Fiona's journey part 4

We wrote to her at her new RTC. We called on the phone. And in a short period of time, several months as I recall, she was hospitalized for very dangerous behaviors to herself and to the staff. Her social worker was concerned over the provocative clothing that she was wearing and suddenly, this wasn't the best placement for her after all. She was in the hospital a long time. Too long in my opinion. The hospital wasn't a placement geared for a child her age. It was an emergency bed. Her social worker told me that the staff there seemed very frustrated with her. The holds increased, the meds were changed and eventually a bed opened at a new RTC. Still a long way from us but a place that sounded better able to help her, or at least maintain stability for her. Nothing new (other than meds) has ever really seemed to come out of the many hospitalizations that Fiona has experienced. Whether she is bipolar, conduct disorder, PDD, mentally retarded or any of the other things bandied about what is clear is that she has a very hard time functioning well in society. and the more control she is expected to have, the less likely she is to succeed. Her anxiety ramps up, her behaviors escalate and eventually there is a crisis.

Sadly for now, her story ends here. We have phone and letter contact. The letters come mostly from us. Actually from me. I try to get Robbie to write but he is reluctant at best. The negative history between them creates a barrier to their interactions. Part of him is always (and somewhat justifiably) waiting for her to lose control and destroy belongings or an experience. I send pictures of us doing things and silly stories about what goes on in our lives. I know it isn't enough, but it is all I am able to give with the distance that DSS has placed between us. At the very least, I hope it lets her know that we have never forgotten her and disappeared in the mists of time the way others have in her life.