Tina's Daily Blog: Peaceful Sunday

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Peaceful Sunday

It was a very peaceful day today. Mostly, I believe, because I blocked Julie from being able to call the house. Call me an awful person if you want to, but - she is just slurring her words like crazy and, although she apologizes profusely and says she'll flush the pills, it's the principal matter of fact that she went doctor hunting for percocet because she had a cold. Now... if you've been reading the blog you'd might remember that the last time Julie went Doctor shopping it was because her blood sugar was high. Yep, she found a doctor to give her Percoct for her high blood sugar. She uses any medical excuse to try to get Percocet (or any drug to help her get that buzz).

I talked to Karen about the whole thing today. She agrees that the kids should not see Julie right now, nor talk to her. I'm still debating over supervised visits and phone calls. It just rips my heart from my chest to see my sister and my nieces and nephews this hurt, but I feel that I'm supposed to do what I feel is right for them. And what's best for Julie. How would supervised visits (person and phone calls) help Julie? Well, I'm hoping that a trained professional would better know how to deal with some of the things that Julie does with them or says to them. I don't know what to say when Julie tells Kayla she doesn't have to go home if she doesn't want to, Julie would be happy to emancipate her if she wants to.... or the whole 'lay down with me' in a whiny whiny voice.

Jonathan just hurt his toe, I'll be back in a few...

Okay, I'm back. (4 hours later... sigh!) Hey... it's 12:22am... you know what that means? It's my birthday! Yeah!!

I talked to the kids today about their mom not coming over and them not talking to her on the phone. They listened and didn't ask questions (although I asked them for questions/concerns) - I'm pretty sure they think this is nothing (i.e. mom has done nothing wrong again). Although I will say this, of the three of them, Kayte is the one who got on the phone with her mom last night and confronted her about 'doctor shopping for drugs'. She didn't talk to her long, but she certainly did confront her about it.

Mom told me this today and you'll love it. Mom called Julie today and Julie was (again) slurring her words. Mom said something to her about it and Julie said it was okay because Dad used to slur his words. Now that's funny. I loved my dad, but, he died several years ago thanks to Alcoholism. He slurred his words because he was drunk. But Julie's rationalization is that - if Dad did it - it's okay. There's that "someone else did it at some point in their life and so it's okay for me to do it too". Julie also told Mom something about she should just go back on Pot. As if anyone is going to say to her... "no, Julie, don't do that! Go ahead, pop whatever narcotics you want, just don't smoke pot"!! Uh, Julie.... do we really want you not high, not mentally fricking crazy AND not doped up on pills all at one time? YES WE DO.

One last thing I'd really like to complain about right now, if you'll indulge me and forgive me for the complaining. (just let me vent) The fricking state system here sucks. The kids already had medical insurance thanks to Ron's military benefits. Yet, when they were taken by the state, they were given Medicaid automatically. I was told at that time that we could all apply for all the benefits and see what we qualified for. I may have told you before but we do not qualify for food stamps because we own a home. (Now, Julie was on food stamps, go figure, not sure how that worked!) I realized this weekend when all 3 kids were sick and as I've been ongoing making appointments for them (medical, dental, etc) that we should ALL be on Medicaid and have the benefits - not just Julie's kids. Hell, I've taken on all 3 kids with no additional aid from the state. Yet the state deems it necessary that the kids have medicaid. Okay, figure that I'm the only one 'working' in the family of SEVEN right now at home - surely we'd qualify for something? Nope. Not one single thing. Kayla, Justin and Kayte can all go get dental exams - but not Jonathan. Further, I applied the first week of January, and they are still processing my request for assistance (they've messed it up 3 times, and each time I've had to re-apply, which takes roughly 2 hours on the computer online to complete the application) . Yet, when the state wants something they want me to do it right away. I'm just that kind of person who likes to do things right away anyways, but what if I wasn't? Copays for all the doctors visits. Copays for the psyc visits. Copays for medication. Times theree and you can try to imagine. I'm just a little bitter with the state about all of this.

Enough complaining. How about prayer requests? Please pray for Amanda who is again looking for a job out in Colorado. Pray for the kids - for understanding and patience. Pray for Julie for healing and guidance.

I'm going to bed. Goodnight all.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: tina you need to forgive and let go of the bad memories of your father. Think only the of good things, you know the memories you had with your dad . He had A desiese that controlled his every thought and move. It caused him death and the family that is so presious to him. You didn't cause the out of controll that alchal and drugs have and is still doing in Julie. Keep focoused on the children and your little family. God has A plan for you and Chris, because you have opened your heart to HIM. please for give me in all that I may have said or done to make your life bad or go all wrong. I love you and i am so proud of you. Chris and the children are so lucky to have you in their lives. keep your chin up and do your best and that is all you can do. HAPPY BIRTHDAY; 2:00 PM
Tina said...: Please don't misunderstand. I loved my dad very much. I have many fond memories of him. The plain and simple truth is that he died of alcoholism. Julie was trying to use that for some twisted self-verification of why it was okay for her.
I think this is Evie who wrote the comment (above). If so, there's nothing to forgive you for, silly! I appreciate your love, concern and most of all prayers. Love you.; 2:09 PM

