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Had SS committed

PolyMom's picture

Sorry...this is a long one...

So, it's been a while. I haven't had a chance to breathe let alone a chance to vent since I've last been here...

I feel bad because I don't know how much anyone remembers, and how much I should recap....but I'll try to consolidate as best as possible:

DH and I married 5 years, together 7. DH in remission from lymphoma, diagnosed July 2015, over by November. DH also suffers psoriatic arthritis, leaving him incapacitated most mornings.
BM: left DH and both kids almost 10 years ago. Remarried, and had a baby with the man she cheated on DH with. Been in custody battles with us the past 5 years. Is still ridiculously mean, and can't get over whatever she thinks has happened between us(that hasn't actually happened), despite the fact that I've been nothing but nice to her all these years.
SS13: Has been having problems with BM and school. Refused to stay overnight at her house anymore, and has been living with us full time from April-August, then BM forced him back with police, then he contacted his law guardian and made it official that he's staying with us as of November. His behavior at school was atrocious, and they had him moved to an out-of-district special needs school for his emotional problems. Oppositional problems and refusal to do any work, fails state tests on purpose because he knows it will make the school look bad. He locks himself in his room, sleeps when he wants, sneaks electronics when he isn't supposed to have them, respects no boundaries, and blames everyone for the parts of his situations he's not happy about. We have him in therapy, and are awaiting response on a SPOA for extra support to get him to school...which he's been refusing to go. He started cutting his arm a month and a half ago, and seems he's been continuing to aggravate already made wounds. He's threatened suicide, but not specific means. He's also been having visual and auditory hallucinations. Two days ago, when he refused to answer, unlock his door or go to school, I found an airsoft rifle in his backpack, which DH and I knew nothing about. Apparently BM's father gave it to him for Xmas. We had discussed holding off on him getting one due to all this other stuff going on. I was concerned he brought the gun to his old school. Then, under his back pack I found a plastic bag, with empty bottles in it...pepsi and vodka. DH and I don't drink hard liquor very often, so I checked where we keep our hard liqour and found 4 other empty bottles. The therapist said to bring SS13 to the hospital. We had done an intake for another hospital, but have been waiting for a bed to free up, but clearly he needs help now.

BM has had little to do with any of this. She's supposed to call SS13 daily, and does not. She takes him two days a week for 3-5 hours at a time, and that's it. DH told her about the hospital intake, and got her in contact with SS13's therapist and social workers. So, yesterday, she comes to help check him in the hospital, and tries to have me removed. DH had a fever, sweats, chills, and thought he was going to throw up. I have been heavily involved with taking care of SS13, because DH has not been physically able. BM isn't mentally capable, otherwise I would have refused to do this, and sent him right back, but with all the support involved, (therapists, legal, educational) all agree I should be taking care of him. So, BM throws a huge fit in the hospital...making it very clear to hospital staff she's not mentally stable either. After they won't kick me out, she insists she needs her husband there to support her (despite the fact that about a month ago she was asking DH to take her back)...

So the social worker looked at DH and said he needs to go home because he's sick, and I can stay as a primary caregiver to SS, and as a surrogate to DH. She said BM can stay too, but only 2 parents, because more than that is too much for the ward. Fair enough.
I spent 10 hours in a room with SS13 and BM. Super fun.

We had more pleasant exchanges than not. The two of them sat and badmouthed her SS and his mom, and how messed up they are...and I was laughing to myself at the irony of where we were.
Then when SS13 started picking at his wounds with a plastic spoon, I told him to stop, and BM scolded me for "micromanaging" him right in front of him. Meanwhile, she took every order he gave her. So it became really clear to me why he has a boundary problem. She takes orders from him, and scolds everyone who tries to exert authority. Therefore, he controls her, and she controls everyone else, he doesn't have to answer to anyone.

Once it was all done, I told BM I thought she was very brave for getting SS this kind of help. I hugged her and told her I could wait till they moved him to his new room (when he found out he wasn't leaving he started swearing at her and screaming to the point where she was going to cry, I got help from the nurses to calm him down) I told her one of us should stay until he's placed in the ward, I just wanted to give her the choice since she had to get SS10 to school in about 6 hours. She mentioned she didn't have a car there, but she was okay to stay with SS13. I offered to hang out in the waiting room to give her a ride home if she needed it, if that would make her more comfortable. She said she could probably take a cab. She started crying and tried to rehash all the shit of the custody battle, and told me she wasn't trying to have me removed. (Which I know isn't true because I saw her freaking text messages to DH)...but I wasn't about to get into with her there, so I just took it in, and played listener, and told her I just want to stay focused on SS13, and working together with her.

