It's a long story
Too long, to post in full, actually. To sum it up, though...
My dad died back in March. Mom's always been an alcoholic, and when she wasn't drinking, she was a dry drunk. For those of you that are fortunate enough to not have to experience this growing up, it means that even when she wasn't drinking, she still craved alcohol, and exhibited addict behavior.
I live four hundred miles away. My sister lives eighty miles away. Friends of the family have been checking on her periodically, and at one point, convinced her to go to rehab. The only thing the rehab center did was to dry the alcohol out of her system, rather than help her get the addiction out of her mind. Well, in short, it didn't work. She started drinking the next day, and lied to everyone about it. I was up in Michigan visiting for a friend's wedding, and offered to take her out to dinner. She was extremely happy, telling me that I could meet the new, sober Mom. I was so proud of her. And then my cousin called to say that my stepsister had found out that she was stinking drunk. Needless to say, the meeting never took place.
Now, Teresa, one of those selfsame friends of the family, harassed her way into Mom's apartment. This involved much pounding on doors and windows in the early afternoon, since she was in bed. Once inside... I've been told it was awful. The smell was enough to knock you down, with cat urine and feces everywhere (she has two cats), covered with kitty litter when she'd noticed, probably two weeks' of trash piled up in the dining room, cigarette butts and empty bottles just rolling around on the floor. She looked like she hadn't showered in a week or more, and later told Teresa that she "missed steak and chicken" because she doesn't know how to cook for one, and thus, is not eating. When asked about the state of the house, she just replied without apology, "I'm used to it." Her allergies are a mess, and she also has an eye infection that's causing it to run constantly.
The cats are apparently in very sorry shape. If she can't remember to feed herself, I doubt she's consistently feeding the cats. Ink is a diabetic, so it's amazing that he's still alive. Kimmee (my cousin) had her dad take the cats while Mom was in the rehab center, and in three days, they were completely different animals. Ink, with his diabetes and arthritic hips, was jumping around, playing, and both wanted lap time and to be the humans' sole, undivided attention.
Between the cats and the fact that she's not eating, I have little choice but to make her a ward of the state and to commit her. She clearly can't take care of herself, and when she decides to go out, she's a danger to herself and others, because I know damn well she's driving drunk. There's enough human empathy in me that I can't see her destroy herself like this. If Maintenance were to walk into her home, they'd file thirty-day notice on the spot.
What I need from you, O vast Flist, is advice. If anyone's been there (or knows someone who has), I would love advice and pointers on handling this, from the paperwork to speaking to the judge. I'd also love advice from the more fashion-savvy lot of you as to what's appropriate court dress for a twenty-something woman, without going overboard. Also, this will be happening in the state of Michigan, Macomb county, to be exact.
I leave on Sunday night, after work. Thank you all in advance.
My dad died back in March. Mom's always been an alcoholic, and when she wasn't drinking, she was a dry drunk. For those of you that are fortunate enough to not have to experience this growing up, it means that even when she wasn't drinking, she still craved alcohol, and exhibited addict behavior.
I live four hundred miles away. My sister lives eighty miles away. Friends of the family have been checking on her periodically, and at one point, convinced her to go to rehab. The only thing the rehab center did was to dry the alcohol out of her system, rather than help her get the addiction out of her mind. Well, in short, it didn't work. She started drinking the next day, and lied to everyone about it. I was up in Michigan visiting for a friend's wedding, and offered to take her out to dinner. She was extremely happy, telling me that I could meet the new, sober Mom. I was so proud of her. And then my cousin called to say that my stepsister had found out that she was stinking drunk. Needless to say, the meeting never took place.
Now, Teresa, one of those selfsame friends of the family, harassed her way into Mom's apartment. This involved much pounding on doors and windows in the early afternoon, since she was in bed. Once inside... I've been told it was awful. The smell was enough to knock you down, with cat urine and feces everywhere (she has two cats), covered with kitty litter when she'd noticed, probably two weeks' of trash piled up in the dining room, cigarette butts and empty bottles just rolling around on the floor. She looked like she hadn't showered in a week or more, and later told Teresa that she "missed steak and chicken" because she doesn't know how to cook for one, and thus, is not eating. When asked about the state of the house, she just replied without apology, "I'm used to it." Her allergies are a mess, and she also has an eye infection that's causing it to run constantly.
The cats are apparently in very sorry shape. If she can't remember to feed herself, I doubt she's consistently feeding the cats. Ink is a diabetic, so it's amazing that he's still alive. Kimmee (my cousin) had her dad take the cats while Mom was in the rehab center, and in three days, they were completely different animals. Ink, with his diabetes and arthritic hips, was jumping around, playing, and both wanted lap time and to be the humans' sole, undivided attention.
Between the cats and the fact that she's not eating, I have little choice but to make her a ward of the state and to commit her. She clearly can't take care of herself, and when she decides to go out, she's a danger to herself and others, because I know damn well she's driving drunk. There's enough human empathy in me that I can't see her destroy herself like this. If Maintenance were to walk into her home, they'd file thirty-day notice on the spot.
What I need from you, O vast Flist, is advice. If anyone's been there (or knows someone who has), I would love advice and pointers on handling this, from the paperwork to speaking to the judge. I'd also love advice from the more fashion-savvy lot of you as to what's appropriate court dress for a twenty-something woman, without going overboard. Also, this will be happening in the state of Michigan, Macomb county, to be exact.
I leave on Sunday night, after work. Thank you all in advance.