^^^the fact that there is a lot of pain to go around does not diminish in the least your own pain. our pain is always so personal. our pain is all that we are aware of. my parents didn't know what to make of me either, other than as big and dumb and clumsy. that is how I was raised. i don't know if it were the case that if i were farmed out to several foster families that i would have coped as well as you have. i might've just disappeared somewhere along the line. you are a survivor. you lived to tell your tale. i can't help but believe that things will improve for you, perhaps not as fast as you'd like but they will improve.