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In A Nutshell:

Here is a letter I sent to Dr. Phil which really sums everything up:
I am married to my high-school sweetheart (20 years this August), with two wonderful children (Amanda who is 20 and Jonathan who is 13). I have two sisters, both younger – I call them “my good sister” and “my bad sister”. My good sister is – well, good! Normal in every way. The bad one, Julie, has been in trouble since she was a kid. As a baby she cried all of the time. As a teenager she was in trouble all of the time. At the age of 14 or so I remember that she had run away from home to live with a grown man in Atlanta. This was one of many run a ways. As a teenager, she provided sexual favors to boys in school, as well as teachers. As a young adult she was arrested for prostitution. She’s done drugs ranging from marijuana to crack. She was diagnosed early on as bi-polar with personality disorder. She’s also a serious cutter to the point where she no longer hid the cuts. She’s cut things like “Ronald Cecchinni” into her arm… and “Fuck you Dr. XXX” on her stomach, in large letters. Julie is also a diagnosed sex-addict. She’s also recently (in the past year) begun ‘huffing’. (I honestly believe that this huffing has caused some permanent damage) She is currently 36yo.
Julie lost her husband Ron a year and a half ago as a result of Leukemia and Kidney Disease which the military attributed to his serving in the Gulf War. He left behind three children – Kayla who is now 15, Justin who is now 14 and Kayte who is now 13. Even when Julie was married, her psychiatric problems persisted. She has been hospitalized literally hundreds of times over the years. However, when her husband was alive, he would take care of the kids when Julie was mentally out of control. After Ron died, Julie lost control of the kids and her life. She began to spiral out of control, having pot parties at her home (to the point where the kids said a door would open and a cloud of smoke would come bellowing out of the room), smoking weed with her own kids, having sex all over the house with different men all the time, allowing young men (19 yo) to sleep over with her oldest daughter (only 14 at the time), and allowing Gang members to live in her home (she said she felt ‘safe’ with them there). In addition, she was attempting suicide daily, overdosing on medications hoping to not wake up the next morning. Mind you all of this while she was seeing her Psychologist every week and Psychiatrist once a month. Both of these Doctors knew what was going on at home, neither of them reported it to the proper authorities. I have even been told by one of them that he was told, by Julie, that she ‘heard voices telling her to hurt the children’ but that she was proud that she could ignore the voices. Still, these Doctors reported nothing.
I should add here that it was at some point in this period of time in Julie’s life when her children began suicide watches over their mom… each one taking turns to sit in a room with her at all hours (night and day) because their mom was less-likely to hurt herself while they were here. However, it didn’t always work – Julie constantly took pills in front of them trying to either dope herself up or overdose, and she would even cut herself in front of the kids.
Finally one day, she woke up furious that her last suicide attempt didn’t work. She got violent with her oldest daughter, police were called, and finally DCF was called. (I would like to add that we (other family members) had called DCF in the past to report things, but some of the cases were ‘unfounded’ and one other time the fled the state knowing CF only had jurisdiction in Florida.) DCF removed the children from the home in November 2005 and I gained custody of the Children shortly thereafter.
There are lots of things I could add here about my sister, DCF, and the horrible Foster Care or Custodial Care program we are involved with. However, that is not my main reason for writing to you.
Kayte, the youngest, seems to be adjusting pretty well. She has a tendency to trivialize what her mom has done and the seriousness of it, but I think that is normal given that it is her mom. Kayte was in counseling, but she feels it’s ‘a waste of time’.
Justin, the middle child, is okay. As a young boy I'm told he was a terror. He used to hit his mother and at one point (only 6yo) tried to jump off a building to kill himself. Since then, his anger has turned in to an endless smothering of love and caring. He does everything for his mom… from getting her whatever she needs to rubbing her feet and back. Justin has seen a psychiatrist since moving in with me who felt that his issues were brought on by trauma. It was also at that visit with the psychiatrist that he confided in myself and the Doctor that he had suicidal thoughts often while living at home with his mom in her ‘state of being’ after his dad died. However, since he moved in with me he has done so much better (and continues to improve daily) that she didn’t feel he even needed counseling at this time. He would, however, need counseling before he was reunited with his mom.
Kayla, the oldest, has serious issues. She is also currently in counseling but feels that it is ‘a waste of time’. Kayla has always lied and stolen things. Family members feel sorry for her because you can tell that she doesn’t really mean any ill will by it, but it’s been ‘the way she is’ for a very long time. By far her biggest problems are lying and her need for approval by men (young and old).
Since the kids have moved in with us, my husband and I have set up rules. The kids already had myspace accounts, so we set ground rules for it. 1) We needed the login names and passwords. 2) Profiles must be set to private. 3) The only people they were allowed to have on their friends list was people that they actually knew. When Kayla’s list climbed over 300, and she was found to have inappropriate conversations (wanting to sneak out and ‘hook up’ with young men), we made everyone cut their list down to 30 friends, which included myself. 4) All vulgar language and inappropriate photos would come off immediately and would be monitored by myself at any given time. At times, they try to put up ‘sexy’ pictures which immediately need to come down.