So we're home, and hoping things would calm down a little bit. They're going to keep SS13 for 7 days. He was very upset at first, but they are adjusting medications for him, and he called DH last night before bed and told him that he's happy and he thinks this was the right decision. Clearly they gave him a super-happy drug.

So why vent now? BM is still telling DH only they should be visiting SS13. DH is severely depressed because SS13 is in there...when he knows it was necessary, and the alternative could leave him committing suicide... when we should be trying to relax and getting our mental strength up to prepare for SS13's return... I just don't know how much more of this I can take. We have 3 other kids in our house to consider too! I feel like such a bitch for not being more compassionate, but I feel with the past year of non-stop horrible awfulness, I've been calloused over to anything, and I'm emotional auto-pilot right now. But I feel like I'm the one that has to keep all this together, and he's not my kid. I go between wanting to help, and resenting the entire way this is folding out.

PolyMom's picture

I definitely have moments where I feel this way...but he does see a rheumatologist regularly. He's had failed attempts the past 3 years using humira and remicade. The only thing that seemed to kick this disease's ass was when he was getting chemo, for the lymphoma, which I believe the other medications caused. But, that's chemo, and is going to leave him incapacitated as well.

I would love nothing more than to wash my hands of this situation. And....SS13 is well aware his mom is a freak, and does abide my rules, does respect me as much as his dad, it's just so far gone now that the hospital needs to help him. With all the support we're getting I don't worry about SS ignoring me, because I'm basically demanding boundaries be drawn and upheld, and am preparing action plans, and following through. So long as BM is out of the picture, (which she is when no one is around to perform for) SS is seeing that message from every adult in his life. I'm going to his therapist's appointment today to explain what happened in the hospital. It will help him work through those issues as well.

Thanks for responding. I'd talk to my mom about this, but I don't want to avert her from my family, and I really need support now.

PolyMom's picture

Thank you. I think that's why I'm kind of ignoring DH's depression right now. I just don't have it in me to coddle him. He asked me if this were happening to one of my kids would I still be holding it together the way I am. I told him given the dynamic that's been created, what other choice to I have BUT to hold it together? Of course I would. It infuriates me that I'm able to do it, and he just can't, or won't. I told him he needs to get more support for this, because he's not confiding in me, it's driving a wedge between us when we need to be leaning on each other.

