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thought_on_a_wind
June 28th, 2008, 06:15 AM
I usually try my best to take care of matters of my own accord... but this is one of those iffy complicated owies. If this is a long post, sorry, but it's kind of complicated I suppose. Thank you in advance if you can bear with me.

My Dad and I've had a shaky past. He lead to a lot of psychological trauma for me and the rest of my family. He used to beat my mom and myself, almost killed my brother twice (both times, no matter what I tried I was a powerless little kid). He more or less shrugged me off as a failure. Going so far as to repeat that I was an idiot who was not good enough to be called a [insert my last name here]. Mostly that would occur randomly and would have many different triggers. I didn't do homework to his specs, I didn't erase the way he wanted me to, I sprayed a bit of insecticide to kill a miller.

At any rate, we came to find out that he was a diabetic, as well as being bi-polar. We were just too poor to afford his Bi-Polar meds, and even when we went on welfare he was stubborn about taking them.

Due to certain happenings, we (being my mom, myself, bro and sis) had to move all of a sudden. My Dad stayed behind because of land interests (not to mention that my Grandma, who we moved in with, couldn't stand him, or he to her).

Anyway, years went by, things happened... I went on to join the Air Force. He was the only one to show up at my graduation ceremony, which started the healing process between us to a certain degree.

In 2006 I find out that on top of type-2 diabetes & bi-polar disorder he's also got Parkinson's disease. Since my bro had sold my car my first year of enlistment, I never got the chance to drop by to say Hi to my Dad when I went on leave... so, for the first time in 7 years I finally got around to seeing my Dad January of this year.

It's bad. He's to the point that he can't hold a coffee cup without it spilling all over. On top of that, he's living in his own personal hell. Reliving all those things he did to us... Over the years, I've dealt with these past transgressions, and have come to peace with him for the most part (aside from my spiritual beliefs of course). Now he calls up randomly, asks the same questions several times in a row, or over the span of several phone calls. Hangs up, and that's it.

Last night, after recieving his umpteenth repetitive call I ask him "Dad, have you checked your sugar level? Your 65 now, it's one of the most important things you need to do."

He responds weakly "I checked it a while ago." While being pointedly vague. I responded "Please, do me a favor, check your blood sugar. This could be one reason you've been suffering delusions (he mentioned realizing that he might be a little delusional in a previous conversation), if it's low please take your meds."

Dad "Well son, I think I'll do that I give you my promise."

Me "Also, if you haven't taken your Parkinson's meds, I want you to take them too, either or both of these could be interfering with your thought processes."

Dad "Well son, you know my method of approach. I address the most important problems first." This line in particular, in retrospect, seems a veiled no response.

Anyway, I re-emphasize what I said to him to begin with... and then... click...

5 minutes later my mom gets a call from him... Once again, asking the same questions over again.

On top of this, he's living with his sis. She's got colon cancer... she's also turned bitter past the point she was previously. (I can't say I could ever fully talk to her in the past due to the insipid double-speak I sensed.) Neither of them are good for the other because they both get into many different fights that go on forever, and can result in multiple phone calls where I'm at (200 miles away). Obviously, this can be very draining for me and my mom. It really does nothing for my current attempt at not smoking... I'm genuinely scared for his health, but don't know what to do about it.

On top of this, there are people that semi-legally cheated him out of land/take advantage of his Parkinson's disease, the land tax is going to be in the thousands, I don't have a job to pay 'em, he can't work at the grocery store he used to due to his physical problems thus, no money... and he's too damned stubborn to go on SSI. All he has to rely on for his meds is his VA benefits...

So, now we go onto me... I really don't know what kind of energy or what not... I suppose for clarity or patience or something of the nature.

So, since I was pretty much the bastard child... the shouldn't have been... he more or less adopted a sub-conscious don't look after that kid mechanism... My sister on the other hand... She's called him for drug money (lying of course) he obliges... She goes out and buys a car that turns out to just have a weed eater battery... He sells some land to buy her a new car without question. Whenever I bring it up, my oh so caring "aunt" (who listens in and monitors my dad's phone calls when he talks to his children) that I reallly need a vehicle so as to get ready for college (and of course get a job elsewhere) she busts in and starts yelling about how we only want him for his land... it's our inheritence... quit squandering it... so forth and so on... It becomes a huge mess, thus the above about perpetual phone call fights... Which really depresses the shit out of me.

