This blog only tells part of a story and has been "sanitized". I would like to take this quiet-time to address some frequently asked questions and help fill in the blanks. There is nothing that anyone can ask me that will shock or offend me. Chances are that any questions that you have are things that I have already asked myself. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Colin and try to see things from his point-of-view.
One of the most frequently asked questions deals with the topic of "Abuse".
Frequently Asked Questions - Abuse?
Is it possible that Colin has suffered some sort of abuse such as sexual or been the target of bullying?
I can remember this past summer, as Colin's behavior became more strange, I was concerned about his fear of ceiling fans and ticking clocks. My mind went to dark places. Was he tortured in a small room under a ceiling fan? What could have happened to him to cause this extreme level of anxiety?
I would go for walks with Colin and in numerous conversations try to broach the topic of Abuse. I would constantly ask about bullying. I would ask if anyone ever touched him inappropriately. I even asked if his father ever beat him or mistreated him when I was not around. No one was above suspicion.
His answers were always the same. Nothing had happened and there was no abuse. He also refused to explain his fear of certain sounds and of ceiling fans. He was adamant that he didn't want to talk about it and that he could handle things on his own. There also seemed to be a fear of being thought "crazy" and he did not want to be seen by doctors for his issues.
I quizzed my other boys incessantly. They insisted that there was no evidence of anyone abusing their brother. I went through every possible scenario and I could not find anything that could explain Colin's increasing odd behavior.
Recently when in a session with my sister and the therapist - a.k.a. - "observer", Colin was told that his stay at his Aunt's house was only temporary and that he would be going home at the end of the school year. Colin did not take this news well and became agitated.
He said that he would not go back home and would prefer foster care. He went on to say that he did not care if he was molested.
This statement prompted a later conversation with my sister that I am grateful that she had. Aunt P told Colin that he had said something that troubled her and she needed to ask him a question. She told him the statement he made about foster-care and molestation was a bit strange. She asked him if he was ever molested or abused.
Colin laughed and told her no.
My sister then asked him if he would tell her if that ever happened to him. He then grew more serious and responded that nothing like that had ever happened.
In our last session, we were also told by our psychologist that part of the therapist's job is to constantly make sure that the child is safe and is not being abused. Colin was also quizzed about abuse when he was hospitalized. There is absolutely no evidence that our child has been a victim of sexual or physical abuse.
At this point we can rule out Abuse.
coming up : next F.A.Q. - Why does your child hate you and refuse to see you?
stay tuned.....
We are a work-in-progress.
