number one child is 15 [just] and is currently doing her gcse exams [she got moved up a year at school]
last few weeks she has been hard work [eg doing a runner on her birthday and getting p!ssed in a park with her friends, being generally sulky and unco operative etc] but we have cut her some slack due to her exams etc.
today she had/has 2 exams. She came home from the one this morning - went upstairs into her bedroom [nothing strange there] came down a bit later hysterical and bleeding - she had broken her pencil sharpener and taken the blade to her wrist. Fortunately i don't think it is very sharp and she wasn't trying very hard... still i am obviously very upset and concerned for her.
I have got a docs appointment for her at 5-30pm and have called H for him to get home in time for me to go with her - is up to her if i go into the surgery with her but i will take her and wait with her/for her at the very least.
I rang the school to inform them that she won't be going in this afternoon - her pastoral person will call me back when available.
I have tried talking to her but am getting no where - she says the exams aren't bothering her at all but that life is cr@p and she doesn't want to go on any more. Am hoping she opens up more to the doctors.
I told her that I will do what i can to help her - if she doesn't want to take the rest of her exams i don't mind - they aren't important right now and can be redone later in the year/next year or whatever
she won't talk to me - she is currently in bed under her duvet refusing to move - suppose i am on here asking for re-assurance that i have done the right things..... H offered to come home early but 1 - she doesn't want him to know and 2 - we can't really afford for him to take the afternoon off unpaid ? but he will be back in plenty of time for me to go to the docs with her without the kids.
any advice/experiences/sympathy welcome <weak smile> as i am having to hold it together here for my 4 year old who is in bits that her sister is hurt and bleeding and i just needed to offload to someone.
thank you
well first of all - many thanks for your help advice and support yesterday - your messages really helped me keep it together - really appreciated.
the school phoned me just before i went to see the midwife yesterday afternoon and were obviously concerned - they hadn't realised anything was wrong either and wanted to know if they could help.... I told them she was going to the doctors and we would take it from there. Purple Pixie - they told me we could probably get a form or letter from the doctor to send to the exam board but i said that was currently the least of my worries - but thank you for your advice on that.
the teacher asked if i thought it was a serious attempt or a cry for help.... tbh i think if she had been serious she would have used a razor blade or a kitchen knife rather than a pencil sharpner that has never sharpened anything.... doesn't stop it from being scary tho ☹️
H got home earlier than normal - she didn't want him to know so i said that i had told him she was poorly and needed to see the doctor - I had told him tbh cos i didn't feel it was something i wanted to deal with alone iyswim.
I took her up to the doctors - told her that it was up to her how she had the appointment - in the end she went in on her own but then came and got me after a little while. The doctor asked if anything had happened recently to trigger this - i said no - she agreed - he asked if there was a history of depression in the family - again i said no [cos there isn't] He told her she is obviously a clever and articulate girl and that hurting hersef isn't the answer to anything, told her that I was obviously concerned for her so that if she got to breaking point again to speak to me before she considered damaging herself.
He then said that he is going to refer her to the teen mental health people to get an assessment asap [over the next couple of days] as that is what she said she wanted - someone outside to talk to. He asked me if i was ok with that - so i said that if that is what she wants then that is fine by me and we will support her with it.
I left the room then whilst he had another chat with her and completed the forms. Came home and she went to bed pretty early - think she was worn out by the whole thing.
So we are waiting to hear from the doctor about a referral - he said he would call me this morning - and i have told her that it is up to her whether she goes in for her exam this afternoon.
thanks again everyone - don't think i would have got thru yesterday without you ?
