Homeless off and on over the past 2 years after leaving college for medical reasons, we and others take her in/back in due to her poor mental and physical health (bipolar, many physical conditions including kidney disease and neurological inflammation conditions). She became ill last week , enrolled into hospice and we let her back into home to receive services. We surrounded her with love and care for 2 days, she began healing mentally (stopped hallucinating and being paranoid) and physically (pain level under control) and once she was barely well enough to function independently, she left w a handful of Zanex. After being out of the house for 12 hours, she's now wants to return to our home. The 48hrs in our home exhausted and impacted all hh members including a 9 and 5 yr old. We decided to not allow her to return home for the sake of the minor children's wellbeing. I feel it's just a matter of days before her life becomes worse. She's been assaulted , found unconscious multiple times before while being homeless but I feel something worse is to come for her this time around as she's never been this mentally and physically "Sick" . I've made myself numb to get through this as I have minor kids to care for but feel as if I'm about to collapse w grief. I found this site by googling parent of homeless kid and found threads I've read so far very helpful. If only I could absorb all the knowledge before her next phone call. I've participated in the NAMI family to family 12 week class which was very helpful but feel I have no tools for this current situation.my heart wants her home w me. My mind doesn't agree.
24yr old daughter on hospice homeless
- Thread starter sam ilpa
- Start date
BusynMember
Well-Known Member
Is she terminally ill?
JaneBetty
Active Member
Sam, how very sad for you and your family. You have taken her in and tried to help her, which was a good thing to do. You mentioned hospice was involved. Are they willing to continue care? With other children involved, I can't see letting her back in your house. What a tough situation, my heart goes out to you.
BusynMember
Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry. So sad. No words.
That is one "positive" statement/ commitment that I can tell her - that I want to be with her when she receives care. I want her to be able to say that her mom will try her best to come be w me, sit with- me if possible so she knows she doesn't have to be alone. Thanks "tandemdame
Childofmine
one day at a time
Sam, I am so sorry for your pain. Please continue to share with us as you go through whatever is next and we will walk with you. Warm hugs for you.
Thankful for this community. So very grateful for being able to share. Those close to me aren't able to be supportive with- feedback for one reason or another I understand they may be grieving too or have no words. I don't see hospice as an "end of road" as some patients do come "off" hospice. And there are some who remain on services for multiple yearS and I know I have to think of various timelines. At this time I'm just trying to get through this day. Again, very grateful for this community.
Albatross
Well-Known Member
Oh Sam. What an absolutely heartbreaking situation. I am just so sorry for your pain and can only say it certainly puts things in perspective.
It is good that hospice will go to her, and treat her and the situation surrounding her, just as she is. This is what they do, and they do it very well.
I am glad to read that you will be with her, Sam. I too think that in an absolutely hellish situation, you are handling it in the best way possible.
It is good that hospice will go to her, and treat her and the situation surrounding her, just as she is. This is what they do, and they do it very well.
I am glad to read that you will be with her, Sam. I too think that in an absolutely hellish situation, you are handling it in the best way possible.
thank you Lil. I am open to hear advice and to hear I guess for lack of a better word "reassurance " that I'm making the best decision possible. It was difficult to explain to close family that I am not able to meet my goals of keeping my 4 children safe under my roof w the decision needed to be made. Some feel I'm giving up on her and so now they are thinking of physically leaving their spouse so they can get an apartment to house themselves and my daughter. So yes I feel horrible about that but know that's not my fight. Yes, I've enabled my daughter and know that may have made things worse for her. I began seeing her as a young adult making poor choices more so than a sick child. One of her pediatric doctors told me that if I wanted to give her the best shot at having the best quality of life as an adult that I should not make decisions based on her illness. At that time we applied that to the college decision making process as she was accepted to a Maine school (we are in Austin, Tx) . She graduated top 10% of her hs class and so I was targeting local universities. But now I am trying to apply that advice to whether or not to allow her in our home.
Snow White
On the Mad Tea Party Ride
Hi, Sam. I'm so sorry to hear of your situation. I agree with the others that you need to have the priority of your young children at home (and yourselves) first. It is good to hear that hospice will continue to stay involved if your daughter wants their assistance. You have done all that you can do.
Offering prayers and hugs to you.
Offering prayers and hugs to you.
Hi Sam, I'm so very sorry for what you are going through. You have done what you can to help her but as you know, she has to want to help herself.
It was a very loving thing you did by allowing her to stay in your home while she was under hospice care. I'm sorry she chose to leave. I think you made the right choice by not allowing her to come back. It's so hard when our difficult adult kids think that our homes have a revolving door. They do not understand the negative impact they have on us or other family members.
I know your heart breaks for your daughter but you and your family need to continue living your lives.
Sending hugs and prayers to you.
It was a very loving thing you did by allowing her to stay in your home while she was under hospice care. I'm sorry she chose to leave. I think you made the right choice by not allowing her to come back. It's so hard when our difficult adult kids think that our homes have a revolving door. They do not understand the negative impact they have on us or other family members.
I know your heart breaks for your daughter but you and your family need to continue living your lives.
Sending hugs and prayers to you.
New Leaf
Well-Known Member
Sam, I am so very sorry for your heartache.
You have done so much for your daughter, surely, there is much much more to your story than what you have posted.
I too have family members who are shocked that I would "allow" my adult daughter to be homeless. Honestly, there are times I wonder myself......... start to second guess......then memories come flooding back......to the many times we tried to "help" to no avail, no change in lifestyle for our daughter, chaos within our home.
