I felt pretty discouraged with not a lot of places to turn todayI. Trying to work on Son #2's locations but they were starting to look more like Houston, TX or the NE part of the country. As in, New York.
I started the day off with talking to Ruby the Red the social worker of OZ. Not a lot of encouraging new news, but I still needed to call the DHS worker back. After lunch I finally had time to call her and she confirmed she was looking more towards New York. I told her I really didn't see if the judge wasn't excited about Texas, and keeping tabs on Carson, how excited would she be about some place even further away? Not to mention, I'm pretty sure a NY price tag is a little heftier than a TX one. How would broke butt Oklahoma possibly say yes to New York?!
She said she'd keep me in the loop and we hung up. I knew she could hear the disappointment in my voice. I have made peace with Carson living apart from me for the rest of his life. What I have NOT made peace with, nor will I, is never seeing him on a regular basis. I 'm all about what benefits Carson the most. And me or his family not seeing him, does not. He gets upset after I leave the hospital for Pete's sake!
Yes the three best states for autism facilities are Oregon, Texas & New York---but I'm thinking I still have family in OK. I need access to everyone.
So I contacted a friend that had sent me a PitBull Lawyer's name---calling her tomorrow. Just confirming she works for the publicity and out of the goodness of her heart and not for real things like money.
Then I reached out to my Texas Lawyer. (He is going to be my attorney when I'm a real author and writing books, living in Texas with Carson.)
I went to college with this guy and he always made me smile--and today he didn't let me down!
It had been awhile since I reached out, but I messaged him a couple of quick questions about Texas residency. He was good with answers and we discussed how quickly someone can move to Texas and become a resident, and if that would allow Carson's case to be moved from OK state insurance to TX state insurance.
Then he calls me--I wanted to kiss this guy!!! He says he was swamped with work at his firm, back in October when I was asking him about the Dallas Autism Treatment Center. Apparently he had asked his partner back in October if he knew anyone in the DATC. He said nope.
Fast forward to today, my TX Lawyer asks him again.( His partner is the type of guy who grew up around the Dallas area and seems to always know someone.)
Today his partner looks up the website. Looks at the board of directors. Yep---seems Partner went to school with a board member. And THAT Dallas Autism Treatment Center board member has a son who is IN the DATC. Partner calls the board member.
(Now remember, I said DATC keeps saying no because their board doesn't want anymore OK $$)
Board Member guy says, "You guys need to call Mrs. Executive Director of the Board. She is the one who holds the cards & where the buck stops. Tell her I recommended you call."
Texas Lawyer is going to call Mrs. Executive Director of the Board tomorrow at 11am central standard time!!! I can only hope and pray that her heart is softened by Carson's story. That her heart is pricked by what the state of Oklahoma has done to him, that she will allow him to come there for his forever home.
Now---how can this be, you ask, if she wants no OK funding?
Ruby the Red and I have a small theory that Dr G that runs the DATC, is taking what happened (with the yanking of the funding in June) personally---as if these were her children. She is asking the board not to accept any other kids from OK. And this I cannot fault her for---THIS is the very same reason I want him there!!!!! Don't you see? If she will fight for her kids that hard to protect them---she's the one for my CarCar!!
So maybe Dr G is a little biased and maybe God can use my Texas Lawyer to soften her heart!!
Texas Lawyer also thinks if we maybe offer up the idea of a trust fund, it may appeal to them with the funding issue. Say for example Exec Dir of the Board lady says it's $250,000 for Carson to go to the Dallas Autism Treatment Center for 2 yrs. He suggested we ask the state of OK to put that into a trust for Carson so there is no way anyone else can access it or retract it.
That would give me 2 yrs to work on turning him into a Texas resident. Then the money for his future there would be TX money.
The two ways I could go about this is, when we go to court Jan 19, asking the judge to make that happen. Or (sort of my dream Rambo Mom moment) of me going back to the state capital with what is hopefully my Pit-bull OK Lawyer, to say---"Make this funding happen for him or I walk from here straight to a news camera with disgusting pictures that I will not hesitate to turn over to a child advocacy group, or a civil rights lawyer and sue your stupid butts and get the money THAT way." Don't make me choose, because I have been ITCHING for a real knock down drag out fight with someone for a long while!!! I have anger stored up the likes you have never seen!!!
So--I called Ruby the Red back and we discussed what questions we want to send TX Lawyer in with tomorrow. I am texting him that list right after I send this.
I have my prayer warriors all over this---as well as nurses--doctors & friends/family.
I cannot contain the hopeful excitement I feel---it's been so long I almost didn't recognize it.
My prayers requests are as follows:
1. Pray this woman WANTS to let Carson into the DATC.
2. Pray TX Lawyer asks/says the right things. And that I sent him with the right questions/words.
3. Pray Exec Dir of the Board CAN let Carson into DATC.
4. Pray for funding to be available from whatever corner of the state or world she wants it to magically appear from. (such a tangled web of agencies & waiver money)
5. Pray hard Christians, that THIS is the door God wants to open and the heart He wants to soften.
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