Few days later, he calls me requesting prayer and as much money as we could donate to my sister because she call him whining about how she overdrafted her account and would get kicked out on the streets. (read: excessive partying to the point of gross overdraft each week... which is why I went broke and left her to her misery... supporting her and getting alcohilic deadbeat brother scapegoat status)

Ever since we were little... he coddled her, I'm not just saying this out of jealousy, I'm pointing out fact... He'll always say, "She's my only daughter, she needs all the help I can give her."

When he called for donations (that neither I nor my Mom could provide [my sis currently has two huge debts she's defaulted on that are seeking my mom as the co-signer which is $10k or more])
I let him know what was up with my sis... that she'd lie about him abusing her grossly inproportionate to the facts, how he was an alcoholic... just be really nasty in general when talking to others about him... till she needed money.... Anyway his response. "Well, even though she's lying about me you can't tell me not to love my daughter."

He got pissed off & hung up... Now, when he's suffering, even though I know he's in a state of delusion, I still can't quit from quivering on the inside when he asks my mom if he could speak to me... just to ask my sister's number again, if I've heard from her, when was the last time she called... please say amen to my prayer for her.

And... I'm going to be handed his affairs in the future... I don't have a job, am about to go to college, have $4k in debt... and no vehicle... Yet, somehow, magically, I'm supposed to have the innate prestidigitation available to me to do all this while somehow pulling money I don't have out of my ass to cover lawyer fees for the deadbeat "friends" living for free on my Dad's land and the $600.00 to my cousin (he's never paid the rest of it off)... because "I'm the oldest... the wise one of the family..."

I just don't know... on top of all this... my Mom is going through a bunch of physical stuff too, not the least supporting a 25 year old deadbeat son (my words, not hers) who's sucking what little money she has.

I don't know what to do... I guess all I'm asking for is some kind of helping energy or something and some healing goodness directed towards me so I can relay it in the right way towards my dad (the whole energy ethics thing)...

Sorry to waste your time if you actually got this far down the post.

TygerTyger
June 28th, 2008, 08:21 AM
That was a painfully honest post!

I don't know anything about 'sending energy', I'm not sure if I even believe in it, but others do so I hope one of them can help.

You do have my best regards, however, and a sincere hope that your situation improves soon.

DreamSpell333
June 28th, 2008, 10:09 AM
i really dont have any advice for you but here is a :hugz: .

Convallaria
June 28th, 2008, 10:18 AM
Hey.
I will absolutely send energy to you, and if you don't mind I'm just going to bring your situation up when I do my devotions tonight.

By the way, please don't be so hard on yourself. Your father's mind isn't clear right now, and believe me, I know how hard it is to get mentally ill people to take their medication. My mother is bipolar and when she decides she's going off her meds, there's no stopping her until I find her crying in the corner, telling me she's scared... at that point I can take her to her doctor and then she'll slowly get back on her medication. What I'm saying is that you're not loved any less, you're just not as manipulative as your sister (this is a good thing) so you're not able to abuse your father's resources the way she has.

I'll be praying for guidance for you, as someone who can relate, I know how much this hurts.

Ęthelflęd
June 28th, 2008, 08:52 PM
*sending positive, healing energy to you and your family*

Cat
June 28th, 2008, 10:12 PM
Energy sent to you.

You can only do what you can do, and that's better than many others have done.

Jezibaba
June 28th, 2008, 10:27 PM
I'm praying for you! I know it may not help to say this, but the hard things in our life do eventually make us stronger. You must be a very strong person already.

JadeNSC
June 29th, 2008, 06:38 PM
Whoo boy do I know some of this. My mother was diagnosed as a Paranoid Schizophrenic when I was four years old (she has a different diagnosis now). Mental illness never only affects the person with it. Family and friends are affected too, and I know how hard it is to have those phone calls late at night or to hear things said to and about you that really, really cut deep.

That being said, as far as advice goes, if your father is unwilling to stop helping your sister, there isn't much you can do. However, you can put your foot down and explain that you can't help, and you can make a decision to let your sister learn her lessons on her own (I'm assuming she's over 18). You can only be responsible for your own actions and emotions. Whatever anyone else does and how they react to events are beyond your control. Also, how can you help your sister when you have problems of your own to handle first? No, I don't know how to erase the guilt (and if you figure it out, please pass along the secret), but I can tell you that first you have to take care of yourself and make sure you have what you need before you can help another, even family.