Amber Miller's picture

Hi. I have a rare auto-immune disease. I've been through chemo, a few different infusion meds, tons of that god awful drug prednisone and am now receiving IVIG infusions. A nurse comes to my house and I sit there, infusing for 5 days in a row for up to 6 hours at a time. I have to do this every month. I am really sick and prednisone is the only thing that makes me able to function as a normal person but the side effects and long term effects were beginning to mount and the risks were starting to outweigh the benefits. IVIG keeps me stable but I'm not able to do much. I just can't take prednisone anymore. I lost half of my once beautiful, long hair, I gained 60 lbs, became pre diabetic and blood pressure was running 180/120 on average. I wasn't able to sleep, the drug made me very angry and I was really depressed because the disease and prednisone ravaged my looks and my once petite figure. I've been off it for a year and the weight peeled off, some of my hair grew back, blood sugar normalized and my blood pressure is still high but controlled with meds. I am in severe constant pain and I am very weak. Any emotional distress causes my disease to flare. I had such a bad flare up a couple months ago and all I could do was sit in my recliner and moan. Even my 5lb dog couldn't sit on my lap as anything that touched my skin made me want to scream.
I have 3 teenage boys. At first, when I got sick, I was bed ridden for 2 years as the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I couldn't bathe myself, get dressed, do any shopping, cleaning or driving. I had to send my boys to live with my mom. It was impossible for me to care for them.
I still struggle with severe pain and weakness. Some days I can barely drive my kids to school. My husband is a saint and after I started treatment, I got my boys back. Since they are older now, they help around the house, they know how to cook and do laundry. Their father isn't around much, barely pays his $400 a month in child support as he chooses to remain under employed so he can avoid a modification. Social security doesn't pay much and my DH has taken on providing for us financially. He does all the shopping, goes to work full time and helps me tremendously. I couldn't do it without him.
All I'm trying to say is that you, just like my husband, are a caregiver and are holding our families together. It sounds like your DH is in worse shape than I am. You are a wonderful person to help him and his son. I know, being trapped in a disabled body like your husband, how hard it is for us to do basic things. When you are sick like we are, it's hard to do basic things and it ends up making the person feel useless and it destroys your self esteem. I am not proud of myself that I can't do more. It's not my fault but it's still upsetting. Considering that your husband is faced with caring for a mentally ill child, his stress level is probably out the roof and I'm sure that impacts his health. It probably renders him incapacitated. What makes it worse, is that most auto-immune diseases aren't visible to the outside world; we don't look sick so it makes it hard for others to understand why we can't do things that others can do. People look at me and would have no idea anything is wrong with me. All they saw was me gain 60lbs in a matter of a few months and they think that I'm just lazy and let myself go. Nothing could be further from the truth. It took my parents about 7 years to realize how sick I was. The reality hit when they saw me, with a nurse in my home, an IV in my hand, just sitting there, unable to do anything for 5 days in a row every month.
I know all of this has been extremely hard of you and you have been picking up the slack for your husband as my DH does for me (and it's a lot of slack!). It's easy for others to say to take care of yourself and focus on your kids while letting him deal with his. To be honest, when you are sick the way that we are, we just can't do it and it makes us feel terrible. We didn't choose this nor are we proud of it. That doesn't mean that you don't need help. You're in a tough spot, I know this better than anyone because I live it everyday. It's hell on earth to be in a prison; that prison is my body and it's a life sentence. I won't live long. I'm in my early 40's and I feel like I'm waiting to die because I can't do anything else. I have no quality of life, can't engage in the hobbies I love, all I can do is read and watch TV (and of course read stories on steptalk).
I wish I had advice for you. I want to give you a virtual hug and tell you how much you are appreciated. You're a saint for taking this on. I hope your DH has a long remission, gets healthier, regains his strength and can be a more present parent in his sons life. His son needs him and I know it kills him that he can't be there during this hard time. Please just hang on. Maybe there's a family member that can come by to give you a break. You need respite. You are suffering what they call "caregiver fatigue". You need help too and you can't take this on all by yourself. I commend you for staying by your SS's side along with his mother. I know that must have been very difficult and I hope she extends some appreciation your way. Is it possible that while your SS is in the hospital that you can take some time out for yourself? You never know, your SS sounds very mentally ill, they might decide to keep him longer. My SD is schizophrenic, bipolar, NPD, BPD and after her suicide attemp, she was held in a state mental hospital for 4 months. After that she lived in a halfway house for a year. She cannot live on her own and has to live in a supervised, structured environment. If they deem your SS to be gravely ill (which is what the deemed my SD as) then he will be placed in a similar setting and you will be able to get a break.
I hope things get better for you. Keep us posted and hang in there. You are doing a wonderful thing.
Amber.

PolyMom's picture

Thank you so much for this. Everything you said here is true. I know it drives him mad that he can't do more. It is just such a difficult situation, which is why I employ so much help from professionals, I don't know what else to do. I wish we could see the judge in our case who would probably just strip all legal rights away from her at this point. She's been the catalyst for the majority of the damage here, and it is annoying that she has more rights here than I do. I went to see the therapist, and he couldn't speak with just me without a "family member" present. He was very apologetic, because he knows how involved I am. I just grin and bear it. "It's okay, I'm just a step-mom. I'm used to being shit on regularly." He asked how comfortable I'd be meeting with BM. I told him I have no problem with that whatsoever, but there is no way she'd ever agree to it. The only thing she wants to hear out of my mouth is that I'm leaving DH. If he can get her to agree to it, all the more power to him, but I just don't see it happening.

We're already $60K in the hole trying to payoff past legal fees, and the income hit we took when DH was out on FMLA. Disability doesn't kick in for 6 months or so. My parents are helping us consolidate our credit card debt so we aren't paying 15-27% interest on that.

Life is hard.

