Hi Renee,

I'm so sorry we haven't answered you!

Our regulars are a small group and often stay in the chat area and forget to check the wider board.

Your situation sounds really hard. Do you have a friend or a church you could reach out to for support? Even the hospital chaplain or social worker might be someone to talk to.

CPS is usually reluctant to take kids out of a home unless it is really unsafe. Do you have clear exits in case of fire, working, accessible plumbing, a foot of clearance around stove burners and A working fridge with food in it that has not expired? I would start there.

Then clean dishes, clean clothes and clear, clean beds for the kids. Grab a bag and start filling it with trash, take it out right away. Maybe the kids can help? Try not to bring anything else into the house unless it is really essential (like toilet paper and fresh food)

I need help with my home. I am terrified to ask for help in fear that I could lose my children. The more fear I'm in the worse things get. I had a handle on things for the most part except my bedroom and piles of laundry.

Then my second oldest daughter went no contact. My birth mother became worse with having more strokes, falling off the wagon, homelessness. Then my husband went into the hospital for CHF in May at 45. And I'm so overwhelmed and now every room in the house is bad.

I don't know where to turn.