Update about my son

I want to thank all of you who helped me through dealing with my son's depression and his suicidal thoughts a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if you can even begin to imagine how much your words and your prayers meant.

I wanted to let you know that my son has done a complete turn around and is happier than I remember ever seeing him. He got his car fixed, cleaned up a lot of things that needed to be taken care of in his life (such as long-overdue library books, etc.), and told me that he believes he has been given a chance to start new. He has registered for fulltime college and has made two new friends. These two friends were over here today with Christopher, and the three of them just blew me away with their musical talent! I was astounded. Christopher played our grand piano and Eric played the flute - the music was so beautiful that it sounded like Angels playing. I was making paella in the kitchen and listening to them play all kinds of music.... including all my favorites - Chopin, the score from Phantom of the Opera, and so much more. I was in heaven! I told Eric and Christopher that they should definately hire themselves out to play weddings, parties, etc. (Christopher plays piano for a dinner theater group). They are going to practice together and do it! Christopher has so much to look forward to now.

Thank you everybody! He made it through, I made it through...and you helped a whole lot.

what a wonderful update whisper! christopher will remain in my prayers...

Whisper I am so glad to hear that!!
The picture you painted of hearing the music while cooking and feeling your son's happiness fill your home as he interacted with his new friends is beautiful!

:)
Happy Hugs!

Whisper - the picture you painted was beautiful. I can only imagine that it really must have been heavenly - the music, you cooking, everything in its place again, and new hope!

God bless Whisper!

What great news....and I agree with the picture that you painted.... amazing what can happen in a week!!!
My best to ALL of you!

What great news!!!!! Teenage years are NOT easy..... Probably one of the hardest parts of your life.. it's so confusing... good for him..... !!! :)

Awww Melodee {{{hugs}}}

I'm so proud for you!! I know that each and every step in the right direction that Christopher makes is SO wonderful for you. It brought tears to my eyes to think how awsome you must have felt hearing those boys play:) Its one of those times in your life when you feel like your heart is just going to burst with love.

You're all in my thoughts and prayers,
Sherry

Originally posted by whisper
I want to thank all of you who helped me through dealing with my son's depression and his suicidal thoughts a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if you can even begin to imagine how much your words and your prayers meant.

I wanted to let you know that my son has done a complete turn around and is happier than I remember ever seeing him. He got his car fixed, cleaned up a lot of things that needed to be taken care of in his life (such as long-overdue library books, etc.), and told me that he believes he has been given a chance to start new. He has registered for fulltime college and has made two new friends. These two friends were over here today with Christopher, and the three of them just blew me away with their musical talent! I was astounded. Christopher played our grand piano and Eric played the flute - the music was so beautiful that it sounded like Angels playing. I was making paella in the kitchen and listening to them play all kinds of music.... including all my favorites - Chopin, the score from Phantom of the Opera, and so much more. I was in heaven! I told Eric and Christopher that they should definately hire themselves out to play weddings, parties, etc. (Christopher plays piano for a dinner theater group). They are going to practice together and do it! Christopher has so much to look forward to now.

Thank you everybody! He made it through, I made it through...and you helped a whole lot.

Sweet! another fellow classical musician!:D :cool:

Melodee~

What a wonderful outcome to a very scary situation!


Many good wishes to you, Christopher and your family.



xoxo:)

I'm glad to hear that things are moving in the right direction...just keep your eyes open and enjoy this happy time! I hope that the future is brighter for your son from now on!

Wonderful new Melodee!
May this be the path of contentment that your
son will follow for many years to come!

I know how it feels to have a troubled son-
I have one too.
My son will be 25 in August and he has a hard time in life
coping with ...well, life.
He's great when times are good-
but has a heck of a time dealing with the not-so-good.

I hope you will continue to encourage your son to
work on his skills in dealing with depression
life's frustrations.
With my son, it is when times are good with him that
I oftentimes worry the most-
that when he comes across a pitfall in life-
he'll become discouraged and depressed again.

