It's been awhile since I've posted, been in and out and busy with work and the kids and you all know the drill ... I think the last time may have been when CeCe was released from Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) in February because insurance said enough! after 3 weeks, or maybe my delight in finally getting Medicaid approval a month ago. That came while she was back in psychiatric hospital for the usual ranting and threats - clearly prefers hospital to home.
She's back in again (#5 since December not counting Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)), and while I'm expecting this will lead straight back to Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) admission for a long time this time - what if it doesn't? husband and I are just not sure we can safely let her come home.
The issue is - she's escalated to playing with fire. Something happened at school Thursday. (No idea what and she won't say. I was out of town on business and returned to an urgent VM with no details from school counselor whom I can't reach.) She tried to convince Dad that only seniors had to go to school Friday, and when that didn't work, she ditched school (first time), caught a ride from a stranger, and came home. In retrospect, I think she may have been hiding outside before I even left for work!
Sometime during the day, she found the grill lighter (took effort), gathered up and lit candles all around, burned other stuff (not sure what, just can smell it). She got into other stuff too - unused prescription medications that had never been a problem before, maybe kitchen knives that we knew could be a risk - but nothing scares me like fire. When Huck got home around 4:30 he smelled smoke and called Dad. She denied everything - and "no idea" how candle wax got on her glasses. Otherwise, she was acting happy as a clam (usually a sign of trouble to me, but Dad never reads it that way). He was irritated, but rationalizing her behavior (all kids experiment, etc.). Then, when I get home a little later and he's telling me about it, we get the automated call from the high school that she wasn't there.
We called her IFI team, but before we could really get a plan together (they were coming out today anyway), Tink discovers a STILL BURNING candle HIDDEN behind a door! IFI called psychiatrist and (PTL!) there was a bed available at the hospital so off to the 6-hour admission ordeal (but at least we didn't have to detour through the children's hospital evaluation for Baker Act).
We'd been working with the mental health agency to get her back in Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) and it was progressing well, so I'm 90% sure that's where she's going from the psychiatric hospital. But what if it falls through? She is a RADish with no conscience and even less judgment - lacks cause-and-effect thinking. We have a pretty good support team, but it's not enough to have 24x7 on call - right now, I don't feel safe unless she's under 24x7 observation.
Have any of you faced this? What did you do?
PJ
She's back in again (#5 since December not counting Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)), and while I'm expecting this will lead straight back to Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) admission for a long time this time - what if it doesn't? husband and I are just not sure we can safely let her come home.
The issue is - she's escalated to playing with fire. Something happened at school Thursday. (No idea what and she won't say. I was out of town on business and returned to an urgent VM with no details from school counselor whom I can't reach.) She tried to convince Dad that only seniors had to go to school Friday, and when that didn't work, she ditched school (first time), caught a ride from a stranger, and came home. In retrospect, I think she may have been hiding outside before I even left for work!
Sometime during the day, she found the grill lighter (took effort), gathered up and lit candles all around, burned other stuff (not sure what, just can smell it). She got into other stuff too - unused prescription medications that had never been a problem before, maybe kitchen knives that we knew could be a risk - but nothing scares me like fire. When Huck got home around 4:30 he smelled smoke and called Dad. She denied everything - and "no idea" how candle wax got on her glasses. Otherwise, she was acting happy as a clam (usually a sign of trouble to me, but Dad never reads it that way). He was irritated, but rationalizing her behavior (all kids experiment, etc.). Then, when I get home a little later and he's telling me about it, we get the automated call from the high school that she wasn't there.
We called her IFI team, but before we could really get a plan together (they were coming out today anyway), Tink discovers a STILL BURNING candle HIDDEN behind a door! IFI called psychiatrist and (PTL!) there was a bed available at the hospital so off to the 6-hour admission ordeal (but at least we didn't have to detour through the children's hospital evaluation for Baker Act).
We'd been working with the mental health agency to get her back in Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) and it was progressing well, so I'm 90% sure that's where she's going from the psychiatric hospital. But what if it falls through? She is a RADish with no conscience and even less judgment - lacks cause-and-effect thinking. We have a pretty good support team, but it's not enough to have 24x7 on call - right now, I don't feel safe unless she's under 24x7 observation.
Have any of you faced this? What did you do?
PJ