Thursday, December 22, 2011

RAD the gift that keeps giving

This is our 3rd Christmas since RAD attacked.  3rd Christmas since RADs have chosen to be estranged. 

RAD daughter is a local officer, employed by an ex-boyfriend's dad (currently embroiled in a police-above-the-law scandal.) 

Somehow RADdaughter's "pre-screening" employment requirement of interviewing the parents who raised her got waived, so they didn't get to hear about how she tried to jump out of our moving car because she heard voices telling her to... nor that she has a medical history of mental illness. 

Anyway.  Hubby saw Officer RAD in the line of duty directing holiday traffic yesterday.  First face-to-face viewing since she had him arrested.  (She enrolled in the local community college to become an officer AFTER she made her false allegations.)

Does anyone out there notice how RAD digs in their heels to defend their misbehaviors and mistakes, yet apologizes profusely for things that don't ever need to be apologized for?

To-this-day I'm certain our daughter will go on a long rant about how much she detests ketchup because one night at dinner when she was young she obviously accidentally said "please pass the mustard for my fries."  She never detested ketchup, nor even liked mustard until she made that honest mistake.  Ugh... rabbit trail... reeling the point of the post back in...

This is our FIRST Christmas since RAD attacked that we will be in OUR house for Christmas... home to decorate and celebrate.  I have been JOYOUS about pulling out the decorations.  It has not been as painful for me as it has been for my dear husband. 

He sobbed when we put up the snowman soft sculpture that I gave as a gift one year to represent him and our three kids playing in the snow.  "Do they ever miss me?  Do they ever think about the GOOD times we had?  Are they sorry?  Are they hurting as deeply as I'm hurting?" 

*heartache*  I cry not because I miss them... I cry because of the deep pain they KEEP CAUSING the people I love so very much... and I include the RADs on that list as well... their illness in full bloom is destroying the sweet loveable, capable-of-loving  kids I knew once upon a time. 

I don't recognize who they've become.  I'm grateful they're keeping their distance while filled with so much hate and spite.  I miss the kids we raised... I don't recognize who they've become.  I have never seen the RADs soooo deep in their illness... ever! 

Well, yesterday after hubby waved to RAD officer, she first texted our non-rad to "get dad's number" and was able to miraculously call him before she responded.  The significance of this is lost on people who don't know RAD.  It's her sick manipulations... slick, sly, deceptively charming, manipulative, able to appear innocent, and look the victim... why do I respond  with so much apprehension... because I know RAD... adoptive moms are the ultimate target of most RAD attacks. 

Officer RAD called my hubby while he was in the store and asked him to stop by on the way out.  He did.  He has been so very eager to see our kids... to hug them... to let them know they are loved. 

He's such a tender awesome loving man.  So very generous.  Where love is concerned is is willing to be so very vulnerable. 

He came home reporting that our RAD daughter is "so very sick!"  He was talking about her multiple delusions... and how twisted her brain is... and how he didn't want to upset her... she was working... so he just let her talk and didn't counter her delusions.  He said she was trying to triangulate him against me, but he saw her efforts and wasn't buying into it.  He said he suggested that she consider attending family counseling with us, when she is ready. 

He said she didn't apologize... for anything... instead she was defending with absurdities, accusing, and defending...

I can't help but wonder if she had the squad car filming her accusations and hubby's non-defense (to imply agreement with her insanities)

I'm NOT paranoid... I've raised RAD to adulthood.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Adult RAD?

I recently saw someone I've not seen ... since we were anticipating the arrival of our "sibling group" adoptees.  I gave her the shortest synopsis of time transpired...



She encouraged me... "Don't worry it can happen when kids are your bio-kids too." 

And she went on to tell me her kids haven't spoken to her in years.

I replied, yes, I realize people can have broken relationships for a variety of reasons... but, I explained... our daughter was diagnosed at age 6 with a disorder that outlines ALL of her behavior against us... I've been amazed to find out how common this condition can be in adopted individuals. 

She asked me if I was aware she was adopted... 
No, I wasn't.
Deep breath...
Lord, I REALLY don't want to offend this woman!!!!
I back pedaled on all adoption issue conversations.

She filled me in on what's new in her life.
Estranged from adult children.
Estranged from adoptive parents since before her kids were born.
Divorced.
Estranged from siblings, (one adopted, one adoptive parents bio.)
Pretty much alone.

SHE'S SUCH A NICE WOMAN!!!!

I don't know if she's got RAD or not...
... I do know my prayers for her are the same as they are for my adopted children.

Peace, healing, and restoration.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Books on BPD... So Much Applies to RAD!

I first saw "I Hate You Don't Leave Me!" in a counselor's waiting room.  I opened it mid-way and the first thing I read was a part about how BPD individuals keep creating "lose lose" scenarios... where NOTHING the people who love them do will be right. 

