On a good day, parenting will test the integrity of your character. On a bad day, parenting will test your will to live. Parenting children with trauma histories will cause you to test the integrity of everything and everyone you thought you knew, for the rest of your life.
~J. Skrobisz

Friday, August 5, 2011

approved

Sissy is approved for PRTF.

She'll be in a bed at the same hospital by next week.

This after we enrolled her in our local school with a retention in fifth grade and no IEP. School begins Monday so it begs the question: do I send her to school for a few days next week so I can send her back to PRTF by the end of the week or do I keep her out?

It's been a long week. I should be excited that she's finally gotten approval (again) but after the third time your child qualifies for PRTF, it loses a little something.

At least this time her IFI and CBAY team won't be dropping us on our heads. They will continue to follow up with us while she's gone, helping us prepare ideas to help her, transition her back into the home etc. (She'll probably get 30-90 days again.)

Have called a lawyer. That will be a dead end. WE don't have tens of thousands to go against the state only to lose - as the lawyer said, they're not going to roll over because it will be a risk that they'll get a deluge of equally disgruntled families expecting the same result. Our best bet is to familiarize ourselves with the appeal process when we're denied placement in the future.

As for restraining her, since we're not allowed to lock her in her room or hold the door closed at the risk of getting a child abuse charge, when she comes out of her room in a rage we are to do the basket hold with a snuggie while the other parent helps the other children. And if there is only one parent ...

Yes well, the trick of getting therapists to be on your side is to implement their plans with a positive attitude. Fall out's going to happen, I've accepted it. But i can't keep reporting fall out if I don't also report that I tried their techniques.

yes, well, it's been a long week of meetings for Sissy. WG threw a huge fit when the current therapist showed up (they're working at the kitchen table - learning how her body feels when she's tense.) I wish I was seven so I could act out like WG because everything she does is spot on with how I feel.

And so it goes ...

3 comments:

FosterAbba said...

So glad you'll be getting another break. Sorry you have to keep repeating the cycle.

kisekileia said...

It might be worth looking around a bit more, probably once Sissy's in the hospital and you have time to breathe, to see if you can find a lawyer who will take the case pro bono.

Ranger said...

I'm so sorry you have to go through all this again, although relieved that you have some respite time on the horizon, and the evidence mounting that the intervals between hospitalisation are getting shorter and shorter. I live in hope that somewhere out there is SOME route to a long term placement that meets the whole family's needs, it's an appalling situation. Hugs, I wish there was a cyber route to sending wine and chocolate which might be more helpful.