“From Shadows to Strength: How a Daughter’s Courage Confronted the Legacy of Abuse in Her Family”
Quinten got sick again right around New Year’s Eve, and once again, was not taken to the doctor. All our father did was buy some Nyquil and Vick’s vapo rub, and told Cameron to give it to him. On Janurary 3rd, Cameron called me, freaking out saying “something is different- he’s not getting better. He won’t eat, he’s crying and I can’t get him to stop.” He put the phone up to Quinten’s ear, and I told him “Bubby, I love you. You’d better get better, I’m coming to town tomorrow and I’m going to hug you and squeeze you and take you home with me. Everything is going to be ok.” Cameron said he smiled, and stopped crying when he heard my voice. Cameron and I both begged our father to take Quinten to the hospital, and he said he would that evening- he didnt. So my husband and I made plans to leave town around noon the next day, drive down and phone the police from the house, and say “Either you guys take custody of the kids, or let us take them, but get them out of here.”
I told Cameron to hold Quinten, and rock him, run his hands through his hair, that even when medicine can’t make you feel better, hugs and snuggles sometimes do. So Cameron moved his mattress into the living room, and put it next to the couch where Quinten slept- because his mattress was too pee stained. If you zoom in on the cardboard in this picture, you can see feces dried on it. There was literally human and animal waste all over the house.
