Praise God, I’m still here. After undergoing chemotherapy for Stage IIIc colon cancer in 2019 and facing the pandemic as high risk, the courts failed to protect me and my child in a toxic co-parenting situation, causing lasting harm to both of us. They removed critical safeguards—ignoring a court-ordered custody evaluator's recommendation to grant me legal and physical custody, allowing unenforceable custody language so court-ordered parenting coordinators could go unused/ignored, and providing no parenting plan or holiday schedule for over eight years.

Even when a rogue doctor, for over a decade, set up double binds by dismissing specialists’ advice and encouraging my teen to do the same, the courts remained silent, allowing the chaos and parental alienation to escalate. These actions, which have persisted for years, are also a red flag for potential sex trafficking, as creating confusion and conflict in this way is a known tactic used to manipulate and control. Additionally, there was no safe visitation schedule for me during the pandemic, deliberately putting my life at risk.

Meanwhile, my teen's school ignored federal law requiring a 504 plan to reduce my teen’s stress. From 2021 to early 2023, I suffered weekly blood pressure crises from the stress, including from fearing for my life during the pandemic, and still, the courts did nothing, even as my teen faced severe self-harm as a consequence. Once I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, the blood pressure crises stopped, but then I was diagnosed with two brain aneurysms—17mm and 7mm—pressing on my optic nerves and causing permanent vision loss. Thankfully, they have been treated.

I know many parents in my situation wouldn’t have survived, and I’m deeply grateful to God for sustaining me. I also thank WGTS for keeping me strong, especially when their staff called to pray with me during my darkest moments.