Thanks you guys for responding to my post. It's been 6 months and it's still difficult to accept that she's really gone and that the family I have left, don't care about me at all (or, ever did). I guess when both parents die, that creates a vacuum afterward and whatever family relationships are strained or close will continue to be that way. Before my parents deaths, my siblings and I were never emotionally attached properly (due to both of our parents' own emotional neglect on us, their children, and on each other during their marriage).

My sister and brother bonded emotionally and have always, always triangulated me and treated me like I didn't exist. When our mom died, my sister lied to me about her life insurance and even when I asked for the financial breakdown, she lied about it. She was the power of attorney so I have no legal recourse there, as the life insurance money is spent.

I know too, that my sister and brother took their families on a "grief" vacation together after our mom died and discluded me. I found out through my sister's children by accident when they spoke about it. I wanted to confront my sister about it, but decided not to. I mean, what is the point? She'd deny it, and deflect by accusing me of being nosy, to deflect from her lies.

Knowing that I am truly alone, family-wise, that my siblings want nothing to do with me, that I have no spouse or children of my own (to help act as a buffer for my grief and give me a feeling of community), I feel very abandoned and alone. Of course, I know this is a normal response to my circumstances. The grief books speak about sibling estrangement after a parent's death.

Yet, just because it's deemed normal in fine print, doesn't make it feel better. It's just another layer of grief that I have to overcome now. I have to grief the loss of my entire family.

The scapegoat role that I was labeled as a child, sticks with me, with my siblings, my cousins, and our mom's surviving sister and brother. No one wants anything to do with me (this is not new, of course, they ignored my existence prior to my mom's death). So, it's hard to see reality after the dust of my mom's funeral has settled. Knowing that there are people whom I'm related to, who couldn't care less about me.

As a 52 year old single adult, that's a little scary from a practical point of view. I have no one to help me with any problems (financial, health, social, spiritual). Sure, there are community resources, volunteer organizations, churches, state and federal programs. That just means I have to find which of their 'boxes' of income and other criteria that I need to fit inside, to qualify for their assistance.

It feels taxing on my nervous system to have to live daily in 'survival mode.' I don't think my Cortisol levels or my menopausal hormones can take it, ongoing. I need to create a structure for myself with daily routines and nutrition (all the free resources exist: books on nutrition at the library about menopause, grief, nutrition etc.).

My temp job is a little triggering because it's a front desk role at a low income apt complex, where case workers work with the tenants who come from prison, homelessness, DA and AA, to offer that tenant services, rent credit, therapy and group therapy and general emergency assistance as long as they remain tenants of the building.

I can see this type of living arrangement for myself in my future and that scares the hell out of me. You qualify to live here if you've been homeless for a year and you have to be on a waiting list. And, if you're homeless, you have to come physically to the building to ask the property managers if you'r name was selected for a room since the county can't mail homeless people a letter confirming their tenancy is approved.

I'm educated but unemployed and doing temp work to make ends barely meet. I can't control the recruiters or hiring managers hiring decisions. The only control that I have is what I write on my resume, and how I present myself in job interviews and follow up communication. It's all very emotionally exhausting.

I could look for a roommate situation but not sure living with women my age is plausible. I mean, would we all bite each other's heads off? If it comes to it, I will do it. But right now, I'd rather just live alone.

I can always put in my 2 month notice and find a cheaper apartment to move into. That's my first thought. I may do that. I'm giving myself another 6 months to find a full-time job before I put my 2 month notice in to move to a cheaper apartment.

Grieving is hard. Your identity literally changes and no one ever speaks about those changes and how they impact your entire life in long-term and short-term ways. As though speaking about death is taboo.

I miss my mom.