Now, I see you say you're going to college. When do you start? Is it possible for you to at least get a part-time job for the rest of the summer and possibly keep it after you start school? Or maybe go full-time while school is out and then switch to part-time? Yes, it'd be easier to focus on only attending school, but having a source of income, even only part-time would lighten the burden on your mother some and would ease your guilt for having to rely on her right now for a place to live and food to eat.

I wish you well, and I wish I could offer a solution other than tell you to take care of yourself. It's hard to watch family suffer, and it's even harder to stand back and feel like you're letting it happen. Been there, doing that with my aunt right now, too, in addition to helping my mother through yet another change in medications and taking care of my ailing father. Yes, life is hard, but I know that this is only a temporary state and that so long as I breathe, there's always a chance it'll get better.

*lots of healing energy and positive thoughts*

Willow Rosette
June 29th, 2008, 06:49 PM
You absolutly have my prayers! :hugz:

Cloaked Raven
June 29th, 2008, 07:06 PM
Dear thought_on_a_wind, I will keep you and your entire family in my prayers. I'm sending good, comforting energy to all of you for the best possible outcome here.

I didn't mind the long post...you needed to get things off your chest and if it takes a while, so be it. :)

I'm here if you need me. :hugz:

Glowy
June 29th, 2008, 07:14 PM
Energy and emotional and physical to you

thought_on_a_wind
June 30th, 2008, 12:04 AM
I really can't thank you all enough for this support. I've yet to talk to my Dad again, but once I figure things out I will update this thread. Blessed Be all of you :)

ILOVEAUTUMNS
July 1st, 2008, 04:10 AM
Hugs!!!

I know family drama myself,

take some time out for yourself with exercise, plenty of rest, good nutrition, hobbies that make you happy, etc.

I know it's hard but all we can do in this life is take care of ourselves first so we can give to others, and I know you are doing the best you can to care for those you love, that's all you can do!

If you ever wanna chat you can pm me anytime

Wolf O Volos
July 1st, 2008, 04:16 AM
Not bored. Your post is heartfelt, and *deserved* my attentions, and the apology for the waste of time... No way, no need for apologies at all.

Energy sent. And may it bring you some kind of comfort.

thought_on_a_wind
October 30th, 2008, 01:47 AM
update time:

I moved back to WV (where I was born and raised) to live with a friend and his wife till I get myself back up... Dad got kicked out of his sisters place 'cause she's in 4th stage cancer and she and Dad would kill each other through fighting... Dad has that type of diabetes that goes extremely high then low, and now he's stuck in the VA because he doesn't have anywhere else (he also just went through a series of mini-strokes and is going through a bad case of identity crisis). At least he's around other Veteran's I suppose, however, my young brother (300 miles away) snagged power of Attorney, named his fiance co-power (she's met my Dad 3 times for about 20 minutes a visit) and has started trying to fog screen everyone else in the family as to what's going on with the land and Dad... Since my "wise" brother is on a boat for all but 2 weeks a month, and since his phone doesn't work, when they move my dad from room to room I'm at a loss as to what number I need to reach him at... let alone know when he's out of the hospital.

So... I'm still trying to find a job, as the last one I had lasted 3 days and was an utter waste of time (I was informed after he told me not to come back that I was only needed temporarily). At this moment I'm applying to a bunch of different jobs including security and dietary aide for a nursing home. I feel something on the horizon, and don't feel near as lost or trapped as I did when I was living with my mom, but something about the way my brother is being secretive has me scared for my Dad... my brother has never been the forgiving type... There's probably more, I'm just too confused at the moment to understand it all and will update this more once I figure things out...


Blessed Be all,
A confused, frustrated, and venting Thought

thought_on_a_wind
November 29th, 2008, 01:37 AM
Update Number 2...

It's official... my brother put my dad in the shittiest nursing home in WV... one that's completely illegal and incorporates restraints, abuse in windowless rooms, malnutrition (my Dad's a huging diabetic for huge sake!! he can't take that type of huging treatment!!)... Low and behold, my brother actually went so far to erase me and my sis from the list of siblings... he's listed as an only child...

Were I the person I once was... I suppose I'd be behind bars by now... Yet I struggle with the tear drenched rage... my only reprieve the numbing effects of a beer which actually mellowed me down for a moment...

I saw this coming like I saw my friends death coming...

I suppose this means I'm somewhat of a failure as both a friend and a big brother/guardian...

Lilith Morgaine
November 29th, 2008, 02:11 AM
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your father. Your feelings of love and protection are awesome and beautiful. Please stay safe.....