My leukemia's back.

[sourland]

Rachel, hope all goes well with the Court Visitor. You have formed such a great family unit, they'll have to see Echo is yours.

Happy Friday everyone, make it a good one

Seems like a no brainer to me. Good luck and I will be thinking of you.

 

[Blooie]

Those pesky court visits are always worse at the thinking than they are during the reality. No dirty underwear hanging on doorknobs, no beer cans on every table surface, have plenty of food in the fridge and cupboards, and having the floors vacuumed makes you golden compared to what they see on a daily basis! They can see for themselves the family dynamic and Echo's firm place there.

We ran into our big snag when we only had a 2 bedroom house and Jamie was 11 and Little Diane was 6, They wanted each child to have a separate bedroom. Sure, I'll just build on to the trailer - hang on, it'll only take me a minute to slap one up! Luckily the small size of the house - responsible for them not having their own rooms - was also responsible for allowing us to be awarded foster care of them.....seems they figured out 2 minutes after they were here that the place was too small for the kids to get into "inappropriate mischief" without being detected. Oh, and we didn't have enough fire extinguishers. In an old mobile home you are required here to have at least 3 - one at the front, one in the center, and one in the back. Easily remedied. Ours was considered an "emergency placement" so they relaxed some of the rules a bit. Daughter abandoned them the end of October and we had our Foster Care certificate the first of December. Man, they rushed us through all the classes and such required! Jamie and Little Diane were still staying here in temporary "emergency placement" status until our hearing January 2nd gave us full foster care, then 8 months later we were awarded full guardianship.

Gotta tell ya a quick story about that. So we'd had the kids all that time, and every time we had a court hearing the kids' names were on the subpoena. So they got to sit in court during the first hearing and listen to their mom plead "guilty" to child neglect. All sorts of acting out issues followed. Then at the final foster care hearing they had to go and hear the judge and the state's attorney say more bad stuff about Mom not mothering. Not good. So when the third hearing for full guardianship came up, I called the state's attorney and asked her what the fine was for contempt of court. She asked me why and I told her that there was no way on God's green earth I was making those kids sit through another hearing listening to all that and then spending weeks trying to reassure them that Mom's problems weren't because they were "bad" kids she couldn't control or who "just drove her crazy" when she was actually born with the mental illness that made her life so difficult. The kids's names were pulled from the amended subpoena. Wish I'd insisted on that the first time!

You've got this, Rachel! Echo is doing just was well as you knew he could, and your faith in him has been rewarded 10 times over!! And just think of the faith in adult guideance and care you've renewed in his eyes. Believe me, that counts heavily! Good luck with that visit.

 

[3goodeggs]

Good point on the fire extinguishers. We have two, one in the kitchen hanging right near the refrigerator as plain in sight as it gets, not attractive, but Big red and in your face.
And one in my bedroom closet. I keep forgetting about that one, until I am getting out a suit case, Good insurance anyway.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I should get some myself

 

[lazy gardener]

Oh, yeah, no idea about issues with teenagers *driest sarcasm possible*. I'm sorry you're having problems. Bless their selfish little hearts. I think this is also when it's good to have animals. You literally HAVE to get up and out at least a few times a day to care for them, so it helps battle depression.

Labs today were good, I'm so happy! Everything leveled out or increased slightly, so I'm a happy happy lady.

Rainy day today. I'm going to do some baking (finally) and maybe make a pot of veggie beef soup, not for a dinner but for snacks/lunches.

Rachel, thank you. You gave me a good laugh re: their lil hearts! Agreed, animals are a good cure all for what ever ails me. They expect so little, never talk back (almost never) and give back so very much.

Rachel, that's good news on the labs!

LG, I use weeding as a way to blow off steam, never tried a pick ax before. Hmm, use a pick ax to eliminate weeds? Might be on to something there!

Yes, weeding is constructive destruction! I always feel better when I get outside. Sometimes, I'll go out, even on a rainy day to let the birds out, and feed them. I'll find myself wandering back in for breakfast 2 hours later. Where does the time go? But, it's all good therapy. Rachel, so happy for you re: the labs! You rock!

