ChudFusk wrote: Wed Nov 05, 2025 5:20 pm
Congrats or condolences to all as appropriate. Sorry to be brief but my girlfriend's mom, who is basically my mother-in-law for the past 32 years by everything except a marriage license, just got a cancer diagnosis and it's really fucking me up. It's fucking me up because my mom died of cancer, and because this woman made me feel welcome in a family that is not especially warm or welcoming. It's also fucking me up because I am more overtly upset about this than my girlfriend. She was supportive when I lost my parents and I vowed to do the same for her when the time comes, but it's hard to be emotionally supportive of someone who isn't as upset as I am. They get along but do not have a very warm relationship, and while I understand why my GF doesn't feel the same about her mom as I did about mine (who was very warm and loving), I have been imploring her to do whatever it takes to heal from that so she can be there for her parents and be unencumbered by resentment or any other hangups or walls between them. She's been going to therapy for a while now and is making some progress, but from my perspective the structures of resentment are there even if the thoughts and beliefs have changed. So here I am, crying bigtime for the mother of my life partner, and I feel alone. I'm sure she feels alone in her feelings too, but I just can't relate to her ambivalence. If I can't support her emotionally then at least I can be there for her mom, who does not have the emotional support of her husband/GF's father, but it's going to be weird to inject my big loud love into this family situation, and I wish my GF could just accept the past and access the feelings she is supposed to feel in a time like this.
I feel for you. That sounds a lot like my relationship dynamic and my experience of my girlfriend losing her father to cancer in 2018. I also basically forced my girlfriend to go to therapy four years ago for the sake of the relationship and our family. It worked, got her at least back in the right place to be life partners, and life is good now, but goddamn etc. Like I said, I can relate and feel for where you're at. In the end it comes down to the fact that you are different and different is ultimately ok (on both sides), even if it can be extremely alienating at times. The problem is when you are "feeling for two" and it is too intense etc. Hopefully, that is less the case with her in therapy trying to feel her feelings for herself. As for how to be with your mother-in-law (shorthand, my situation is the same): I don't know, she (your gf) knows you and your big loud love, maybe you just need to tell her what you need to do, what's in your nature, and be open that you hope she doesn't resent that. She has to love that nature, right? Maybe she will be happy and relieved that you can be more emotional with her mom, who knows. You've been part of that family for a long time and deserve to continue to be your authentic self there, though it may feel inappropriate to you. Perhaps you can just spend time with your girlfriend's mom alone and support her and not feel observed, like a regular weekly visit or whatever? Good luck, Johnny B.