She Is in the Wind

Our daughter Katie checked herself out of the group home this week. She said she needed freedom. Since nobody has legal custody over her, she was free to go and nothing we offered her enticed her to stay. During this last week she tried to get a loan online and ended up having her identity and credit stolen. Her bank account is frozen and she is so manic she can't be reasoned with at all. She walked away from her job without giving notice and cut off several people that were trying to help her. Katie's plans changed repeatedly as she tried to find someone to take her in. We offered to put her into a hotel for a few days while we tried to reset her life in some way, but she refused. Instead, she bought an airplane ticket to Florida, slept in the airport all night and has taken off for a distant friend's home. She is sure she will get a job in Florida at Walmart and all will be just great. She is also sure that her Medicaid and SSI will transfer within a matter of days, too.

She admitted that her ultimate goal was always to get to Florida and this friend. We are utterly exhausted and heartbroken. We are also so confused. She has a low IQ and makes so many crazy, dumb mistakes. Yet she managed to go to the airport and buy a ticket all by herself. She has never flown before! One thing I can always say about Katie. She has way more guts than anyone else I know. She throws herself into all kinds of things with no caution for her well being. She has always been this way. 

So far, she is sending a text here and there. I am not sure that will continue once she actually makes it to her friend. She generally only keeps up relationships that are useful to her. We won't be useful soon.

Everyone on her team is beside themselves and some are shocked. I am a little less surprised. Katie generally does what she wants and there is almost no way to stop her. Some others on her team thought she could be enticed to stay or that she would care about her commitments or relationships with them. I knew none of that was true and thought she was getting close to running. That knowledge doesn't make this experience any easier, though. 

We are facing one more hard week on the schedule before embracing Christmas. I pray things calm down and Katie is safe so we can relax a little bit in December. 

Blessings, Dawn