Thursday, December 20, 2007

A Bipolar Post

Caller ID is a great thing. I love ignoring that call from the LA Times or Emperion Marketing, which usually come at dinnertime or late in the evening.

One call I kind of hate taking is the one from Red Rock Canyon School. If it isn’t the scheduled therapy call at 3pm on Wednesday afternoons, it usually means Sarah is costing me money, or has kicked someone’s ass. When I got the call last week Friday evening I was reluctant to pick it up.

The person on the other line was Dr. Bob. This is usually a sign that something has happened, and it had, but Sarah had nothing to do with it. Apparently one of the new students managed to hang himself in the shower. Dr. Bob had the awful job of having to call all the parents of children under his care and tell them about what had happened, and how devestated they are.


I feel sick for the parents of that young man. I’m sure they thought sending him to Red Rock Canyon School was going to protect him from doing this kind of thing.

I’m not going to rag on Red Rock Canyon School. I’m sure they feel like crap, but there must have been some sort of lapse on their part that may have made it a little easier for that boy to commit suicide. I just know this place has done a pretty good job controlling and helping someone I couldn’t, my daughter Sarah.

This brings me to the happy-cheery part of this post! Sarah is probably 60 days away from coming home. She will get to do a home visit in about 2 weeks, then she will graduate from Red Rock Canyon about 5 weeks later. This program is designed to take about 9 months but my girl was having so much fun she hung out for 18!

We haven’t figured out what we are going to do about school. She will still have two more years of high school left when she gets back, and we are not sure if she can handle the regular public school environment. On-line school sounds like too much freedom and too easy to screw up for a teenager, especially mine. I know the two college classes I took on-line were tough.

Does anyone have any ideas out there? How do those Spears girls handle school while working? Maybe I shouldn’t ask.

8 comments:

Sue said...

You have no idea how sorry I am to hear this. I am very glad to hear Sarah is doing better. I hope it continues. In my neck of the woods, there are public high schools called "alternative schools". They are set up for the kids who don't necessarily do well in school or have other "issues". They usually graduate a little earlier and have a bit of a different curriculum. This way they at least have a high school diploma and able to move on to whatever they choose to do. I know of a couple of kids who went to this type of school and it worked great for them.

Yes, I'm still banned, but sneak on for awhile sometimes. This problem will last 1-2 years and have 7 months of this so far. Lucky me! Since I posted, eldest daughter went straight down the tubes, we banned her from our home, and she is in a treatment facility... again. We will not let her back this time. I pray for my granddaughter. Poor kids cannot choose their parents. But, I'm tired after fourteen years of this. She is 27 and will need to do it on her own from now on. It's killing me, literally.

Keep me posted on Sarah. I would love to hear how well she will do at home (positive thinking). You and your family have a wonderful Christmas buddy! You I have missed most of all.

sue
P.S. I'd love to hear what Santa does bring Alyssa! You could always get her one of those Barbie cell phones from the toy department! Although, that makes them smarter and they get very specific about what they want in the coming years.

Patty O said...

I don't know anything about your daughter, but if you're looking to re-enter her into the public school system, maybe you could work out a plan with the district to give her a modified program, maybe only have her go in two days a week or something.

As for Keith, I hadn't heard he can't drive. I know he had some weight problems a few years ago. Eh, I don't care. The guy still rocks.

Lori Lavender Luz said...

Hello, MM. I HAVE noticed your pretty face on QofD, and I'm glad you decided to check out my one-armed pushup baby.

I share your feelings for the parents of that young man. SO glad that Sarah is getting close to being ready for release soon. I'm on other boards that include parents of RAD kids, and I know what you're going through is hard.

Let's keep in touch...good wishes to you and your family for the end of the year.
Lori

Elizabeth said...

I hope everything works out with your daughter. Stay strong for each other!

On the lighter side:
Don't forget to read over this before Santa's visit! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Patty O said...

Merry Christmas to you!

White Hot Magik said...

Wow that is a mixed bag. I hope you find the right solution. I hope things are better for your daughter.
I hope you find hope.

Chris said...

Wow. Can't even imagine going thru this. As someone said above, stay strong.

I'm assuming that Sarah's home now. Hope and pray all is going well.

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