However recently I have found that she has multiple website things going on in an attempt to pick up young men. I'll outline a few here so that you understand the gravity of the situation: 1) I found her 'normal' myspace account set to 'public view'. She has over 11,000 profile views(meaning people looking at her pictures and wanting to know more about her). I had reset it to private many times, but she keeps going back and resetting it to public. 2) I have found another myspace account which she went by the name 'Shannon' and used it to pick up young men, tease them, then later tell them that she was 'taken' but refer them to her 'cousin, Kayla'. She'd then give them all of Kayla's information. Of course thiswas also set to public. 3) I have found another social network website that was like myspace in which she had ONLY men (mostly from other states) as her 'friends' whom she corresponded with. The emails back and forth basically said the same thing as all of the others... more on that in #4 - only these were guys that not only did she not know, but they were not even in the area! 4) All accounts that I have found had basically the same thing... her emailing guys wanting to know if she was pretty, if they wanted to 'hook up', talking about going to their 'crib' or meeting up with them somewhere, and constantly seeking approval and affirmation from these guys.
I believe she gets this from her mom. And the sad thing is, if you met her, you would love her. She is truly a GREAT kid… but she has serious issues. I’ve described to you Julie’s behavior and Kayla’s seems to be the same way. Neither can make decisions on their own that are ‘the right thing to do’, and both lack the understanding of simple values, morals and ethics. I could go into so many examples. How do I describe the utterly amazing difference between Julie’s parenting style and my own?
I know... Both Julie and I have myspace accounts set up to ‘monitor’ the kids. To illustrate the difference between Julie and myself, here is something that Julie and I both put on our myspace accounts. You are supposed to put something 'about yourself' by your picture. Here is mine: "I'm 38 years old. I have two amazing kids, Amanda who is 20 and Jonathan who is 13. I have great husband, Chris. I love to sing - and have been singing in Toast of Tampa Show Chorus for 10 years. I'm raising my nieces and nephew (12, 13 and 14). I love God and my family."And here is Julie's: "I am who I am and if you dont like me for me........FUCK YOU........ Plus if you dont like me for me....... Im gunna tell my kids and there gunna kick yer ass!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Here’s the other dilemma we are having; the two girls are in counseling that is costing me $25 EACH in co-payments every time they go. The State of Florida provides NO financial support to me as a relative caregiver, other than providing the three kids with Medicaid. They received small SSI checks because of their dad’s death, but it barely covers the food they consume. The DCF worker, having spoke with the girls and being told that therapy is ‘a waste of time’, has referred me to a clinic that DCF uses for cases such as this to seek mental care for Kayla (aswell as the others). However, the kids have TriCare as their primary insurance because their dad died from Military causes. TriCare requires the co-payment, regardless of the Medicaid secondary. Having said that, please understand that I worked in referrals in a primary care physician’s office for 16 years… I totally ‘get’ what is required for primary and secondary insurances and all the red tape. But because of the uniqueness of this situation, the kids are suffering!
I should also point out here that I have the kids for an indefinite period of time. Right now Julie is doing things that she has been told to do to get the kids back. However, she is still awaiting a court ordered detailed Psychiatric exam to determine if she can EVER parent again. Even if that Psychiatrist feels she can parent again, she’ll most likely need to be ‘clean’ and ‘episode-free’ for 6 months to a year minimum. In addition, Julie is only allowed supervised visits and one phone call a day. This came about because of her inappropriate behavior when she was with the kids and because when she was allowed to call any time she’d call 10 + times a day.
The other problem with Julie ever getting her children back is that… she doesn’t understand what she did wrong. She parents as if she were 15-years old herself. If anyone has ever done something bad and been able to ‘keep’ their kids, she sees no reason she can’t do it. She brought her daughter at the age of 13 in for a HUGE tattoo on the small of her back. It’s Tigger flipping ‘the bird’ with her gang name under it. She was also planning on getting a large tattoo on her 12yo before the kids were taken. Again, she sees nothing wrong with any of her past behavior.
So, you see, I could have these children for the rest of their teenage years. I honestly don’t know where to turn to get them the help they need.
I feel as if I am in a psychiatric nightmare and I just can’t wake up. Eight months ago I was at home, my biggest ‘kid worry’ was if my son was going to get good grades on his report card. Now I find myself in a crux worried about whether or not the lessons I teach them, this late in their young life, are going to be enough to turn these kids around and help them to be productive adults in the near future.

Tina's Daily Blog

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Peaceful Sunday

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