Worried ....long post

[jgg]

I am new to this board, and I need some opinons from someone who may or may not have gone through a custody battle from hell.
 I have been fighting for custody of my 3 year old son for about 2 years and I finally have a date for a pretrial here in MA.
When I decided to leave my ex I planned on taking my son with me. My ex had psychological problems and has been on medication for many years. When I attempted to leave with my son, she claimed I abused her and had me arrested for assault, which never took place. I went to court and I was found countinued without finding in her case due to her changing the story many times. The court awarded her joint custody with her being the custodial parent as well as joint legal.
About 10 months after the initial ruling and after many suspected neglect issues I observed she became instituionalised for threating to kill her other son as well as herself. She was diagnosed as severly bipolar and she lost custody of not only my son but her other son from a previous marrage. the court awarded her 1 day, 5 hour visitations during the day only.
She started to have her weekly visits but she disapeared on 1/11 claiming she was ill and did not resume visits until May of the same year. We requested information from her doctor on her mental state, which my ex refused to do claiming "privilaged information" In addition we found out there was 2 social services reports against her for neglect.

Currently I have had been the custodial parent for the last 15 months, we have 2 GALS on the case that have stated that I should have full legal and physical custody as well as the DSS reports which state she is unable to take care of 2 children. I also have hords of strange e-mails from her that are very irrational. My ex has been taking a restraining order out for the last 2 years in some strange attempt to prove that I am abusive, which I am not. She has also filed for SSI disability for an unknown reason, which I think may be psychological reasons. She is currently on medications for her issues but now che claims she was never institutionalised ever, even though I know of two prior incidents

I now live with my new wife, her son from a previos marrage, and my 3 year old son. the two boys are inseperatble. and we have been a very happy stable family. My laywer is filing a motion for her medical records to be viewed by the judge in camera.

My question is has anyone been through a nightmare like this and what are your thoughts on my success. I worry each day that her getting custody back would do great harm to my child...

[Stepmomnow]

No, I have not been through anything like what you are going through, and I doubt anyone else has.  Your ex sound very unstable.  

I would think that your chances of getting full custody are very good.  My only comment is that I hope you are in contact with the other child's father, because you may be able to share information for the good of both the children.

And I hope your lawyer is very good.

Good Luck