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First of all...I love this forum. It has made me aware (sometimes very painfully) of issues and things happening in the world that I haven't been aware of. I have found myself in a position of questioning, testing, weighing and drawing conclusions about my views, my stand and my thoughts on issues. It is an ongoing process. But I have a question for all of you. I have been dealing with a very personal issue for a few years now. I have hit some real lows. It has forced me to question everything about myself and my beliefs. And I will admit that the jury is still out. But I am eager to hear your thoughts. But before I bare my soul here please take heart...although I am asking for your opinion please don't attack me. Remember I am living this everyday. I need support not criticizm.
For this to make sense let me start by saying my sister is 13 yrs. younger than me. Five years ago my family discovered that she was addicted to Heroine at age 18. Yes, my parents did what they could treatment, rehab and counseling. This not the issue. Two years later she gets pregnant. At her first dr. visit we discover that she isn't clean never has been apparently. She uses through her entire pregnancy. Has very little pre natal care because of addiction. The baby is born 5 lbs. and premature and addicted. Child Protective says baby can't go home with the mother.
My parents are now raising their granddaughter. Seven months after the baby is born she gets pregnant again. She is due in August. She is still using...
I am pissed off, disgusted, sad...you name it. My heart breaks for both those babies. But the thing I have had the most trouble with is CP and the courts. Neither have stepped in. As a family we haven't been able to do anything to help her or protect either fetus. The court has had several opportunities to force her into a program atleast while pregnant to allow the baby to develop with out drugs. They know her history. She again has had no pre natal care. Yet CP and the courts keep giving her chance after chance with no real punishment or consequence. It's June and they tell her go to this detox for 2 wks and then if you test clean from now until you give birth we will let you have the baby and work toward getting custody of your other child.
So who's rights are right here? Where do you draw the line? Shouldn't she be held accountable for using through 2 pregnancies? What about the fetus? Has it no right? What about her daughter? Has she no rights? This is hard stuff to sort out when you are emotionally involved. It's easy to pass judgement from the sidelines. Believe me we have had lots of people give us their opinion and take on how they would handle it. But right now I am asking the questions on a different level. Not emotional but political. What do you think?
For this to make sense let me start by saying my sister is 13 yrs. younger than me. Five years ago my family discovered that she was addicted to Heroine at age 18. Yes, my parents did what they could treatment, rehab and counseling. This not the issue. Two years later she gets pregnant. At her first dr. visit we discover that she isn't clean never has been apparently. She uses through her entire pregnancy. Has very little pre natal care because of addiction. The baby is born 5 lbs. and premature and addicted. Child Protective says baby can't go home with the mother.

I am pissed off, disgusted, sad...you name it. My heart breaks for both those babies. But the thing I have had the most trouble with is CP and the courts. Neither have stepped in. As a family we haven't been able to do anything to help her or protect either fetus. The court has had several opportunities to force her into a program atleast while pregnant to allow the baby to develop with out drugs. They know her history. She again has had no pre natal care. Yet CP and the courts keep giving her chance after chance with no real punishment or consequence. It's June and they tell her go to this detox for 2 wks and then if you test clean from now until you give birth we will let you have the baby and work toward getting custody of your other child.
So who's rights are right here? Where do you draw the line? Shouldn't she be held accountable for using through 2 pregnancies? What about the fetus? Has it no right? What about her daughter? Has she no rights? This is hard stuff to sort out when you are emotionally involved. It's easy to pass judgement from the sidelines. Believe me we have had lots of people give us their opinion and take on how they would handle it. But right now I am asking the questions on a different level. Not emotional but political. What do you think?