Carissa's Hope's & Dreams
Donation protected
This is my beautiful daughter Carissa, she is just 14yrs old.
We need help to raise $14,000 to get her to the Project Patch Ranch as a last resort to help her discover that life is worth living and that she is worth loving. As with most treatment facilities, it comes with a price tag. After going over and over evey avenue a friend told me about this website.
The back story...On Jan. 20, 2012 Carissa (who was just 12 at the time) attempted suicide and was admitted to the mental facility in our area for 11 days. She was diagnosed, "manic depressive or bipolar disorder" and a list of acronyms. This began our journey into the world of psychiatrists, therapists, medications, and many, many manic meltdowns. As her mother, I needed to switch gears and find a less demanding job so that I could be her advocate, get her to appointments, and be more available when I am needed. What a great decision and what an amazing job I have now. I am ever so thankful!
On Dec. 19, 2012 she has suicidal ideations and plans to hurt herself and begins cutting (self-harm). She spent 6 days in a treatment facility and she got to come home on Christmas Eve with a very strict safety plan. Around and around we went again, changing meds, changing doctors, and switching up therapy. We thought we were making progress and then we discovered that she was actually hiding her emotions and masking her bipolar cycles.
On Oct. 3, 2013 she attacked 2 of her sisters hurting them physically. This was scary for all of us because this had never happened to this extent before. Again it was decided to keep her and others safe that she would be admitted to the mental facility. This time she spent 2.5 weeks in local treatment, and then she was transferred to the State Facility 4 hours away. Having my daughter so far away for 3 weeks, it was the longest time in my life. We were hopeful this was a solution. We wanted her to learn that being bipolar does have to define who she is. When she came home it was so awesome! (but only for a short time) We took a parenting class specifically designed to help us learn how to be better parents for her and our other children. I learned so much in this class and I believe that I am better mother now.
Carissa, on the other hand, was not fully invested. She seemed to be once again slipping away from and often times I would look into her eyes and wonder where my daughter had gone. On Feb. 28, 2014 she finally hit the bottom and overdosed on Trazadone in an attempt to end her life once and for all. I was able to get her the ER in time (Thank God) and after many hours, she was again back at the mental facility. This was the ultimate blow as a mother. Nothing can describe the hopelessness and longing that I felt watching her lie there.
We need help funding a long term residential treatment center called Project Patch Ranch. I feel that this is our LAST resort. I want so much as her mother, to have her discover that her life is worth living, and the she is worth loving. Carissa has 4 sisters and 1 brother who love her very much. They are hurting too.
We are hoping that with your help we can get Carissa the long term help the she needs. The short term visits have not been effective. Whatever you can donate be it $5 or more, please know that you will helping a family who loves and wants the best for their daughter and sister.
Thank you for reading this and if you are unable to help monetarily please add my family to your prayers. Without God's grace and the love of the people around us I have no idea where we would be.
We need help to raise $14,000 to get her to the Project Patch Ranch as a last resort to help her discover that life is worth living and that she is worth loving. As with most treatment facilities, it comes with a price tag. After going over and over evey avenue a friend told me about this website.
The back story...On Jan. 20, 2012 Carissa (who was just 12 at the time) attempted suicide and was admitted to the mental facility in our area for 11 days. She was diagnosed, "manic depressive or bipolar disorder" and a list of acronyms. This began our journey into the world of psychiatrists, therapists, medications, and many, many manic meltdowns. As her mother, I needed to switch gears and find a less demanding job so that I could be her advocate, get her to appointments, and be more available when I am needed. What a great decision and what an amazing job I have now. I am ever so thankful!
On Dec. 19, 2012 she has suicidal ideations and plans to hurt herself and begins cutting (self-harm). She spent 6 days in a treatment facility and she got to come home on Christmas Eve with a very strict safety plan. Around and around we went again, changing meds, changing doctors, and switching up therapy. We thought we were making progress and then we discovered that she was actually hiding her emotions and masking her bipolar cycles.
On Oct. 3, 2013 she attacked 2 of her sisters hurting them physically. This was scary for all of us because this had never happened to this extent before. Again it was decided to keep her and others safe that she would be admitted to the mental facility. This time she spent 2.5 weeks in local treatment, and then she was transferred to the State Facility 4 hours away. Having my daughter so far away for 3 weeks, it was the longest time in my life. We were hopeful this was a solution. We wanted her to learn that being bipolar does have to define who she is. When she came home it was so awesome! (but only for a short time) We took a parenting class specifically designed to help us learn how to be better parents for her and our other children. I learned so much in this class and I believe that I am better mother now.
Carissa, on the other hand, was not fully invested. She seemed to be once again slipping away from and often times I would look into her eyes and wonder where my daughter had gone. On Feb. 28, 2014 she finally hit the bottom and overdosed on Trazadone in an attempt to end her life once and for all. I was able to get her the ER in time (Thank God) and after many hours, she was again back at the mental facility. This was the ultimate blow as a mother. Nothing can describe the hopelessness and longing that I felt watching her lie there.
We need help funding a long term residential treatment center called Project Patch Ranch. I feel that this is our LAST resort. I want so much as her mother, to have her discover that her life is worth living, and the she is worth loving. Carissa has 4 sisters and 1 brother who love her very much. They are hurting too.
We are hoping that with your help we can get Carissa the long term help the she needs. The short term visits have not been effective. Whatever you can donate be it $5 or more, please know that you will helping a family who loves and wants the best for their daughter and sister.
Thank you for reading this and if you are unable to help monetarily please add my family to your prayers. Without God's grace and the love of the people around us I have no idea where we would be.
Organizer
Michelle Flint
Organizer
Nampa, ID