Amber Miller's picture

You're welcome polymom. I wrote this response yesterday but forgot to hit the save button. I appreciate you reading my long story. It helps to share. I really feel your frustration. The BM sounds like a nut, playing the victim and drawing attention to herself at the hospital instead of focusing on her son. That's a big part of the problem right there; her self centered attitude. Has she ever been diagnosed with a personality disorder or mental illness?
Its painfully obvious that BM can't give her son the stability that he needs. I hope the medical professionals and BM can see that and that they encourage her to allow you access to help her son as well as let you participate in his treatment plan since you are helping your DH be a father that can help his son. If BM keeps "nutting up" in front of the hospital staff, they might deem her unfit in their eyes and call in the social workers to try and help figure out what to do with her. I'm not even sure they can do that but I hope it would get noticed and that someone will step in when they realize that having BM calling the shots is a detriment to her son. She needs to forget about getting DH back and start focusing on her son and his well being.
Hang in there. I hope that things mellow out soon and that they keep SS until he's truly stable. My SD is very mentally ill and has fallen through the cracks many times due to the fact that our mental health system is broken. She's been hospitalized many times throughout her life and they are always in some sort of rush to discharge her. I hope they don't do this to your SS.
Let's cross our fingers that BM stops acting crazy and gets it together so she can be helpful instead of harmful. This is a tough situation.
I hope you can get some rest soon.
Amber

HappilySelfish679's picture

Wow, you really have a lot on your plate...:( , have no advice, but hugs to you. You are a strong woman.

PolyMom's picture

Every time I see her driving her shitty car I secretly wish the brakes would just go out....ugh...did I just say that out loud?

Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about her. She still has legal custody, which I'm discovering doesn't mean a whole lot to hospital personnel when you are a non-custodial parent (tee hee hee..eff off to that bitch!) So short of her dying or moving far away because she's going to quit again, the only way she's going to stay out of this is if her children reject her....which SS13 basically already did. SS10 is starting to talk about wanting to live with us full time too, because he's scared he's starting in middle school next year and the homework and grades will go the same way.

I've been dealing with her shit for 6 years. It took me a really long time to just accept the fact that, you are exactly spot-on...she uses everything she can to victimize herself, and make everything about her...even her son's mental illness is about her, and her needing support in the hospital. She's just dumb. So, I get to play saintly role, and let her go on her rampages, making her look even worse to anyone she comes in contact with. It worked great when it was 50/50 custody...but not so much now that I'm his primary caregiver. She has this nervous tick that makes her head twitch and eyes blink....she was doing it out the wazoo the other night. I really wish they checked her in as well. Unfortunately, it's all voluntary. She'd have to commit a serious crime to be forcibly committed, and apparently busting into our house trying to kidnap the kids wasn't enough 5 years ago. Oh well, c'est la vie.

I am making sure every day I go work out (not this week) but I'm losing weight and taking care of my diet, learning a piano concerto and making sure I spend at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with each of my kids. My mom also takes me out to lunch once a week, and tomorrow I'm bringing the kids to visit my grandparents. When it gets really bad I close my eyes and envision being on a quiet beach in the sun, on the ocean with a warm breeze washing over me...that helps. It's the best I can do for now.

notsurehowtodeal's picture

I will lend you a coat to wear, but you must return it to me in the parking lot of the airport before you leave. I don't care if it is 10 below and you have to walk a 1/4 of a mile to the terminal. Nothing shall travel between households...

robin333's picture

Hugs.

LikeMinded's picture

Hi Poly,

My situation is no where as bad as yours but two years ago I had to be the caregiver. I have 4 kids and work full time. My ex husband got very sick and was in the ICU, almost died 3 times... he was in the ICU for 3 months, broke the record at that hospital. Meanwhile my father who had been dealing with dementia for 10 years,was dying (although we didn't know it), and I had to support my mom who was killing herself trying to take care of him.

Worst year of my life.

There I was, working full time and then either going to the ICU because my ex MIL couldn't be there every day (she was 70 and had her own health issues), or I'd be at my mom's dealing with my dad's sundowner attacks.

Eventually my dad died. Sad
My ex survived but has mental issues and now treats me poorly. Sad
My ex-MIL "loved" me while I was helping her, but went b ack to not liking me as soon as it was all over (LOL)
I ended up suffering from my own health issues and had a vertigo attack that lasted 3 months.
My poor DH got stuck taking care of four kids and working full time as I ran around ... eventually funeral arrangements had to be made for my dad, etc... there was nobody but me to do it.

Do I regret it, no.

I did the right thing. Whether people were kind to me or not, I did the right thing.

Be proud of yourself, take care of yourself and know that this too shall pass.

