fun family story

[C.Mongler]

alright guys i have a "fun" story to tell so BUCKLE in here we go

so to start with a little backstory: my oldest aunt (she's 65 years old) is dying of lung cancer. she was diagnosed about 2 months ago. it is unfortunately stage 4, and there's basically nothing that they can do that has any chance of elongating her life, especially without reducing her quality of life significantly. my aunt has been a life-long smoker until her diagnosis, and she's basically accepted her fate. all in all she seems to be in good spirits about it, but it is inevitable this will kill her sometime soon.

personally while i am saddened by this, i have never really been close to this aunt, she did kind of set herself up for this by continuing to smoke years after relatives quit and urged her to do the same, and it's not like she's (at least that shes let on) depressed about it or anything. that, and she's never been married, and doesn't have any kids, so it's not like she's leaving anyone behind either.

and here's where we get to the real story: OR SO WE THOUGHT.

So i'm not 100% clear how this was revealed, but my aunt has had a secret for the 47 years. She had a daughter in 1971. I'm not sure what the circumstances were exactly, but she was pregnant, had her, and put her up for adoption, without ever telling anyone in our family. Like seriously, no one knew. I'm not sure how this came out now like I said, but from what I've heard her daughter has known who she is for about 10 years now, but she finally reached out to confirm it this past week.

but here's the shitty part: this woman's son apparently died last week of an overdose. and this week she finally finds out who her birth mother is only to learn she's going to die of lung cancer. though perhaps a silver lining, she got to talk to her before she passed? idk.

anyway the whole thing is wierd as heck. my grandmother talked to her on the phone last night, and apparently wants ALL of us in the family to talk to her? my mom is calling her tonight. idk, it seems like kind of an odd request from grandma lol, i have a hard enough time interfacing with the cousin's i've known about my whole life, and now i have to integrate this new 47 year old cousin into my life? she's like 2 years younger than my mother lol.

idk man the whole thing is weird but i just wanted to share

[Mando Pandango]

That's fucking crazy. In stories like this, I can't help but feel invested in ideas like karma and date surrounding a certain primary individual, even though I naturally don't buy into ideas like that. I'm this case I can't help but feel like it's centered around your aunt's daughter. Like her life, more than anyone else's, led her to this moment which is going to be a monumentally shitty and important chapter in her life.

Yeah, you're right, it's bizarre. I don't even know what to say about it besides that. Wild stuff.