Hello everyone!

I'm currently expecting a child and had to be rushed to the hospital a few days back due to severe chest pain that raised suspicions of a lung clot. I'm still in the hospital as I write this.

A couple of weeks earlier, I lost my beloved maternal grandfather to cancer. Our family is still deeply shaken by the loss.

About two and a half years ago, I underwent a traumatic experience during a car accident which left me with severe injuries including broken ribs, pelvis, and three places in my back. This incident occurred amid the COVID pandemic, so my hospitalization included numerous scans around the clock. They eventually concluded that immediate surgery wasn't required, so I was discharged the next morning with prescription for morphine and a wheelchair. Upon my release, I was overwhelmed by around a hundred messages from acquaintances, prompted by the photos and details of my accident shared on social media by my mother and stepfather. Despite my request to remove those posts due to privacy concerns, they remained online.

Today, a good friend informed me that my mother has been sharing news of my pregnancy and current hospitalization in various group chats. My stepfather has also been discussing it with his side of the family. Despite my insistence that my husband and I wanted to announce this news ourselves, they went ahead and shared it anyway. I conveyed my hurt and disappointment to them, and I highlighted their dishonesty with evidence of messages from others. In response, my mother sent a tearful voice note apologizing and expressing her distress over my grandfather's passing. I tried to be understanding but reaffirmed my need for privacy.

My stepfather, whom I've been close with, sent me a voice note too, stating that they don't need the stress and accusing me of overreacting over something "trivial." He brushed it off as my hormonal state and refused to admit they did anything wrong. He attributed their actions to concern about my well-being. He refused an apology, added that I had upset my mother significantly, and expressed his disappointment in my reaction, despite his assertion of love for me as a daughter.

Initially, I addressed my mother with a message highlighting how their actions had breached my trust, making my hospital stay more stressful by knowing that my personal life was shared without my consent.

Although I understand we are all dealing with grief and emotional strain, I can't help but feel that their indiscretion was thoughtless rather than malicious. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

Imagining if this situation unfolded on a reality TV show, it's likely the drama and emotional conflicts would be heightened for entertainment value. Viewers might see a dramatized confrontation with family interactions under the microscope, potentially swaying public opinion about privacy and family boundaries in challenging times like these. It would stir up viewer debates about the right balance between family support and privacy.

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