"Cutting"
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| Fri, 12-03-2004 - 12:11pm |
Please keep my 13 year old niece, Ashley, in your thoughts and prayers.
Ashley was taken to the E.R. yesterday after my sister walked into her room and discovered her sitting on her bed, cutting her stomach with a paring knife. She took her to the E.R. - and it required 14 stitches (7 of them internal and 7 surface). A physical exam exposed numerous scars and cuts all over her stomach and her left arm. Her room was searched last night and numerous letters and journal entries were discovered - she started cutting herself the day of Alex's birthday party - back in September. She is currently on suicide watch at the E.R., she has had a psych evaluation, and she is waiting for a bed to open up at the young adult mental health facility - which could take a week. They expect that she will be in the facility for one month, and then released on an "out patient" basis, meaning she will still go to school there, still attend counseling there, but she will be able to go home at night and on the weekends.
I got to the hospital last night at 6 and stayed until 3 in the morning (while my sister went home and showered and got some sleep) and I'm just drained. I'm hurting so bad that my niece is hurting so terribly that she would harm herself. I don't understand this "cutting" crap at all - but had conversations with 3 of the nurses on duty last night that they are seeing it more and more often.
So if you could keep her and the rest of my family in your prayers, I would really appreciate it.

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I'm just adding my hugs and positive thoughts. I hope your niece will get the help she needs at that facility. What a sad thing for her and for your entire family. The important thing now is that it's out and now she has the chance to get help so hopefully she'll take it.
I never "cut" but i did other equally self-destructive things as a teen and I can say it scares the living crap out of me that my daughter might ever feel that low and helpless that she resorts to the behaviors I exhibited. But there are all sorts of reasons people do things like the cutting and it's not always anyone's fault. Sometimes the child (or adult) just doesn't know how else to handle pain. Doesn't mean the parents did a bad job raising him/her. It's the same as if she was destroying herself with drugs or alcohol. Doesn't mean the parents are bad parents or the family failed her. I know people with great parents and families who have drug problems. So please try not to beat yourself up or let your sister beat herself up.
Hugs
Tara
Hi Min
My prayers and ~~~~~~positive vibes ~~~~~~~~ go out to you and your family.
I know how you feel. My nephew has stated on more than one occasion that he wishes that he were dead. My entire family is devasted by this and has always bent over backwards to show him how much we love and support him. Unfortunately, as others have said...sometimes they are just in so much pain that they cannot see/hear this.
In my nephew's case...we found out about 18 months ago that his father sexually molested 2 of my younger brothers about 13 years ago...They are 2 of Alex's closest uncles and he has always adored them. To have them telling him this and his father's denial has caused him such pain ...a pain that nothing will ever stop...but hopefully through medication, counseling and the loving support of our family he can process and be able to put this in the past. We have come to the general concenus that he must have molested as well, although he has not admitted to this.
There will be rocky times ahead for all of you...I hope and pray that you are all receiving counseling as well; this is a very difficult thing to have to go through and you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless,
Jennifer
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