You guys are NOT going to believe this!

[nvts]

Ok. I've got a disfunctional husband (aka AH), 3 kids with Asperger's Syndrome, one with anger management issues, one feeling totally left out, and the other is having major daily meltdowns at school. The baby has major swallowing issues as well as mobility problems. so we have to have speech/swallowing 2x per week and physical therapy 1x per week, and we've started "Intensive Intervention" case management for difficult child 1 so we can avoid hospitalization/Residential Treatment Center (RTC) placement.

I'm a diabetic, my skin is so dry that I can't help but feel like a snake, we're flat broke so badly that I've had to cash out my old 401k (I'm so pathetic on this that their broker "forgot" to call during the conference call that we set up).

My marriage is essentially over as I've been thrown over for "SOCOM Navy Seals" on the PS3. The kids feel like he loves the game more than them. The house is a train wreck. Two different windows have gotten broken (thermal pane - cost a fortune to replace) one when someone was "tossing a book" to the other and the other window was broken during a difficult child 1 meltdown while the cops were in my hallway (yahoo! a trip to the hospital during the blizzard).

I feel like all I do is cook, plan meals, and clean up from the cooking, planning and shopping.

My black lab has an eye issue where the tissue around her eye is scaling, and peeling - $100.00 bucks in medication. While the vet was here, he took a look at the puppy and guess what?!!!

He's blind as a flippin' bat!!!!

The vet visit cost $300.00, so back I go into the 401k so that I can take him to a specialist.

Life is giving me more and more material for a stand-up career.

Sorry for complaining - you guys are my rock!

Beth

PS: Crud - we're out of crickets.

 

[trinityroyal]

Beth, I'm so very sorry. That's enough to just rot your socks. I am sorry that husband is being a pill and that everything else is so overwhelming.

Sending a basket of crickets and a tub of butter, so you can make soup. Also sending many hugs. And some snuggles from the Tot-Monster Twins for good measure.

 

[Shari]

Wow, Beth. You need a break.

I am so sorry. I wish I could swoop in and kick you out for a day...

Many, many hugs.

Maybe instead of dipping into your 501k, you could sell the PS?

 

[gcvmom]

Yeah, I'm with Shari. Pawn the PS3! And maybe husband, too. I'm sorry about the blind pup. Do you really think there's anything the specialist can do? TELL them about your finances. Maybe they can work something out for you or even refer you to a teaching facility that would do it for free...(This is my Stevie Wonder Dog).

(((((Hugs)))))

 

[Lothlorien]

You've definitely got a lot on your plate. Hugs!

 

[totoro]

I am so sorry
I feel for you and wish we could all take a vacation right now. Sounds like a lot of us need one badly!
I got a house on a beautiful lake! LOL It is just sitting there with a friend of ours taking care of it! He is a chef and would be happy to cater to a bunch of women!!! More than happy....

 

[flutterby]

Ah, Beth. I'm so sorry.

I'd send you some butter cricket soup, except that it's cold and by the time you got it, it would be more like cricket lard.

Vent away, hon.

 

[Star*]

Do you want solutions or a bigger pot?

For your skin? The ONLY, ONLY bath soap that my dermatologist says will help dry, itchy, skin is Dove sensitive skin liquid. Buy it for YOURSELF. Send my your address Ill find you a coupon. You have to use IT and ONLY it for about 1 month to see a change, but after 3 months I promise you will not itch or have any dry skin. It's a miracle in a bottle for diabetics.

As for the replacement woman on the PS3? Let her bare the 5th child. I have a hard time believing you've been replaced....Know what I mean?? lol. That should get rid of the PS3. It might have a come hither voice - but it's not warmer under the covers.

The lab puppy? I'm sorry for the loss of sight - this is too much right now and he needs to find a special home. Period. He'll need someone that can work with him otherwise it's going to be a very hard life for him, and the training will take an enormous amount of time and dedication - dedication you have, I know it. Time, you do not. Unless PS3 is gone and husband decides to take up dog training, it would be more humane for him to go live with someone else.

The Lab lady with the itchy eyes? Call an animal shelter or a rescue and tell them you are flat broke and ask them for help. MOST of them have vet-techs or vet suppliers in their ranks that could possibly give/trade for something you have for her medications. Explain to your vet you have NO MONEY. As for alternatives. I'm sure you thought of this already - but what holistic stuff? What medications does she need? I have a virtual pharmacy under my sink.

As far as thermal pane windows? Call Habitat for Humanity. They have resale shops all over. Maybe you'll get lucky. Also - YOu can have JUST the glass replaced at a glass shop and NOT have to have the thermal put in.....THIS I KNOW - ask me I have thermal. You can do this until you can afford to have the gas replaced. A good glazer can come out and put that in for nothing if you already have the glass cut somewhere cheap. Do NOT recommend doing THAT yourself. Very dangerous.

