for everyone.”
“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore. Be specific,” Michael pled.
Mac acquiesced. “To say that one recovers from abuse, regardless of the type, is not accurate. One survives it and compensates for it when and if they are able.”
“So, they don’t get over it, they get beyond it.”
“Good analogy. Christy’s wellness may be a two-steps-forward, one-step-back process for a fair while.”
When his dad went into doctor mode, his voice, its cadence, was warm and round on the senses. “Are you saying Christy’s permanently mentally ill?”
“No. I’m saying that his psyche may be fragile. It’s no different from any injury. Take a broken leg for example. When healed, it won’t be as strong as it originally was, and it may fracture again easily. The important thing to remember is, though you may limp, it doesn’t mean that you can’t walk or run.”
“What do I need to do for him?”
“Watch for triggers, depression, extreme behavior, social discomforts, those sorts of things.”
“What do you mean by triggers?”
“Triggers are trauma reminders. They’re things that set off negative or extreme responses. For instance, he may be afraid of the dark, claustrophobic, he may be sensitive to raised voices, may not like certain smells or sensations, and may need to be reassured often.”
“He doesn’t like to be touched.”
“You two held hands this evening.”
“We can only touch when he touches me. Rob says it’s a control thing.”
Mac nodded, sage in his understanding.
Michael pressed for more information. “What do you mean by social discomforts?”
“Victims are often socially self-conscious. The most ordinary environments, or circumstances that seem entirely common to you, may be uncomfortable for him.”
“He doesn’t seem awkward, only shy.”
“Symptoms can be very subtle.”
“So, he’s high maintenance?”
“I don’t like the connotation of that phrase. He may require reassurance beyond the norm, but that doesn’t make him incompetent or deficient.”
Michael nodded as he processed the information. “I met this little kid tonight, Darien. He couldn’t have been more than four or five.”
“Children under the age of four represent the largest percentage of abused and neglected children in our country, with the highest fatality rate being under the age of one. More than five children die each day from abuse and neglect.”
“That’s seriously sick.”
“I’m sorry to say, despite some published statistics, the rate of child abuse and neglect in this country is growing at an alarming rate. Some sources say that it’s increased nearly 150 percent in the past seven years.”
Michael shook his head, disbelieving. “Darien asked if I was going to hurt Christy.”
Mac smiled. “I’m not surprised, given his background, and he’s quite a character. Not the least bit shy.”
“He’s one of your patients?”
“Yes.”
“He’s seems really attached to Christy.”
“Good for them.”
“Do you think I should talk to Christy about what happened to him?”
“Unless something occurs that demands it, let him raise it. Then, be a good and careful listener.”
“Christy said he was at Wellington because of his neck injury, but the stuff Rob gave me talks about sexual abuse.”
Mac was silent.
“Dad,” Michael groaned.
“The scar on Christy’s neck extends behind both ears into his hairline. The scar is also very symmetrical as if made by a continuous object, rather than, say, a knife.”
“Come on, Dad, spit it.”
“Christy may have tried to commit suicide by hanging himself.”
Michael winced and sensed there was more on his dad’s mind. “Or?”
Mac threw his hands up. “Or someone strangled him.”
“You’re saying someone tried to murder him?”
“Or got carried away trying to subdue him.”
“Why would someone try to subdue him—strike that.”
“This is nothing more than conjecture on our parts. For all we know,
“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore. Be specific,” Michael pled.
Mac acquiesced. “To say that one recovers from abuse, regardless of the type, is not accurate. One survives it and compensates for it when and if they are able.”
“So, they don’t get over it, they get beyond it.”
“Good analogy. Christy’s wellness may be a two-steps-forward, one-step-back process for a fair while.”
When his dad went into doctor mode, his voice, its cadence, was warm and round on the senses. “Are you saying Christy’s permanently mentally ill?”
“No. I’m saying that his psyche may be fragile. It’s no different from any injury. Take a broken leg for example. When healed, it won’t be as strong as it originally was, and it may fracture again easily. The important thing to remember is, though you may limp, it doesn’t mean that you can’t walk or run.”
“What do I need to do for him?”
“Watch for triggers, depression, extreme behavior, social discomforts, those sorts of things.”
“What do you mean by triggers?”
“Triggers are trauma reminders. They’re things that set off negative or extreme responses. For instance, he may be afraid of the dark, claustrophobic, he may be sensitive to raised voices, may not like certain smells or sensations, and may need to be reassured often.”
“He doesn’t like to be touched.”
“You two held hands this evening.”
“We can only touch when he touches me. Rob says it’s a control thing.”
Mac nodded, sage in his understanding.
Michael pressed for more information. “What do you mean by social discomforts?”
“Victims are often socially self-conscious. The most ordinary environments, or circumstances that seem entirely common to you, may be uncomfortable for him.”
“He doesn’t seem awkward, only shy.”
“Symptoms can be very subtle.”
“So, he’s high maintenance?”
“I don’t like the connotation of that phrase. He may require reassurance beyond the norm, but that doesn’t make him incompetent or deficient.”
Michael nodded as he processed the information. “I met this little kid tonight, Darien. He couldn’t have been more than four or five.”
“Children under the age of four represent the largest percentage of abused and neglected children in our country, with the highest fatality rate being under the age of one. More than five children die each day from abuse and neglect.”
“That’s seriously sick.”
“I’m sorry to say, despite some published statistics, the rate of child abuse and neglect in this country is growing at an alarming rate. Some sources say that it’s increased nearly 150 percent in the past seven years.”
Michael shook his head, disbelieving. “Darien asked if I was going to hurt Christy.”
Mac smiled. “I’m not surprised, given his background, and he’s quite a character. Not the least bit shy.”
“He’s one of your patients?”
“Yes.”
“He’s seems really attached to Christy.”
“Good for them.”
“Do you think I should talk to Christy about what happened to him?”
“Unless something occurs that demands it, let him raise it. Then, be a good and careful listener.”
“Christy said he was at Wellington because of his neck injury, but the stuff Rob gave me talks about sexual abuse.”
Mac was silent.
“Dad,” Michael groaned.
“The scar on Christy’s neck extends behind both ears into his hairline. The scar is also very symmetrical as if made by a continuous object, rather than, say, a knife.”
“Come on, Dad, spit it.”
“Christy may have tried to commit suicide by hanging himself.”
Michael winced and sensed there was more on his dad’s mind. “Or?”
Mac threw his hands up. “Or someone strangled him.”
“You’re saying someone tried to murder him?”
“Or got carried away trying to subdue him.”
“Why would someone try to subdue him—strike that.”
“This is nothing more than conjecture on our parts. For all we know,
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