My son needs anger management, but won't go.
It's been hard for us, but especially him.
He has threatened to kill himself so many times,
that I don't even react to it anymore.

He lives in Arizona and I am in Washington.
(He's lived there 2 years now)
He has been doing better lately and I am very
pleased for that- but I still can't sit back and be
completely worry-free.
All it takes is one set back in life for him
and he falls into the valley of doom and gloom.

I wish you son the very best and hope that
his past depressions remain that -
a part of the past.



<FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=768A76 FACE="Lucida Handwriting">~Sage~ </FONT><img src="http://ChasingDownTheBlue.homestead.com/files/femme.gif">

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sage

....that when he comes across a pitfall in life-
he'll become discouraged and depressed again.


All it takes is one set back in life for him
and he falls into the valley of doom and gloom.

________________________________________________

That's the thing, Sage. My son will be fine until the next time. I'm trying to use this opportunity to get him to see that even though there may be clouds, the sun will always shine again. I know...it's a lot harder to realize that during a depression, but at least I might be able to help him to think along those lines.

Sage, I hope that your son will be ok. I know that must be really hard to be so far from your son when he's going through the depression:( . As far as the anger management, sometimes a person has to hit bottom with their anger before realizing that person admits that there really *is* an anger problem. That's a really sad fact, but it's true.

Thank you, everyone, for all your replies.

What a relief! Maybe this time he will really start a new phase of his life that doesn't include depression.

Thank you for letting us know. I am so very happy for you that he is better. Does he still have the transportation problem? Or have all the issues been addressed? If there are still issues, encourage him to take care of those while he is feeling good.

Music is a wonderfull way to help a musician. I told you that my son had tried to committ suicide. It was at a time that he didn't have access to a piano. He is a very good musician and composer. After that I made sure he always had a piano to sit at and play his problems away. It really helped. I bought him a cheap upright that cost more to have tuned than it did to buy. Since it was large and heavy to move around, I later got him an electronic piano at a very good price. He could do music, play for weddings, etc and get paid. lots of things. And he could also use the piano to take out his frustrations with life. He wrote songs about how he was feeling. But we never had the fears and the scares again about suicide.

Hugs

Silver, that is great about your son. Playing music and composing songs really helps a lot. It's amazing, isn't it? I wish that my other three sons would have stuck with music.....maybe some day they'll take it up again.

Melodee, how did I miss this post?

I'm so glad that things are looking up for Christopher. He may have finally found a way to deal with his problems. Music is such a wonderful way to vent. It's also a babe and friend magnet, so maybe he can stop feeling so alone, even if these friendships eventually peter out.

Hugs to you and the family. I hope you can finally find some time to breathe.

(((HUG)))
Jane

Thanks Jane and *everyone* who wrote throughout this whole ordeal. Things are going so well right now; I wish that it could always be like this - but......I know that life is comprised of ups and downs. I just wish that the "ups" could last forever.

Btw, Jane....thanks to you and your pressure cooker thread, I'm right in the middle of cooking Pot-au-Feu in my pressure cooker today;)

I'm so happy to hear that your son is doing better, Melodee. :)

Melodee, I'm so glad to hear he's doing so much better. Seems like very intelligent, gifted people have so much more difficulty learning to deal with life.

Originally posted by Bella
Melodee, I'm so glad to hear he's doing so much better. Seems like very intelligent, gifted people have so much more difficulty learning to deal with life. Bella, I've always noticed that. It makes me think about a book that I read years ago - Flowers for Algernon. They made a movie out of it called Charly. It had a big impact on me.

Melodee, I am thinking of you and yours, take one day at a time, my son goes to his physiciatric appt. June 23rd, and his Med appt. July 13th, he so needs it, to some this isn't something some grow out of.
Your son is SOOOOO talented, how beautiful, the piano playing..
I wish you tons of love, hope and peace.
~Tammy

Thanks again, everybody, for your encouraging posts. You're the *best*!