god knows.
Am i being nuts?
quaint
(3,546 posts)No guilt! Well, not for you, your sister needs a strong dose of empathy.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Her life is a dumpster fire and she's harassing me about my medical care
spooky3
(36,207 posts)Around the same price, then youll have confidence you are not getting ripped off.
Judge Judy would tell off your sister.
AKwannabe
(6,356 posts)Take care of self first so that you can also care for others. Dont skimp on this especially if loan for sis isnt health related like your situation.
Take care of self!
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)A specialist fpr the problem I'm suffering from? I don't understand.
My sister also told me my drs will "bleed me dry" with unneeded medical tests.
ms liberty
(9,827 posts)I'm sorry to put it this way, but your sister will bleed you dry if she can. Don't let her. She wants you to skimp on your own health because it's more money she could suck out of you.
I've been there.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Break me up with my SO whom she hates ( he can be a jerk), move me in with her, then bully me into getting my assets (SS, any pensions). I finally realized she's up to something after basically telling me to fuck off 48 hrs after me not offering to cosign a loan
Scrivener7
(52,745 posts)And when it is fixed and really limber, tell her how selfish she is.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Sociopath
Scrivener7
(52,745 posts)When it's a sibling, often you think - or are raised to think- "well, that's just her."
Only when I had some distance could I see how very cruel and destructive she could be.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Who found me on FB. Didn't even grow up with me. Mother never got a penny from our well off father
MLAA
(18,602 posts)poster made, then go for it! If you dont take care of it correctly it will trouble/torture you the rest of your life. My other suggestion is stop talking to your sister about your expenditures, she appears to not have your best interests at heart. Short circuit any discussion she initiates about your expenditures/finances as it is not her business and she doesnt appear to be a good, trusted confidante/ sounding board. Wishing you all the best, it sounds to me like you know the right thing to do, trust yourself!
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)About my jaw, I've gone no contact. She's been harassing me the last year. I took it bc I'm non confrontational. Btw, she's been caught shoplifting and lied. I suspect she's done other sketchy things. She wanted a 20k loan cosign from me for her adult daughter. I didn't bite
MLAA
(18,602 posts)Think. Again.
(17,987 posts)...someone that will always be trouble for you.
Of course you MUST put your own well-being first, we all must.
It's difficult when we care about others, and we always should, that's a positive thing.
But what it's a negative thing to be enabling others to be lesser people than they could, and should, be.
EYESORE 9001
(27,517 posts)but thats just me. Different situations, but I have family members to whom I havent spoken in decades (purposely, that is). I am a poor example of model behavior, so pay no mind to my ramblings.
bucolic_frolic
(46,995 posts)Strengthen your boundaries. For some reason they think they're entitled to yours. Don't be pushed into something that adversely affects your situation, whatever that is. You are not obligated. Charity begins at home.
Ocelot II
(120,858 posts)You might want to get a second opinion to find out if $25K is the normal cost for your procedure (that's up to you), but you owe your sister exactly nothing, and you're entitled to seek whatever treatment you decide is best for you. It's nobody's business but yours.
Midnight Writer
(22,973 posts)10 Turtle Day
(447 posts)and no one else can tell you what is or is not worth it to have a malady in your body fixed. Please don't be a martyr and give in to others' demands. If your sister had any empathy whatsoever she would not be strong arming you to give the money to her instead. While it is normal to want to save you from being taken advantage of by an unethical doctor, that does not seem to be her true concern here. I agree with the other posters who encourage you to get a second opinion. And if the cost comes in cheaper, that still doesn't mean that you owe the difference to anyone else.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Equals 25k = dental treatment cost
I mean, what?
Of course I'll have treatment for myself over her.
LoisB
(8,666 posts)Go to the best specialist you can find. Oftentimes "going cheap" ends up costing more. Your sister and her kids are not your responsibility beyond what you want to do for them and you should ask your cousin if she would go "cheap" if it was her.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)I should have kept this to myself, she says her jaw pops, and her dentist "adjusts something" for free. I try to explain my jaw joint is displaced. Its DISPLACED. my sister wanted me to go cheap and use a pillow. How will a pillow fit my jaw back in right? I feel like I've fallen down a rabbit hole
LoisB
(8,666 posts)Do what is best for YOU.
Ocelot II
(120,858 posts)Her jaw problem isn't the same as yours. "It works for me" isn't the correct answer. Tell her politely and kindly to MYOB.
My sister, who lies a lot, told me she wasted 50k on a dentist and her teeth are nubs. She claims from GERD. looked like meth mouth to me. Shes still per her seeing a dentist. An incompetent one? What does this have to do with me? Shes yelling that shed have 50k if not for her teeth. This is why I should go cheap
Deep State Witch
(11,254 posts)Screw her. Take care of you first.
PJMcK
(22,886 posts)The important thing is to take care of yourself FIRST. You cant do anything for others if youre not whole. Please consider putting your well-being ahead of other issues. After all, if youre not strong you wont be able to live a full life.
