I wish I had been given the courage to do as you all have done. Trust me, the pain of cutting the umbilical cord is far less than being crushed within a womb of guilt and frustration for decades. I allowed my mother this power over me. I was not set free until her death and even then she left me with a wound that was nearly fatal. I went into a downward spiral and by its end the only thing keeping me alive was my father's need of me. I am so lucky to have him because he was the parent that loved me more. Without him and without the help of a councelor I would have happily killed myself.
I sought that counceling and she helped me dig through the layers of pain to find the seed of it all. I had long since covered my sexuality in layers of infected noduled flesh. My codependence on my mother was the tool I used to keep me from expressing it. Her death denied me that crutch and I was forced to face the reality of who I was and it nearly undid me.
When I came to accept who I was, I was set free. Now, my only regret, is that I lost my yourth to my toxic relationship with my mother. But, now I will endeavor to make better what remains to my life. Better to cut those people out of your life who are destroying you than to enter the Gehenna of years and years of endless emotional abuse and the unlife that you end up living within the prison of that abuse.