I commend you for being the ray of light that you are right now. It sucks when people are too ill or crazy to realize it (I had that too). Just see this as being the person you want to be. Be happy when you look at yourself in the mirror. I don't know if you're spiritual or not, if you are, see this as an opportunity to be of service while asking for nothing in return.

PolyMom's picture

Thanks. It definitely helps to have a positive spin on how to look at all of this. I have considered going and crying to my priest. He knows a thing or two about all this, and is super great. Caregiver fatigue. That's what it is. Well, a two hour road trip tomorrow to visit my grandparents will be fantastic. They are getting on, and moving closer to my aunt who will be able to care for them. It's good to hang on to things that have nothing to do with all of this. Keeps my head level and above water.

PolyMom's picture

So, I was just trapped in my bathroom for 30 minutes after taking a shower. DH has been meaning to replace that doorknob. He was out getting goodies for the Superbowl. The kids were downstairs on the opposite side of the house. And I'm sitting in the room thinking how much the scenario reminds me of everything else in my life. Screaming for help, when no one can hear me.

PolyMom's picture

Nope, it was my two kids, and SS10 downstairs. Eventually DS7 heard me because the dog started freaking out and wanted to come upstairs (good girl). My son slipped a butter knife under the door and I got myself out. I then got dressed and replaced the effing doorknob myself. I hate being dependent. DH was terrified of my for a while, and was super nice to me the rest of the night, and took care of all the food.

PolyMom's picture

And to add insult to a massive amount of injury....the oncologist called and said DH's white cell count is up again. I hate life.

robin333's picture

I'm sorry. I was really hoping you had met your quota of unfortunate events for at least the next 10 years. Hugs.

PolyMom's picture

My priest told me to read the book of Job. As much as I can appreciate the story about a man who was given everything, and then lost it all to prove a point to the devil, being the subject of such a point is really starting to piss me off.

LikeMinded's picture

Lol! Not a helpful priest!

Well at least you have us. But I warn you, I'm no nun Smile

PolyMom's picture

Ha ha! Thank you. Have you ever been involved in a fight and get to the point where you throw your hands in the air and scream "this is not worth it! I'm happy to help, but you people need to tell me how, because this is not my problem to solve?!" I was there about 3 years ago.

LikeMinded's picture

Oh yes, unfortunately I tried to help with DH's 2-yearl long custody battle. What a mess.

I'm disengaging from many things nowadays--just to save my sanity!

Smile

PolyMom's picture

I woke up at 5am with a mild anxiety attack. We have to meet with BM and her wonder of a husband with SS13's therapist. To add insult to injury I had to cancel a long-needed massage because of this appointment, and the next available one isn't for three weeks. Any time we meet with this woman in the presense of a third party she becomes a blubbering mess, and wants to discuss how badly we've wronged her. Then, her husband, surely will call us psychos, and try and coddle her, because let's face it, making enemeies of us is the only thing keeping them together. He needs her to hate us so he has something to protect her from. I wonder if it would be an appropriate time to bring up some txts she sent DH about 3 weeks ago "You were such a good husband," and "I miss feeling your hands rubbing my back every night". }:) Yeah. Probably not. But I'll be damned if I have to sit in a room with these people and act as saintly punching bag for an hour, when I was supposed to be lying in a dark room de-stressing from the mess BM ultimately created.

PolyMom's picture

God damnit. I missed an effing massage for that shit. Well, at least her husband seems to like me. I think he feels sorry for me, because apparently my husband is an abusive psychopath. But there's good news in this. I offered to do the communicating with BM in place of DH, and her husband LOVED the idea. (Prolly cuz he worries about her leaving him deep down...explains the animosity) She hated the idea of course. So I'm going to cc her husband on everything as well, and make her sweat about HIS fidelity. It will be sweet.

PolyMom's picture

After thinking about it over the weekend, DH and I decided to have as little contact with her as possible. My offer will only put me in the line of fire. She'll never allow me to talk to her husband, and clearly wants nothing to do with me....good for me. DH is only going to email her any information he needs to send her, and promises to let her know of things once they arise (more for my sanity than hers). He's CCing the law guardian on the important stuff, like "I'm changing the kids doctor. If you don't like it, let me know" because she, for some reason has trouble receiving only his emails...to which I told him "not your problem." If she blocked his email address, and hers works, it's up to her to undo, or provide him a proper email that he can communicate with. But ultimately the excuse of "He emails because he "knows" I won't get it" is going to make her look effing ridiculous to anyone she blasts that one at.