Elizabeth: Cries for Help

My name is Elizabeth. I’m 27 years old and have a five-year-old daughter. I also have a loving fiancée.

When I was about 7 or 8 I was adopted by my biological grandfather. My life wasn’t easy. I was teased and called names at school and I was overweight. I noticed when I was in middle school I was really always depressed and suicidal. It wasn’t until I was 18 that I saw a doctor who diagnosed me with bipolar depression and I was put on meds. Since then I have been in and out of AFC (adult foster care) homes.

At the age of 21 I became pregnant. Nine months passed and I gave birth to a beautiful little girl. I couldn’t take my daughter home with me because I was living in an AFC home and didn’t have a stable environment to bring my daughter home to. I was told that either DHS would take her away from me or I had to sign over guardianship to a person I thought I could trust. I was young, and scared that I might lose my daughter forever, so I went with my heart and signed limited guardianship over to someone I thought was a friend I could trust. I was promised by this person that I would get my daughter back when I got my own place and income. I basically became an adult quickly. I have been on my own for 4 ½ years and have my own income and my own place with my fiancée. I still don’t have my daughter back and the guardian makes sure to see that I never get my baby back.

My life has been hell for the past 5 years of my daughter’s life. My heart aches constantly and I am constantly reminded how bad of a mother I am to my daughter and I will never be a part of her life. I’ve been in and out of court for 5 years now, same old story. Every time I get a lawyer to represent me they make the case worse than it was to begin with. One of my attorneys walked out on my case and didn’t come back. So here I am back at square one with less time seeing my daughter.

I will fight for my daughter as long as I live. My daughter means everything to me. People say God won’t give you more than you can handle. I look at this situation with my daughter and it strengthens me. I’ve been going to Club Cadillac for 8 years for support and I have lots of wonderful friends there. At Club they accept me for who I am.

I have a wonderful fiancée who’s been by my side through my ordeal with my daughter. I must say life is good. I’m surrounded by people who love me and support me no matter what. I just want people to know they are not alone with whatever they are going through. Life gives you lemons, make lemonade. My dream someday is to have my daughter and be a family and have my own home.