Fighting for Answers | Author Archives | Page 5David's Father, Author at Fighting for Answers

Breaking hearts, practicing tough love with our son

Breaking our hearts to practice tough love with David. He called home for the first time since he was placed in detention. Full of tears, and a story about how he banished the bad version of himself. Breaking Hearts During the first hearing, he didn’t want to talk to us. During the second, he said hello. He isn’t happy there in the detention center. Nothing to do and in bed by 6pm. He claims they won’t let him read or do anything. And he can’t visit with peers. We can go visit him for an hour on Sunday. In order to visit, we have to give 24 hours notice. He told me that he wasn’t getting his medicine. I talked to the staff and they said he wasn’t in compliance. So tomorrow, I’ll find out what that means. Because he needs his medicine and will have all sorts of problems

A sad reality – restraint of a mentally ill child

It’s a sad reality. Our son David is mentally ill. I know it’s been a while since I last posted. So much has happened. On Feb 3, as I was driving into the city for a medical appointment, I received a call from the facility where David was. “If you don’t come and get him by 1pm, you will be charged with abandonment.” said the Clinical Director. I tried to explain that I was on my way to a medical appointment, 100 miles south of the facility. I explained that I had made arrangements to pick him up at 4pm. Not good enough. I was given the ultimatum, either pick up your son by 1pm, or be charged. As a result, I cancelled my appointment, turned around and went to pick him up. You see, he is well. Or so they believed. That’s why his peers want to kill him.

He is not a yo-yo

He is not a yo-yo. You know that right? Yesterday he was granted an extension on his stay in the facility. This was done so that we could apply for therapeutic foster care. Today, I guess that we were denied, though I am not entirely sure. What I do know is that I was told David is being discharged tomorrow. He is in, he is out, he is in, he is out. It’s not healthy for him to be jerked around like this, and in truth, it’s not healthy for the family. He will get maybe 6 hours a week of mentor time and they said something about 6 overnights a month. I have asked for clarification, none has been forthcoming as of yet. It’s that yo-yo effect, consistency is what is necessary, not the illusion of consistency. I swear, it’s like being in the movie Groundhog Day. So David