At times,
I vacillate on an emotional seesaw, my Rain is in rough shape right now, hobbling on a badly swollen, infected ankle. She has refused to get medical help. I can only encourage her to look after her health, but, I can't force an adult to do anything she doesn't want to do. She has been in degraded situations, abusive boyfriends......beaten.......
That's the hardest part isn't it? Our love for them, the choices they make, the consequences they suffer, in turn we suffer, vs, our best hopes and dreams for them.
Having my daughter at home just did not press a magic button to make any of that happen. Because it was not what she wanted. She wanted to "party".
I don't know if well meaning, shocked relatives understand the hell all of this is..... having them out there with their "party friends", having them home living as they choose.
Goodness Sam.....ill enough for hospice care? I can't imagine the grief you are going through and the God awful conundrum of this decision you must make to keep your home peaceable, to protect yourself and your younger children.
You brought your daughter back into your home and tried to help her. She decided to leave.
Our homes are not pit stops with revolving doors.
As I write this, I am remembering the feeling that an emotional tornado ripped through my household, physically, mentally and spiritually, each time my two came and went. I am thinking of the many times I have been tempted to open my door again, only to be jolted back to reality by the imagery of my then 14 year old boy curled up on my bed crying over the last craziness......then I finally realized he had been enduring this...this....... stuff.......his entire life and it wasn't fair to him at all. Throughout those times in our home, his sisters did not try to help themselves, or live a lifestyle that respected the rest of the households right to peace and comfort in our home.
Turn our backs on our children?
No, no, no we did not Sam, do such a thing. Somehow, our adult children turned their backs on the way we raised them, on the lives we lived. They chose party friends and living a wild, lawless, unruly life. They chose homelessness and drug use. When the going gets tough, we suddenly become their go to, at a very heavy, unacceptable price to us and our homes. There is no respect, contribution or even gratitude for the help, just this continued feeling of entitlement, no matter what they do. I don't know if my two have even given a thought to what we have endured all of these years?
Dear sweet warrior mom and sister, mental illness, lack of clarity due to substance abuse, even terminal illness does not give a person the right to treat their loved ones as rugs to be tread upon.
You have made a very difficult decision, but I believe the right one for you and your young children. There is help out there for your daughter. And my two.
My heart goes out to you and yours.
Keep posting, it really helps.
Please let us know how you are doing.
Many warm hugs to you.
Leafy
You have done so much for your daughter, surely, there is much much more to your story than what you have posted.
I too have family members who are shocked that I would "allow" my adult daughter to be homeless. Honestly, there are times I wonder myself......... start to second guess......then memories come flooding back......to the many times we tried to "help" to no avail, no change in lifestyle for our daughter, chaos within our home.
At times,
I vacillate on an emotional seesaw, my Rain is in rough shape right now, hobbling on a badly swollen, infected ankle. She has refused to get medical help. I can only encourage her to look after her health, but, I can't force an adult to do anything she doesn't want to do. She has been in degraded situations, abusive boyfriends......beaten.......
That's the hardest part isn't it? Our love for them, the choices they make, the consequences they suffer, in turn we suffer, vs, our best hopes and dreams for them.
Having my daughter at home just did not press a magic button to make any of that happen. Because it was not what she wanted. She wanted to "party".
I don't know if well meaning, shocked relatives understand the hell all of this is..... having them out there with their "party friends", having them home living as they choose.
Goodness Sam.....ill enough for hospice care? I can't imagine the grief you are going through and the God awful conundrum of this decision you must make to keep your home peaceable, to protect yourself and your younger children.
You brought your daughter back into your home and tried to help her. She decided to leave.
Our homes are not pit stops with revolving doors.
As I write this, I am remembering the feeling that an emotional tornado ripped through my household, physically, mentally and spiritually, each time my two came and went. I am thinking of the many times I have been tempted to open my door again, only to be jolted back to reality by the imagery of my then 14 year old boy curled up on my bed crying over the last craziness......then I finally realized he had been enduring this...this....... stuff.......his entire life and it wasn't fair to him at all. Throughout those times in our home, his sisters did not try to help themselves, or live a lifestyle that respected the rest of the households right to peace and comfort in our home.
Turn our backs on our children?
No, no, no we did not Sam, do such a thing. Somehow, our adult children turned their backs on the way we raised them, on the lives we lived. They chose party friends and living a wild, lawless, unruly life. They chose homelessness and drug use. When the going gets tough, we suddenly become their go to, at a very heavy, unacceptable price to us and our homes. There is no respect, contribution or even gratitude for the help, just this continued feeling of entitlement, no matter what they do. I don't know if my two have even given a thought to what we have endured all of these years?
Dear sweet warrior mom and sister, mental illness, lack of clarity due to substance abuse, even terminal illness does not give a person the right to treat their loved ones as rugs to be tread upon.
You have made a very difficult decision, but I believe the right one for you and your young children. There is help out there for your daughter. And my two.
My heart goes out to you and yours.
Keep posting, it really helps.
Please let us know how you are doing.
Many warm hugs to you.
Leafy
McDonna Tanya and New Leaf, thank you for sharing your thoughts. Thank you for reminding me of my 2 younger children who do not have a voice in this. New Leaf, I believe your heart has ached like mine to think of the horrific degrading experiences that have happened to our daughters involving men. That on its own has just about killed my spirit. Thanks for sharing with me everyone, I no longer feel as alone as I did at 3am this morning. Sending you all positive energy and prayer. Y'all have been a blessing to me.
Sam, I'm so very sorry for your struggles with your daughter. It's a heartbreaking story. Like the others, I think you made the correct choice, difficult as it is. Just wanted you to know I'm reading along and sending prayers for your family......hang in there......
