Good or bad for us?

[StepmomInSC]

My new wife and I  are in a modification of custody battle.  We have a guardian ad litem through the court that our lawyer picked.  GAL was appointed last August.  Since then we have had all our interviews and the home visits and everything.  All went great.  We and our lawyer feel that GAL is definitely on our side.  My questions are this.

1) Is it a good sign ( im assuming it is) that our lawyer was allowed by the judge to decide who the GAL was going to be?

2) Ex wife has not contacted GAL since she was appointed until two weeks ago when the GAL made a decision on what we needed to do about summer visitation and ex didnt like what GAL wanted us to do.
Is this good or bad?  Ex has not talked to GAL EVER.  GAL has tried to call her since Sept and has never received calls back from her.  Ive been with the GAL when she has tried to call her so I know she has.  Exwife is in Maine and I am in SC so all they really can do is phone calls.

3) I gave GAL's # to ex two weeks ago and she supposedly called and left GAL a message.  To date......GAL has spoke with us and with our lawyer several times but has never called Exwife.  Do you think that means she has made a decision and doesnt need to talk to ex or what could that mean? Im undecided whether its a good thing or bad thing that she doesnt seem to want to talk to my ex.

4) who do you think the judge would feel has the more stabile and healthy environment?  Could this be why the GAL hasnt talked to ex

We have had my son who was sick all the time and failing school for a year now and he has never been sick since we had him and he was the #1 kid in his 5th grade class this year academically.  We have above and beyond proven he is better off here.  Our lawyer says that all we really needed to do.  Mother isnt really fighting for him.  She is fighting for my 5 yr old daughter though.  5 yr old has epilepsy and no one is making any progress with her.  Her epilepsy has been under control since she was 3.  No documented seizures even though the mother claims she has them every night.  She has been through so many tests the last year that its ridiculous.  They are not seeing anything.  They dont even believe mother any more.  She has learning disabilities.  She has been in therapy for 2 yrs to get her ready for kindergarten and she still failed it this last year.    We are arguing that daughter would be fine if she wasnt with mother.  We feel the mother is purposely trying to hold her back so that everyone will feel sorry for mommy.  Mother doesnt try to get second opinions or any more help.  She keeps taking her to the same people who arent helping her.  Mother has moved 8 times in three years and we have been in our own home for the last three years.  Have had the same jobs.  Everything is the same.  My new wife and I have 4 yr old and 2 yr old.  

[smtotwo]

about Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy?  READ UP ON IT.  It sure sounds that way to me.

[StepmomInSC]

yeah.....and we have read up on it.  the lawyers agree and are prepared to use that if we need to.  They feel like we will be safe without having to bring that up but they have promised they will if we have to.

[lookinnomore]

I went through this 3 years ago with my boyfriend and his wife, the kids had an attorney so to speak, guardian lite place.  I think it sounds like you two have the better place for you son and sounds like the court thinks so too.  Stand back and let her continue to shoot herself in the foot!  GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS!

[Kitty C.]

MBP is VERY hard to prove, but just planting the bug may be at least enough to get the ball rolling.  MBP has finally gotten the attention it needs and there have been a few high profile cases that have put it on the map.  One of a young boy who went thru 50 some surgeries, NONE of them necessary.  The mother had ALL rights taken away, tho they did leave the door open if he wanted to contact her.  He said himself that she's sick and hope she gets the help she needs.

I would recommend to your attys. that they confer with medical attys. or ones who deal with medical malpractice.  A mother who's trying to convince others that her child has epilepsy is a loose cannon.  It's simple enough to disprove, with a continuous EEG in a sleep lab, but her PROVING it could be debilitating to the child, possibly even permanently.

Unfortunately, there have only been a few who have actually faced criminal charges with MBP, most only lose their rights.  But the one constant I have found in every case I've heard is that the large majority of the perpetrators were MOTHERS.  What is not known is how many of them were going thru custody fights at the time...............I think that would be HIGHLY enlightening...........