My younger son and I don’t speak. I’ll admit I’m the world worst parent, having done some pretty vile things in my life, of which I would rather not speak. In my old age, I’ve come to terms with my past actions, and while I may not sleep peacefully all the time, I am what I am.
However, trying to make amends, I’ve bent over backwards for my two sons. I’ve done all I know how to do, financially, as that’s the only thing I had left, at least until I retired, and the stream of money dried up.
My younger son has always been a challenge. He’s not so young anymore, pushing 40. He’s a level IV bi-polar. He should actually be hospitalized much of the time, but today’s post-Reagan society lets people like him take charge of their own lives and try to live as best they can.
We’ve been pretty lucky, until the past year when he finally managed to get a girl pregnant. I had so hoped that they would see they light and decide to abort, but no, they were sentimental, and decided to keep the kid, who was born on December 16th. My 8th grandchild, and the 4th grandson. I should be proud and excited, but seeing as how my son and his now wife think that exposing an unborn child to THC and who knows what else is of no consequence, of course I am worried. I was never that irresponsible. A bad dad, sure, but a druggie? I would have rather cut off my privates.
I let my son use a rental property I had – for less than half the going rate. Of course, he destroyed it, and rarely paid any of his own expenses. He think’s that because he’s had such a crappy life, the world owes him a living. I don’t know what to do about that. After clearing the place of the 10 or 12 people he let live there, and investing another $20K or so to fix it up, and after cleaning up over 100 heroin needles, I realized that there simply is no hope. All I can do is watch, hand over mouth, and hope that on his way through the world he does as little damage to others as possible.
We don’t speak, but through others that he does speak too, I find that the Department of Family Services in the state where he lives refuses to let him and his new wife take their new baby home. Apparently some brave soul reported them as drug users, and the baby was found to have THC present in his blood.
How can you not worry about a newborn baby having THC in his bloodstream. How can you ask people what your options are when this happens? How can you not just give in, and let someone else more responsible take charge?
I don’t have the means or methods available to help, I only hope that someone loving and caring will take care of my grandson and make sure that he grows up strong and smart and able to take care of himself as all babies should. I know his parents aren’t capable of providing this environment, and as much as I know they hurt, I know that they have no business raising a child.
Life is not easy for anyone, and for a baby born addicted to any drug, it’s even harder. I will not sleep well for many nights, but I hope it all works out for my grandson, who’es name I don’t even know.
Merry Christmas, good will to all.