Do people really think this way?

Dad's side of the family are pro acupuncture. Mom's indifferent verging on "this is crap". Brother is all about "alternative" medicine is the only way Dad is ever going to get better.

I believe in acupuncture. I've had it for my back, knees and shoulder. I've gone to the Chinese doctor for the herbs and other things that I don't want to know about.

Mom didn't want to continue the acupuncture (actually at this stage it's acupressure). Of course all of Dad's side, including brother, want the sessions to continue. I asked Mom to continue the session for me. I would like to see it through. She said if I wanted it then it was fine with her. She did ask that I be there for the session. I said okay. She said I trust you. With that said I feel an obligation to fulfill Mom's request. And I will.

One wonderful event that occurred was that Dad is being considered for long term rehabilitation instead of long term care (nursing home). The focus for him will be to provide him with the skills to be as independent as possible. This is great news.

I emailed brother to tell him about the rehab and the acupressure with respect to me being there. He said that the doctor only wanted my 2 aunts present at the most. Brother also said that if I go and the doctor doesn't return I'll know why. It sounds a lot like him talking to my mother and telling her if she doesn't do X Y and Z for Dad it will be on her conscious.

I wrote back that if the doctor chose not to return maybe it was because he was hesitant and leary of providing the service in a hospital. And by the way, just because the "doctor" says he was a neurosurgeon in a foreign country doesn't mean you were one. After all, I can't validate your claim.

I should have told him that perhaps this is why Mom doesn't want to talk to him. Perhaps this is why he gets the cold shoulder from every hospital staff he's ever come across. Perhaps I should have told him that he has no ability to function in society. Oh hell, I should have told him to piss off.