[blparent] Hello

[Gabe Vega]

this is a great email. I appreciate the fact you recognize the mental health factor and have strength enough to admit it. I know of a couple of cases where the blind parent tried to blame their blindness for the child custody rights being restricted but in reality the truth was different from what the blind mother told others about their situation. I knew of a blind mother in Texas who tried to kill herself in front of her kids after a divorce from her husband. her rights, and visitation were rightly restricted from that point out of the safety of the children, but she told many including me that it was because of her blindness. This is why I brought up in my last email, that although its nice to try and fight the NFB cause and protect your blind rights, some times its not blindness that is the true worry for some. I know from my view point those 3 kids are much better off, because this lady wasn't too stable and put together. and well, here when we deal with blindness, we have to be on the top of our game. because the state play for keeps. as they should if some one isn't truly competent to take care of children.

On Aug 14, 2012, at 1:19 PM, "Agnes Steinhoff" <amorawska at nycap.rr.com> wrote:

> Hello:
> 
> First off, I would like to say that I do agree with Steve in respect to the fact that there are certain cases that are different from one another.  In the example of my situation, CPS is finally coming to understand that I can parent my children with the propper services and training.  I am just starting unsupervised visitations with my children for one hour a week and then maybe more soon.  But to stay on the subject, another example of this has also to do with mental disabilities such as depression and other emotional disorders.
> 
> CPS was also concerned about my mental health because of my depression after my husband and I split up and I was in distress.  I paniced because I was scared of being a single mom with 2 children.  For a while, CPS was hounding about my medications and they kept asking me if I was taking them, and of course, I was.
> 
> To make a long story short, they are no longer worried about that because they talk with my counselors who speak on my behalf about the progress that I have made throughout this past year with my mental status.
> 
> I think that one of the misconceptions that social workers also have is that they think that medication conquers all, and that is not the case.  If I became upset about something, the first question they would ask me is if I took my medications today, and of course, the answer was always yes.
> 
> My point is that medications are there to help the mood or behavior of the person but they do not control them.  Despite whether or not someone is taking medications, you will still have good times and bad times and life will still throw curves regardless.
> 
> Also, not all medications work as effectively as others.  There are situations that can cause a parent to be distressed and sometimes medication is not enough, although it is definitely helpful.
> 
> Agnes
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