So while Mom was caring for me during my cancer treatment, My trouble making sister-in-law, Roz, called the police and tried to have me arrested for violating a restraining order. The irony? I was still in the hospital. Mom was upset — deeply upset — and canceled a dinner with Roz to let her know that what she did wasn’t okay.
What did Roz do next? She threw a tantrum. She threatened to call the police on me again and pulled my sister, Cindy, into it. Cindy called Mom and chewed her out, defending Roz like I was the villain. What a spoiled brat!
Do they even realize the hell I’ve been through? This isn’t about missing one dinner. This is about years of “family discipline” that’s left me constantly near homelessness. At times, I was homeless — and the family somehow justified it all.
Meanwhile, while I was battling cancer, the support came from everyone except them. I posted about overcoming cancer and got 150 likes on Facebook. Not one was from my family — except one who left the family years ago.
They didn’t care about my recovery. They were too busy worrying about Roz and my crybaby brother getting their feelings hurt over a little discipline. It’s unbelievable. They’re too much.
Through it all, I keep doing what keeps me alive — creating art. My work reflects every ounce of this struggle: the pain, the survival, and the transformation that only comes from walking through fire.
🎨 See my latest artwork, books, and prints at DanJoyceArt.com — where art meets survival, and every piece tells a true story.
By Dan and Bonkers
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