My Daughter Was 15 When She Finally Looked Me in the Eye and Whispered, “I Don’t Tell Dad When I’m Hurting Anymore. He Says I Only Do It for Attention.” The Next Afternoon, I Checked Her Out of School and Drove Her to the Hospital Without a Word to My Husband. Halfway Through the Scan, the Technician Went Completely Quiet.
I took a breath, asked where it hurt and how she was feeling, then helped her reach the right clinician for advice.
She studied my face closely the whole time.
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Why would I ever be mad?”
“I don’t know.
Just habit.”
That word broke my heart because she said it so plainly.
After the call she went back to her homework, and I sat by myself for a few minutes, thankful that she had told me and furious that it still took courage for her to do it.
