Velta.
Well, the packing is almost done. We are picking up the truck tomorrow at noon. I have so much to do, errands to run, etc.
I called AOL and am converting to a free AOL account, so for those of you who write me at AOL, I will still be able to receive e-mails there.
I called Andy's caseworker on Friday. I left a message about his severe depression. She finally called me back today and took me very seriously. She spoke to the doctor before he left and they asked if Andy would be willing to go into a crisis intervention center for treatment for his depression. He is. A crisis intervention center is a home like place where Andy can stay and get started on medication for depression and receive therapy, etc. I am very relieved. I can tell he is as well. He has lost so much weight and lost interest in anything that mattered to him before. He has been telling me for the past three weeks or more that he feels like when I leave he just wants to go into the hospital and sleep for the rest of his life.
Julian and I will be leaving Friday morning and they want Andy's mother to bring him in that morning, so they can start right away giving him the support he needs. We have all had so much loss and change and are facing even bigger changes now. I have much hope that Andy will feel better with time. I know I gradually feel better. I want the same for him.
If I can't post tomorrow, just know that you are all wonderful and my little family here could not have survived this without your love and help and prayers, good vibes, etc. When I get settled, I hope to write a little about the various kinds of ways people have helped. Hugs to everyone and tons of love.
For any of you that are afraid of churches or "organized religion", I can tell you that the last time we moved, a little over two years ago, we only had a little help from Andy's parents. I had to hire movers and we did all the cleaning and repairs ourselves.
This move? We've been going to St. Mark's for a year and a half. They have helped us tremendously from day one. My Stephen's Minister is the wife of the president of Devos Children's Hospital. He is a pediatric surgeon as well. She came over two weeks ago and helped me start my packing. Today she cleaned my bathtub/shower, my fridge and my oven. She got out on her knees in the grass and cleaned the oven racks. She got on her knees and wiped the kitchen floor. She's going to mail all of Mickey's things to him, two boxes. And she had the most wonderful encouraging things to say and gave me a hug and kiss when she left. She's no youngster either, she's 57 years old. She's tells me optimistic things to look forward to in this move. She'll continue to speak with me on the phone as a Stephen's Minister. They mainly listen to you and offer comfort.
Katy, same age as my daughter, who has two kids of her own and four of her husbands', has baby sat for Julian and Mickey when he was here, out of love. She has come over two days in a row and helped me with packing and will come tomorrow, too. She brought a lot of Andy's things to his house today and will bring her husband's truck tomorrow to help bring things to Love INC that I can't use. She is also bringing back the bunkbeds Julian and Mickey's Godmothers let us use.
Marty S., a retired (early) school teacher/current tennis coach, is driving us down. My Stephen's Minister is flying him back up with her extra miles. Marty came last week and helped us go through the boxes in our garage. He's a little taller than Andy and could reach the boxes on the shelves. These are only some of the things St. Mark's have done and will do.
I really hate to leave my church family. I have learned that if you carefully choose a church, you will make real friends, rainy day friends, who stick with you through the storms. And the good thing about the Episcopal Church is there is no expectation that you believe anything or everything they teach. No fear theology. I am very grateful that my mother had the good sense to convert to be an Episcopalian and to raise us in the church. Daddy was raised in the church. It's so much healthier than the WTBTS.
