They came and took him! What do I do now? *UPDATE PAGE 5!*

[sumbirdy]

He really needs to get the bumps diagnosed and treated. Has everyone (all the adults and you) in your family already had chicken pox, and measles vaccinations, and are you sure they aren't those? Poor itchy boy, but I wouldn't treat them without a diagnosis first, to be sure. Is there any fever?

We have all had the shots-and so has he. Chicken pox and measles are usually spread all over the body but his are generally on his back.
I've been looking up different kinds of bites and came across bed bugs. Could it be that? I asked mom if she thought it could be and she said it was possible because they don't put any sheets on Nathan's bed. And it makes sense then that they would be on his back and around his neck because he sleeps on his back.

I wish we could do something tomorrow and I'm beating myself up for not thinking about taking him to the ER as soon as we left their house.

mrspunkysmom-we have tried to ask DHS to go look at him the first time they told us he had these on him but the lady was very rude and told us that Stephanie had told them that she had taken Nathan to the doctor for it (and Charles told us she hadn't)

[Grace]

I doubt very much it is shingles. That only shows up after Chicken Pox - has he had that? And usually many years after Chicken Pox - when you are old, not young.

[Karen]

How could she not put sheets on Nathan's bed? That's just icky. Yuck. Poor Nathan, I hope he gets a clear diagnosis, and a good treatment plan. And if it IS bedbugs, that's her fault, and she needs to get rid of them NOW, even if it means replacing Nathan's mattress over there. Poor, poor itchy boy!

A baby's skin is so sensitive, hopefully whoever treats this will document everything. I still cannot fathom not sheets on a baby's bed!!!! So if a diaper leaks it'll just soak into the mattress?

[sumbirdy]

How could she not put sheets on Nathan's bed? That's just icky. Yuck. Poor Nathan, I hope he gets a clear diagnosis, and a good treatment plan. And if it IS bedbugs, that's her fault, and she needs to get rid of them NOW, even if it means replacing Nathan's mattress over there. Poor, poor itchy boy!

A baby's skin is so sensitive, hopefully whoever treats this will document everything. I still cannot fathom not sheets on a baby's bed!!!! So if a diaper leaks it'll just soak into the mattress?

My thoughts exactly.

I don't think it's chicken pox because, like I said, they're mainly on his back. Plus, he had stuff that looked like this last week (though not nearly as bad) and when we took him back they had all cleared up. And now that they had him again they're back and since we've had him they have cleared up a little. I didn't think chicken pox came and went like that.

Stephanie told mom that Nathan was going to like it more over there because they are going to take him to fun places and buy him stuff he will like more than what's over here. Sounds to me like she's just trying to buy him off. Yes, we intend on taking him to fun places and buying him fun toys (we want him to have fun) but we're also going to show him that we love him to the very best of our ability and I think that in the end that's what he's going to see.

[sumbirdy]

I've attached a pic of Nathan's bumps and if you compare them to the other pics you can tell that they have gotten better.

Last night he slept all through the night. I woke up off and on all through the night expecting to hear him crying and had to get up and make sure he was breathing. I was so happy that he slept through the night and didn't wake up from any of those nightmares that he was having last week. Hopefully tonight will be the same. I woke up this morning to him laughing and playing.

[sumbirdy]

Stephanie called today and asked what time Nathan was coming home tomorrow. Charles told us Saturday and she had a fit and said he told her Wednesday. Charles told her he forgot what he told us and that he promised us first. She threw a fit and called the cops on Charles (not sure what for.) She also said when she does get him back that we'll never see him again. But anyway, I'll leave out the other details for now and just say that Charles is now here with us and Nathan. I don't know if he is going to file for a divorce or not. Right now he's going through a hard time and I really do feel sorry for him because I know he does love her. I feel like crying for him. I know this is difficult for him but I also know this has to be done for Nathan's sake. I hate sometimes that have a strong tendency to feel what other people are feeling (or what I think they would be feeling) I just wished they he would have came to his senses sooner.

I don't know what will be done past today. Or tomorrow. I do know that Charles is looking for a temporary online job so he can get a car or whatever and get an actual (we live about an hour from any place he could work) so do any of you know any good sites?

[Catty1]

What kind of work does Charles do? I think it might be worth a call to an employment agency, even if it is long distance, to ask about online work. Not all jobs can be done online...