Rachel...congrats on the good labs!

My hubs had to have a trach tube for several years and his doctor prescribed Acetylcysteine for the mucus in his chest. It has to be inhaled or in his case squirted into the tube...sure was a life saver many times as it would quickly break up and liquefy the gunk! Doc said it was very effective for R.A.D. Sufferers.

I come to this thread to enjoy the high motivational support you give each other....lifts me when I'm discouraged as a caregiver.

Welcome NanaKat! Caregiving does exact a high toll, both physically, and especially mentally. You take care of yourself. Cause if you don't you won't have any self to give to those under your care.

My hat's off to all you caregivers. I'm a nurse by trade and was very good at it, but I always got to go home at the end of the day. Ya'all are amazing.

And go little Kendra!

Blooie, did you ever look into getting some help for the heavy stuff?

We finally got our guardianship papers filed for Echo. The Court Visitor called today to make an appointment and we chatted on the phone a while. From some of the questions he asked, it just makes me sad thinking what he must see in the course of his job. But they were just funny for me, cause I know Echo and my other boys. Things like, was I concerned about Echo being a year older than Big Boy, cause next year he (Echo) would legally be able to buy cigarettes and give them to my other kids. I just laughed and said he wouldn't dare! Not that any of them want to smoke anyway, they all know how nasty it is. And watching Pop-pop drag on for the last few years with his horrible heart and associated issues, and seeing the only thing keeping him going is wanting one more smoke, has made a big impact. And then the CV was saying after Echo is 18 we can't compel him to go to school, what will we do if he doesn't want to finish his senior year? Well, we'd boot his butt out, that's what we'd do. But the entire point of him living with us is so he can graduate, and he's so motivated. His grades are great, and attendance is wonderful. I don't know how he's such a great kid with all he's been through. God truly has plans for him, that's for sure!

Anyway, the CV will be out tomorrow to talk with us. As he put it, make sure we're not running Party Central. I told him the biggest party we had was cleaning horse stalls......so I'll probably spend tomorrow cleaning up the house. Probably put my convalescing chicken outside, she's kind of stinky. Hope you all have a good day tomorrow, and if anyone wants to come work off some issues by cleaning, just let me know, I'll leave the gate open for you

. I hate cleaning.

Rachel, that visit will go great for you tomorrow. How can it not??? He'll clearly see how Echo is where he needs to be at this time in his life. Now, if we could just move the inside outdoors, I surely wouldn't mind cleaning it! Wouldn't that be awesome? Press a button, or turn a crank, and have the ceiling and walls peel back to bring the outdoors in????

Y'all are an inspiration - you truly are.

But I think I need to crawl over to one of the coffee threads and get another cup or two - the few brain cells I have left are still not firing. A few minutes ago, I saw a billboard with one of the local dentists' ads in my rear view mirror, and in my rather befuddled state, it read:
SLIME
Dyslexia, much?

You cracked me pu! Hey, did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic? He wasn't sure if there really was a dog???

 

[ronott1]

I should get some myself

All Right!

Your name has changed.

 

[3goodeggs]

good thing it was not mis-typed to pill.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Yup....no longer phi....I feel like I'm pulling up to the big boy table

 

[N F C]

Y'all are an inspiration - you truly are.

But I think I need to crawl over to one of the coffee threads and get another cup or two - the few brain cells I have left are still not firing. A few minutes ago, I saw a billboard with one of the local dentists' ads in my rear view mirror, and in my rather befuddled state, it read:
SLIME
Dyslexia, much?

Somehow that almost seems right for a dental ad...that's what happens when you don't brush and floss, right? It's like a warning!

All Right!

Your name has changed.

He'll always be Phi to me

LG, somehow I missed picking up your thread with my multi-quoting, loved the joke!

 

[N F C]

Yup....no longer phi....I feel like I'm pulling up to the big boy table

Ahem, please refer to my last post...