Teppy, I hope your dad is okay and that you get concrete news of that soon.

I'm pretty much with Jars on the fact that I might have been one of the people not saying anything if I was your peer. I might have thought the exit to the bathroom was your way of saying "I'm pretending I'm not crying at work, go along with me on this one, people."

No, not evil.

And possible they aren't either (see above re: Jars & Dana)

But if you want to smack them I bet you could get away with it!!!!

(~~ma to your daddy)

And you know what? I'm *positive* that no one at work has a bottle or flask stashed in their desk.

Of all the days to leave my Ativan at home.

Not wrong or evil, Tep. Especially for as long as you've been there.

I had a coworker call one night to let me know she wouldn't be in the next day. It was pretty clear her voice was cracking, so I asked, and got an earfull about some family issues. It was a little weird, but we've worked together for over 2 years and we're here all the time. It would've been weirder had I not asked.

I have skipped and skimmed so ((((everybody)))) whether you need 'em or not.

And yeah, they're probably just doing the awkward foot-shuffle thing of "Huh. She's upset. She's usually blase about her dad's heart stuff. Um. Huh."

But it makes me feel like I'm overreacting.

Or possibly they're just sick of hearing about my dad's cardiac roller-coaster, which I can totally understand.

I am Jars, except that I would at least say something like "Is there anything I can do?" or "Would you like chocolate?" You've been there a long time. You'd think they'd say something.

Ah, {{{{Tep}}}} - hugs to you for the scary cardiac rollercoaster, and again for the callous and strange coworkers.

But it makes me feel like I'm overreacting.

There's not really much a person can do that's over reacting to parent heart problems. Maybe wailing and throwing oneself out a window whilst rending and tearing garments. Maybe not though. I think crying is really a perfectly normal reaction.

There's not really much a person can do that's over reacting to parent heart problems.

I know, it's just that -- this has been going on for 15 years now (since summer of 1992). Last night, Dad mentioned that over the past 15 years, he's been in the hospital at least 50 times, and probably more like 60.

So I'm used to it by now. Yes, I worry, because who wouldn't? But after 15 years, I can't keep reacting in the same sort of immediate-crisis-panic mode.

Oh, Tep. Crap. No, love, you're not overreacting.

I don't think it neccesarily means they're callous or gits either, though, because as mentioned above, they may either (a) not know what to say or (b) think you WANT them to pretend all is okay. It depends on how well they know you* - and at the end of the day you can't know what's going on in their heads, and you shouldn't let it add to your distress. It doesn't mean that you're overreacting, or that you're not worth their compassion, or that they're a bunch of gits.

Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe is a grownup, or something. WTF? (This is not a saucy picture, incidentally. Just - facial hair. Which is boggling my mind, because - wee boy! Only apparently not. Huh.)

*I have done both, depending on how well I know the person - and since I myself find that compassion utterly undoes me, and can hold it together reasonably well until someone asks if I'm okay, I have a tendancy to be a bit wary of approaching people who look like they're about to burst into tears. 'Cause I know I would rather be left the hell alone. But that doesn't mean I'm not worrying about the person, and wondering whether I'm being insensitive, and all that.