I'm finding out more details all the time. This is through my cousin, Cousin Dear, as the family still seems to be protecting us (Mom, Dad, Brother Deere and me) from our own memories of my brother's suicide.
I guess the good to come out of this is that she did not use her husband's gun to commit suicide. There will be no criminal investigations. Those precious children will not lose their father too.
I am learning DMcB had a history of depression, and possibly schizophrenia, too. She had tried as a teenager to slit her wrists, only to be stopped by her father kicking down the door. I'm not sure of details after that, if she got help or not. Probably not, from the information I've received.
Fast forward to adulthood. She's been raising a young daughter on her own. Finds a wonderful man, they marry and have two more children, two boys. One of the boys is sickly, he's severely allergic to wheat, eggs, dairy and heaven knows what else. He has breathing problems. And he takes it like a trouper. His mother, on the other hand, is overtaxed with special menus for him, breathing treatments and constant trips to the emergency room. All this while fighting her own depression.
Somewhere along the way, she starts to threaten to kill herself AND her children. She yells, screams, shakes and neglects the children. As far as the world knows, she's well balanced, happy, candidate for mother of the year.
This brings us to September 10. DMcB and TMack had been in a screaming match for days. TMack, age 18, says she's going to her grandmother's house until her mother can be more reasonable - and get some help. At this point, DMcB is once again threatening suicide and to take the boys with her. This is where things get sketchy ... we are not sure IF Tmack took her brothers with her or not.
DMcB goes to bed. Her hubby was sleeping on the couch (by choice or fell asleep watching tv, we don't know). DMcB waits until the middle of the night and hangs herself in the bathroom, off the shower curtain rod. Her hubby found her in the morning, hours later.
As he's trying to resuscitate her he somehow manages to puncture a hole in his esophagus. He drives himself to the hospital some twelve hours later, complaining of swollen throat and breathing problems. He's airlifted to U of M hospital and will have to have a feeding tube for a few weeks until his esophagus heals. Hopefully no surgery will be needed.
How much more can this family take?
We're left with so many more questions than answers.
But, odd as it sounds, I'm grateful she hung herself and didn't use his gun. And I'm definitely grateful for whatever reason she had, she did not take the boys (and possibly TMack) with her, that the children are safe.
*****
And it just keeps coming ...
*****
Alien hadn't heard from the Knight in Rusty Armor for weeks. Yesterday out of the blue he texts her ... well not exactly out of the blue ... and tells her he's calling her, to make herself available.
He tells Alien it started on September 10, that he got a call from Children's Protective Service (CPS) that his daughter, Mimi, was in the hospital. She had gotten a hold of some drugs and had overdosed on them. She is in the hospital, unconscious and on life support.
I should probably add that the mother to this little girl and her boyfriend (husband?) are under investigation by CPS for child abuse and neglect, and have been for a while now.
What's uncertain is if they were illegal drugs (quite possible with the mother) or prescription. Regardless ... she shouldn't have been able to access them.
Next day, he got a text from the mother of his five year old daughter, "well, no need to worry about coming to visit Mimi. she's dead." But, this evil woman has tried stunts like this in the past, saying Mimi's passed so that the Knight in Rusty Armor disappears from their life.
However, this time it sent him into a panic because CPS had called him. He texted Alien, hoping she could get him the answers he needed, as he was too distraught.
She was able to confirm that, indeed, little Mimi never woke up and passed sometime on Sept. 11.
We don't know if there will be criminal charges yet or not. I'm hoping and praying there are. That poor little girl did not deserve this.
*****
When does it end? Gawd, why can't life go back to the usual crap? Where the biggest complaints I have are that DIL doesn't play nice with others ... where the Gremlin complicates things with "his" antics ... where Mom wonders aloud if they've colonized the moon so I can move there ...

So very very sad Lisa and am so sorry for you all. Hang in there hun and one day at a time.. big love and HUGS!!!
ReplyDeleteHelen, thanks. Definitely one day at a time. The viewing is Friday, funeral on Saturday. I'm just focusing on today ... tomorrow will be worried about tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing better with this than most others in the family are. And I thank the love and support all these years from the ladies of "Survivors of Suicide - Those Left Behind", an AOL chat group I used to belong to ... I miss SOS-TLB! What a group we were!!
(((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy ... I needed that!
ReplyDeleteSorry that I haven't caught up with your news sooner. It's been a tough time for you. I've lost the will to blog as there seems to be no middle ground - either everything is good, or everything is awful. By the time I've shared good news the bad has come along to put me back down.
ReplyDeleteWe heard this week that my brother's Cancer is back, my sister and I have resolved not to let it get us down but to 'swear a lot and eat chocolate'!!
Helen, thank you. It had been a rough time, but thankfully we're doing much better now. I hear you on the extremes, seems there's no middle ground, either it's all running fantastically, or it's down the tubes.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that your brother's cancer is back. My thoughts and prayers for him. And your resolution to swear and eat lots of chocolates sounds good! I'll join you in support!!