Crickets.....and butter. I have a coupon for butter. Can't find anything for crickets......But I have one in the den and it's making DF nuts. Sings it's little legs off....lol. I figured it's too cold for those buggers to be singing their love songs - but then again - they don't have a PS3. So what else can he do?

Hugs, Love & Bottomless Margaritas.
Star....

Stevie wonder dog....OMG -she's shamless. snort.

 

[KTMom91]

Sending hugs and some extra strength.

 

[nvts]

Now it gets even better: difficult child 1 is bringing in the groceries after school while talking with his cousins. The knucklehead sees our neighbor from across the street pulling up in his truck and tosses an iceball (he thought it was a snowball) at it. Now granted, I've told them everyway from Sunday not to throw ANYTHING at cars, but he legitimately was trying to kid around (the truck was stopped in the driveway). This dude jumps out of the truck and starts screaming that he'll kick his f****** a** if he ever does it again. I yell at difficult child 1 and send him in the house and the other kids told me that difficult child reacted appropriately. He accepted responsibility, apologized and told the jerk that it would never happen again.

Then this moron proceeds to tell me that the kid needs a kick in the and that HIS father would have kicked his up and down the street (all this frequently peppered with the eff word). I told him to clean up his mouth, he says "yeah right, clean it up" and I told him "yeah, clean it up, there are other kids standing here that need to see the right way to handle this type of thing". He looked somewhat embarassed, yet proceeded to tell me what my kid needed.

I said "thanks so much for your great parental coaching and insights". This doofus doesn't have any kids, rents the house from my 80 year old dad and hasn't paid rent in a year. Niiiiice.

I told him "have a great day...SQUATTER!", and went in the house. I stand 5 foot 2 and he's over 6'2" and about 350 pounds. I'll kick HIS butt if he threatens my kid again.

I HATE people today.

Beth

 

[Wiped Out]

Oh my you have a lot on your plate. The neighbor sounds like a major jerk. Many gentle hugs.

 

[ML]

I don't know what I can add but the thing that pops into my head is the serenity prayer. I'm really sorry to hear how difficult things are right now and feel very sad that husband has checked out leaving you to take care of it all. It's too much for one person. You're not that powerful, none of us are. Know that my prayers and good thoughts are with you, ML

 

[BusynMember]

Beth,
I'm sorry life is tough now. As for money...if it makes you feel more like we all understand, money is so tight for so many people right now. Your poor baby lab, yet the lab will not feel sorry for itself. Blind dogs are awesome because, as you know, they rely more on their sense of smell.
I wish I had more to offer than my empathy, but THAT you have in spades.

I have a magnet of the Serenity Prayer propped up by my computer. I can't tell you how much this simple little prayer of wisdom has helped me.

 

[timer lady]

Beth, sometimes life is just too much. I have no answers for you this morning (none that would be acceptable here on the board) ~ sending positive vibes for strength & more importantly a break in the "action".

 

[Steely]

Oh wow girl - life is insane! Good grief! At least you know you are not alone? As you wrote I remember the insanity of having one difficult child - I cannot imagine having a household. Many, many hugs are being sent your way!

 

[hearts and roses]

I have the Serenity Prayer taped up all over the place...my car, my computer(s), the fridge, the bathroom mirror, the bedroom mirror - everywhere. I'd tattoo it on my eyelids if I could stand the pain and be able to read it, really.

Way back when difficult child was an infant, my then h (exh now) was a complete jerk, spent all our money on pot and cocaine, borrowed money from his mom with 2% interest because we couldn't even buy gas to heat the house (with two small kiddies), I was getting food from the church, my car had to come off the road because he had no money for insurance, and then, my car was repossessed, so yeah, I know how you feel.

My idea won't save any money (or generate any) and it certainly won't change things up at all...but it sure made me feel better.

I put the babies down for a nap, went out to my car, sealed all the windows and screamed my guts out - like murderous, bloody screams you only hear in the worst B-rated horror films. I did it for over 10 minutes straight and when I was done screaming those gutteral screams, I found myself laughing at myself. It did feel good to scream like that, even if I'm sure the neighbors thought I had finally flipped my wig. I felt not so tense in such a long time and I was able to be a happier mom when I went back inside.

No guarantees, but it's worth a try. Oh, and yeah, I'd sell the game too.

 

[nvts]

I know many think I should get rid of the game, but he'd just go buy the newest one out there. He actually asked me "not saying anything, buuuutttt, when was the last time you punched a time-clock"?

"Give me a minute to draw one, you hold it in front of your face, and I'll let you know!!!"

Did I say it? No....almost but no I just let him know I was FURIOUS that he had the nerve to say it!

man, it feels soooo good to get this off my chest!!!

 

[gcvmom]

Oh yeah! Sic that squatter, nvts! You GO girl!

Hey, ask husband if he wants you to go get a job. Then YOU can sit around playing a video game like him all day long and HEEEEEE can bust his butt around the house (and NO complaining, either)!