My family was odd. Father's family Orthodox/Chassidic; Mother's Conservative. Both atheistic. Sent me to Orthodox Yeshiva and let me choose.

No, that's an awful answer from any spiritual leader. Dismissive and lazy. A true teacher (which is what Rabbi means) teaches us to cope!

That makes me so sad for her, and for you as her son to see her suffer and cry. It is a myth that health is happiness or pain is punishment.

What my parents did to me would today have put them in jail for life. Violent people, cruel and mean. All genius. All nuts. I fight it hard.

My mother too. Multiple personality disorders, narcissism and paranoia most prevalent. Sadly, there's a very sweet person down deep. Damage.