I just about jumped out of my chair and said "YES!!!!! EXACTLY!!!!!!"

The Stop Walking on Eggshells book has a list of "common non-BP thinking"  and contrasting "facts" about our situation.

I'm paraphrasing....
"We (who love bpd people) often believe IF we can convince the person with BPD that we are telling the TRUTH... that we are right, these problems will disappear.  
...
The TRUTH is BPD is a serious mental illness... we can't talk our loved ones out of mental illness no matter how convincing we are."  


I have since remembered many things that remind me that my adopted children... the "officially diagnosed RAD" especially... HAVE been traumatized long before we ever knew them... they DO have brain damage... it is not their fault. 

Our "officially diagnosed" daughter once tried to jump out of our moving minivan because she "heard" Daddy yell at her to "get out NOW!" 

The whole family was in the van and our daughter was the only one who "heard" that.  

I realize that "hearing voices" is a MAJOR issue.  It is part of what led up to her getting the referral from the state-provided counselor for a psychiatric evaluation.

It helps me to realize what is "real" in our RAD's mind may IS NOT the reality most people live in. 

Whatever the issue is called... RAD or BPD...

It really sucks for us... but it sucks for them worse... The Eggshells book points out we who love people with BPD can take a break from their mental illness...

They cannot. 

1)Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Your Life Back When Someone You Care About Has Borderline Personality Disorder Randi Kreger, Paul Mason MS

2)The Stop Walking on Eggshells Workbook: Practical Strategies for Living with Someone Who Has Borderline Personality Disorder by Randi Kreger


3) I Hate You--Don't Leave Me: Understanding the Borderline Personality by Jerold J. Kreisman, Hal Straus

Monday, November 7, 2011

Flashback to the beginning

I  was reading how many parents to RAD find their RAD afflicted children don't handle "owning" many things well.  Many adoptive parents of RADkids find their new child is most at peace with little-to-no belongings, at least until they settle in. 

I flashed back to the very beginning of our adoption experience.  We WANTED to give these kids the world.  We tried to give our new kids everything they had lacked... They just couldn't handle it!   Frequent tantruming and destruction is what ensued when owning items (fun items that normally delight young children) would overwhelm our RAD diagnosed daughter. 

Each of our three "new" kids came to us with one brown paper grocery bag partially filled with all their worldly possessions.  (Including all their clothes!)

It turns out the foster family "our new kids" also sent along several bags of "kid-stuff" that our "new kids" said wasn't theirs.  Our new kids' social worker explained the prior foster family wouldn't need the items any more.  Three months with our kids caused that foster family to retire. 

We were told after having "our kids" for three months... the elderly couple decided they'd give up foster care for good... they had only been doing it for a couple of decades. 

Our new "special needs sibling group" of three children, 13, 6, and 2 1/2 had just disrupted from an adoption placement three months prior to joining that foster family... and after three months of our "new kids" in that veteran foster family's home was enough to shut them down... for good.  They were no longer interested in fostering.  They were done. 

Does every adopted child have Reactive Attachment Disorder... I really don't believe so. 

I do think it is highly likely for individuals separated from one or both bio-parents to have "attachment issues" but I believe attachment issues are not full-blown RAD.

Attachment issues are quite different from Reactive Attachment Disorder. 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Adoption Awareness Month

It's Adoption Awareness month... And Focus on the Family can be an excellent source of information about Reactive Attachment Disorder, Adoption, and how to best be supportive adoptive families. 

They have a half-hour radio program they broadcast M-F and November 1 they had a program that continued into November 2nd's broadcast. 

Focus on the Family Adoption Broadcast November 1, 2011
Part II November 2, 2011


I listened to it... I was wondering if the Broadcast would mention Reactive Attachment Disorder... I was eager to hear what they might say because I have been so very impressed in how they've covered the matter on their website   Focus on the Family Adoption Resource links

And I've been especially impressed with the WRAP Around Adoptive Families information they promote encouraging Christian Church attendees to provide the kinds of practical help that would BEST serve families who have given their hearts and homes to adoption.  Free WRAP information

Well I couldn't listen to the full broadcast... Not that there was anything specifically wrong with it...

The adoptive family featured did have experience with a RAD child... it turns out the RAD child was only with their family a very short time... and Mom kind of giggled nervously as she explained that if you've never encountered a Reactive Attachment Disordered Child... they can be perceived as very-very-naughty, yet they are no-less deserving of having a family. 

We only listened a few minuets more into the first broadcast. What we heard was flowery wonderfulness of how beautiful the adoptive family was. 

My big strong hubby broke down and cried... he more than cried... he SOBBED...

We gave them the most precious of all our possessions... our hearts.