Monday, March 16, 2009

Harriet being suspiciously quiet

I am not sure what is going on with Harriet. It's been 11 days since I last spoke with her. I usually speak to her once a week to once every other week. But that's only because I avoid calling her back until I feel like I have to. She usually calls 2 or 3 times a week. I usually call back on the 2nd or 3rd time. However, during our last phone conversation she ended it short and said she would call me "next week" to get the rest of the explanation on how Penelope was doing. I thought that was odd in itself because I was telling her about a particular bad meltdown Penelope had gone through and was about to explain how we've worked on getting her out of that hole she was in. But she said she had to go to a doctor's appointment. But it was Thursday and she could have easily called me Friday. But she said "next week." Fine, next week. But that week has come and gone with no phone call.
However, I spoke to George the 8th day and commented that I thought it was odd that Harriet hadn't called me. He said he had received a call from her and that she had told her mother what I said about Penelope's meltdown. Of course she didn't have the whole story and probably wanted to dramatize it - which would explain in her lack of interest in hearing about her daughter not being in such extreme pain and rage. Harriet's mother supposedly told Harriet that Penelope was going to end up institutionalized.
I'm so glad they are so hopeful and positive about Penelope's potential. Love it... love it! So anyway, I sent Harriet's mother an email explaining the whole situation with Penelope, the good as well as the bad and that she is overall improving. We just need to get the school situation straighten out and I believe most of the other major issues with fall in line.
But there was another reason for Harriet's last call.. She wanted to tell me that she had spoken with the mental health facility that she had been working with - she was on their waiting list supposedly. It's been 5 months since Penelope was last in the hospital, and upon her discharge, the treating psychiatrist composed a letter regarding Harriet and Penelope. Since Penelope's inpatient status was directly linked to the "continued emotional abuse" by her mother, that she is to not see her mother until Harriet seeks therapy herself, is deemed ready to be reinunited with Penelope, and that Penelope is ready as well, at which time they would go to family therapy together. Harriet hasn't made any effort other than to get on this waiting list at the free clinic or some government sponsored mental health facility. But she stated she received a call and they have told her she "doesn't need therapy." When I asked her to explain that, she said that they said they have more severe cases than hers and she is not a priority. She wanted to know when she was going to be able to see Penelope.. like that made it okay. I explained that therapy wasn't conditional on whether she could get therapy. She said she understood. I offered to talk to Youth Services in our area to see if they could meet with her. She is aware of them from the past because I had us all go to therapy together when Harriet came back from her satanic cult in NC in 2006 as her visitation time.. She stopped going after about 6 weeks. She said that she felt like she was getting ganged up on every time and that how many times does she have to apologize. Anyway, I know that they will counsel parents if it's to better the child. It's the second time I've offered to talk to them but she doesn't want that. She informed me she has health insurance throught Medicaid or Medicare or whatever she is on. She can go whereever. She wants to go to Catholic Social Services. Great! Why didn't she try this 5 months ago? But regardless, I talked to Penelope's therapists about Harriet's claim that she was turned away at the Mental Health office she went to and they said that's not possible and if it actually did, then she should file a complaint. They have to treat her if she has asked for treatment. I don't buy it. Neither do they.
I told George about that. He said that he thinks she is going to run again. She doesn't call him unless she is contimplating it, or has already ran.
George called me today and asked me if I still hadn't heard from her. I said that I haven't. He said she called him yesterday wishing him a happy birthday. It's his birthday. He said thanks.. then the phone got quiet and he could hear her crying. He asked what was wrong. She first wouldn't tell him than she did. She was complaining about her husband being either too lazy or too sick to get out of bed. I'm not really sure. She claimed he had a staph infection all throughout his body and he couldn't walk. IF that was true, he'd be in the hospital. I just don't buy it.
The last time she was contimplating leaving, she called George and told him that her husband's uncle raped her. But she was so "Oh, did I tell you the lastest?" like it was gossip. She tries to gain sympathy and then she splits. She is so messed up@!

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