My sister had TMJ for years. Because it had gone on so long, she didnt know one isnt supposed to live in constant discomfort. After she recovered from the surgery, her joyous and kind personality re-emerged and shes living a happier, more productive life.
One last thought, if I may. Its your money. Spend it however YOU want. Just my 2- cents!
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)The dental work is restorative to hold my jaw in place. This specialist ran reams of every diagnostic and showed me the results. Bad orthodonture and mouthguards caused this. Why would I think my board-certified dentist conspire to steal from me? I said that. Nope, not good enough.
Hope22
(2,873 posts)A functioning jaw is a necessity. The older we get the more important these things are. Pain will take years off our lives. Take care of yourself. 💗💗🙏🏼💐
ShazzieB
(18,670 posts)Your dental care and what you spend on it are none of her damned business. She's just pissed off because she can't get the money out of you that she wants - money that she has absolutely no right to demand from you.
If she is used to being able to get you to do what she wants, she needs to learn to stop expecting that. It may take some time, and the process may not be pleasant (sorry! ), but I think that's what needs to happen.
If she tries to keep bringing this up (i.e. the cost of your dental care, her financial situation and desire to get money from you, etc.), shut her down by saying, "I've said everything I have to say about this, and I'm not going to discuss it any further." If she tries to persist, end the interaction. If this is happening during a phone call, hang up. If it's face to face, leave. If it's in a text, don't reply.
You do NOT owe it to her to take care of her financial problems. She hs NO right to expect that from you. Please don't waste your breath arguing with her or trying to get her to see things your way, because you will never succeed. All you can do is make it clear that you are not going to discuss this any further, and then cut off the interaction if she doesn't stop when you tell her you're done.
I'm sure she won't like it at all, but that's OKAY. Any time you try to draw a new boundary with someone, they are likely to object. Don't be afraid to upset her. SHE is in the wrong, and frankly, I think she deserves to be upset.
Sometimes we are reluctant to stand up for ourselves because we don't want to upset people, but when someone is being as unreasonable as your sister is being, you have the right to do what you need to do (end the conversation). If she gets upset, that is HER problem, not yours. Please don't let her make it your problem. If she tries to make it your problem, say "I told you you I'm done talking about this," and immediately hang up, leave, etc.
Sometimes people eventually learn to stop certain behavior if they see that its not going to get them anywhere, but sometimes they don't. I don't know her, so I can't predict whether she will ever learn to accept this boundary from you or not. If she's used to a certain kind of reaction from you, it can take a while for her to get used to it when her tactics don't get the response she's used to. This is still worth doing. If she refuses to stop begging you for money, criticizing how you use your money, trying to make you feel guilty for not giving her what she wants, etc., you have every right to cut off contact with her.
The main things to remember are as follows:
1. You don't owe her a dime of your money.
2. You have the right to spend YOUR money as YOU see fit, whether it's on health care or something totally frivolous.
3. You don't owe her an apology or an explanation for what you do with YOUR money.
4. You have the right to say NO to her and to refuse to be drawn into any more arguments about this.
5. If she doesn't like it when you refuse to give her money, that's HER problem. Let her be upset, and remind yourself that it's NOT your fault.
6. If she tries to guilt you into doing what she wants, don't let her. I know this may be easier said than done, but please hear me when I say this: you have NOTHING to feel guilty about, and she has NO right to try to make your feel guilty, NONE whatsoever.
I hope some of this is helpful to you. Sorry I got so long-winded. I apologize for any excessive repetition. Good luck with this, and with your TMJ treatment!
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)Her last text to me was her usual dismissive I'M DONE! and that she spent 50k on bad dentistry, and I should have done something cheaper. That she'll never mention it again. I went no contact then. Been about three weeks. She didn't contact me about medical results i was worried about, and i didn't reach out. Did i mention she's a disaster? Can't afford her florida taxes, insurance, car was repoed and she just declared bankruptcy. She fights with her adult daughter who tells her stfu. I think they're was violence.
mopinko
(71,813 posts)is it possible to cut her off altogether? is this 1 of those intertwined messes? or can u actually just shove her out the airlock?
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)I was trying to maintain a good relationship with her. I thought she'd be a support, but I overshared relationship info, and she's been harping on it. I think her plan was to get me move in with her to get her hands on my assets. She's a shoplifter, just to paint a tiny pictorial of her personality.
OTT, she crticizes every aspect of my life. I'm ashamed of what I've allowed. The TMJ thing was the final straw. Her life is a dumpster fire, btw. This is not some well-educated, put together, sucessful person here. She got a judgement against her for not paying tuition. That kind of mentality. Entitled. Criminal/sociopathic. I could see her taking out an insurance policy on my life.
This realization has just hit me full force.
mopinko
(71,813 posts)makes me grateful that i have little contact w my fam.
XanaDUer2
(13,872 posts)She liked a few things on fb Im ignoring. Next step is blocking. My fault for saying too much and allowing it to escalate wo standing up for my boundaries. Were half sisters didn't grow up together.
But I'm learning to keep my mouth shut
OldBaldy1701E
(6,350 posts)As to what she is.... I have stated this before.