If he could get his own phone number and phone, he could be a call-in for 'customer support' - a lot of those CS people are at home, but the company number is ported to their phone for the duration of the shift. Phone companies do this, so maybe they would train him?

Again, depends on what he likes to do and is good at.

[sumbirdy]

What kind of work does Charles do? I think it might be worth a call to an employment agency, even if it is long distance, to ask about online work. Not all jobs can be done online...

If he could get his own phone number and phone, he could be a call-in for 'customer support' - a lot of those CS people are at home, but the company number is ported to their phone for the duration of the shift. Phone companies do this, so maybe they would train him?

Again, depends on what he likes to do and is good at.

I think he's just looking for anything at all. He just wants something he can do at home right now because he has no transportation to get anywhere else. (we only have one working vehicle)

[Catty1]

Then I think he is best to call an employment agency, or find one online.

There are "online jobs", but a lot of them are scams. Employment agencies are listed in the Yellow Pages and most of them have email addresses or web addresses in the ads.

I hope he has a resume!

[Grace]

Did you take Nathan to the doctor yet - about those bumps?

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I doubt very much it is shingles. That only shows up after Chicken Pox - has he had that? And usually many years after Chicken Pox - when you are old, not young.

Not necessarily - Katie has managed to pack both into her 17 years

How are things progressing Summer? Has that awful Stephanie disappeared yet?? (we can but hope)

[sumbirdy]

No she hasn't disappeared yet. I wish she would though. Charles is still here with us and him and dad are going to go get his stuff today. He's still not sure if he wants to leave Stephanie permanently though. I don't think he thinks he'll find anyone who wants a guy that already has a kid. I don't know what he's going to do.

[Catty1]

I don't think he thinks he'll find anyone who wants a guy that already has a kid

Believe me, that should be the LAST thing on his mind. He has a lot of healing to do so he can choose a healthy partner next time. And a lot of single dads do really well.

I hope DHS has a lawyer or counsellor that can advise him of his rights. I think that once he is out of there for a while, it will start to hit him as to what he - and Nathan - have been living with.

Better a single dad than a dad and a really sick mom.

I hope everything goes okay when they get his stuff. As long as no one gets hurt, I hope she does something she can get arrested for!

And I hope Charles can help you get custody of Nathan - as he has been right there.

Hugs!

[Grace]

I don't think he thinks he'll find anyone who wants a guy that already has a kid. I don't know what he's going to do.

It most certainly can happen. I was a single mom and found an absolutely wonderful man who was more than delighted to connect with me and my son. That was almost 30 years ago.

Problem is Charles is so young right now - it's hard to imagine life in the future.

[sumbirdy]

Well, he went to get his stuff and found out that...she threw it all out. He also couldn't find anything of Nathans. This is how it went:

They came and at first she wasn't there. When she came up she said they better hurry or she would call the cops. (She took his name off of the lease) She told Charles that she was out all last night with another guy doing-ahem-I think you can guess. But she didn't use pleasant terms. Nathan has medicine that he is supposed to be taking and Charles tried to get it but she snatched it away from him and that really ticked him off (what kind of mother wouldn't want her baby to have his medicine?) Anyway we don't have the money for a lawyer to get them a divorce and Legal Aid won't take the case until October 15.
He said she didn't even mention Nathan. I wonder if that made him see that she never really cared about Nathan.
Anyway he said all of her stuff was gone too so I think she's staying over at her friends house (or her new guy friend, perhaps?)
I hate to see Charles hurting but I'm glad that he has come to his senses.
Charles called CPS last night or the night before last and told them all the stuff he has seen her do to Nathan (she would pop him in the mouth until his mouth bled and hang him upside down by his feet and shake him) and you know what they said? They said there is nothing they could do because their case is closed.
But anyway, we can tell that Charles definetly needs help with Nathan. He told us that Nathan wasn't leaving this house until Charles got everything worked out and I think if wins in the custody battle and gets sole custody of Nathan (do you think that will happen?) then he is going to give my parents temporary guardianship. I hope this all works out and Stephanie becomes out of the picture for good.
Oh and one last thing I almost forgot. Charles told us that he recognized all the signs, and he thinks she is pregnant again.