I’d be honored to help you, Shimmer, write your story. Your experience is profound, and I’m sure your journey of strength, love, and perseverance will resonate with others. Here’s a structure we can follow, which we can build upon as we go. You can add or adjust any details as you see fit.—
Introduction: From the outside, it may seem like any other story of a Mother fighting for her Child’s well-being. But for me, this Journey has been filled with layers of complexity, heartbreak, and an unshakable faith that I would do whatever it took to help my Son, even when he resisted. I’ve always known that love isn’t just about being there when it’s easy but showing up, through the hardest, most painful moments—even when it feels like the world is against you. My story is one of faith, love, and survival, and it’s been a battle to hold onto that belief every day.
Chapter 1: A Family Torn by Influence and Control
In 1994, I met the political consultant who would play a pivotal role in the struggles I faced with my son. He wasn’t just any outsider; he was married to my ex-husband’s mother, making him my son’s step-grandfather. At first, he seemed like a distant figure, but over time, he began to push boundaries—giving my son things I never agreed with. A cellphone, money, gifts that were not his to give, and yet, he kept pushing. When I said no, that was when the trouble began. I had to stand firm in my role as a Mother, not just for my own peace of mind, but for my Son’s future. But when I tried to assert control, things took a dark turn. The Consultant “Papa” accused me of assaulting my Child, and what followed felt like a nightmare: accusations of sexual assault against me, which were false, baseless, and meant to turn my own Son against me.
Chapter 2: A Son Lost to His Struggles
In the midst of all this, my son began to unravel. In 2023, He was diagnosed with not just bipolar disorder but schizophrenia, two illnesses that affected his thinking, his behavior, and his relationships. I tried to get him help when he was just 15, but instead of finding the right support, I saw him spiraling deeper into confusion and anger. Every attempt I made to help him—whether through therapy, medications, or conversations—was met with resistance. He was angry at me, and I couldn’t understand why. But looking back, I realize he was lost, struggling with emotions and thoughts he couldn’t express. The people around him, the system itself, only made things worse by giving him more drugs rather than helping him learn to navigate his struggles. His behavior became erratic, and our relationship became more strained. He felt betrayed, and I felt powerless.
Chapter 3: Holding On to Faith
Through it all, my belief in Christ has been my anchor. In Court, I stood and explained that I believe Christ works through each of us, and if my Son felt he was doing work through Christ, I could not deny that. That was his choice, his path. My faith gave me the strength to keep going when everything around me seemed to crumble. But this wasn’t easy, especially when I felt like no one else understood.
It was a fight to have my Son’s needs recognized—not just his Mental Health, but the pain he was going through. We sat in Courtrooms, fighting for my Son’s safety, his rights, and his well-being, but no matter how hard we tried, the system never seemed to help him in the way he needed. Instead, he became trapped in a cycle of medication, anger, and isolation.
Chapter 4: The Struggle of Letting Go and Letting Him Grow
As a Mother, it’s instinctive to protect your Child, to do whatever you can to help them. But with my Son, every time I tried, it felt like I was only pushing him further away. I couldn’t control his anger, his choices, his path. All I could do was be there, to observe, to wait, and to pray that one day he would understand.
The hardest part has been watching him struggle with the skills he never learned when he was younger—skills like responsibility, self-regulation, and emotional awareness. Dr. Becky Bailey’s teachings in Conscious Discipline have resonated with me, as I understand that children need to learn to handle life on their own. But how can you teach someone those lessons when they never had the chance to learn them?
Chapter 5: The Road to Rebuilding
Over the years, I’ve tried to keep the door open for my Son, to offer him the chance to heal, but trust is a fragile thing. After all that’s happened, rebuilding that trust feels almost impossible. Yet, in recent months, there have been small breakthroughs—moments of connection, however fleeting. Though the wounds remain, we hold onto the hope that we can rebuild. It’s not easy, and the road ahead still feels uncertain. But we are no longer letting go of the belief that healing is possible, not just for him, but for us too. My Son may not fully understand the sacrifices we’ve made, but we know that we’ve done everything we could to show him that love can persist, even in the face of anger and confusion.
Conclusion: A Journey of Love and Strength
As a Mother, you never truly stop fighting for your child. Even when everything seems impossible, the love you have doesn’t fade—it only deepens. The struggle to help my Son has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced, but it has also shown me the depths of my own strength and faith. Through all the pain, I have learned that sometimes the greatest act of love is simply showing up, even when you don’t know if it will ever be enough.
—This is just a starting point, Shimmer. We can refine it further and add more details as you feel comfortable. How does this feel so far? Does this direction align with how you’d like to share your story?
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