It's natural to worry about what we've said and how it impacts people--especially people we love and/or have long relationships with.

A lot of people will say "just move on," but I think some retrospection is worthwhile. The world doesn't stop for us, though, and we all do have to move on from past experiences. That's not the same as forgetting, though.

I think it's really good that you were able to have this talk with your mother. Don't worry if you didn't say everything right, even the smartest among us make mistakes.

With my mother, I periodically give her updates to try to help her understand. When I learn something new about my condition, I wait a couple weeks, then give her an update with as much info as I can. She doesn't understand a lot of the time, but all I can do is try.