Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Dear Annie


dear Annie,
I wish you could understand how much we love you and worry about you.  Are you warm?  Are you safe?  

I know you think you don't have many choices so you run to what looks like freedom.  But if you have nothing, not even hope, you are not really free.  We want to see you gain the skills to be able to take care of yourself, you are not going to learn job skills and financial management and good mental health out on the street.  

You are so much danger, without your meds you will have seizures and no one will take you for medical care.  Without your meds you will begin to experience increasing periods of psychosis and your tentative grip on reality will become even more stretched.  The folks around you will not have the patience, expertise, or even empathy to help you.  Also, the choices of mixing drugs and alcohol with your medical issues is so scary.

I wish you would let us help you.  Since you won't, know that I am praying for you and think of you often.  You can always come back.

With so much love, Mom

4 comments:

Lisa said...

I can't even imagine how hard this is. I am so sorry.

Linda B said...

I feel your desperation and heart breaking. Prayers do work and I will continue with mine for her safety and return home. Sending you peace.

Torina said...

My heart aches for you and your family.

Anonymous said...

I was homeless as a teen, and I saw a lot of other kids out there, especially kids ages 18-21 who, like your daughter, had mental health issues. In fact, I was one of them... so was my stepsister, who Annie's description sounds a lot like! Its frustrating being that age and realizing that, while you've waited so long to become an adult, in some sense it is never going to happen. It is a hard thing. But in my experience, they almost always return to you... although they might keep leaving to try to be an adult and try to be free, they always return.