My Sister Karen

Our mother is getting taken to the cleanings by her broker, Robert Zorich, at Morgan Stanley.  She has dementia and can’t remember what she said from one minute to the next—a much less than ideal skill-set for day-trading in the stock market.  Nonetheless, Zorich is churning her account to the tune of 20,000 dollars in brokerage fees this year.  She is nowhere near close to breaking even with the stock market, much less coming out ahead.

My sister arranged to have our mother flown due to Sydney, Australia from Bellevue/Seattle, meet her in Sydney and then fly with her to my sister’s home in NE Australia near Cairns.  It was a lot of effort on my sister’s part.  Financial predators are clearly after our mother’s money.  Someone talked her into cashing out a $100,000 CD and putting the cash into her checking account.  Which was followed shortly thereafter by a check made out to “customer service” for $3000.  Nobody has been able to explain where that money went.  Our mother has a lawyer, Ladd Leavins, with power of attorney to oversee her financial transactions.  He was recommended to her by Zorich.  Leavins has refused to investigate who cashed the $3000 check.

I can’t deal with my mother even though she only lives 3 miles away.  Every time I have talked with her in the last 15 years, I have immediately self-medicated by smoking crack cocaine.  It is not worth the risking my life to try to help a woman that refuses to be helped by her children.

As expected, my sister had a tough time dealing with our mother.  I am proud of my sister for having stepped-up as much as she did to try to help protect our mother from herself and other financial predators.  Last year, we tried to get our mother a Guardian Ad Litem.  That was a painful expensive lesson in why we don’t talk with our mother.  I was out smoking crack for eight months. (I am a drug addict and that is how we handle too much pain when lacking in enough recovery).

Our family has been torn up by alcoholism, suicide and abusive behaviors.  I wish many things were different than how they are.  My recovery is contingent on a daily reprieve while I learn how to live life on life’s terms.  When I am mindful and in the moment, my life is always good enough if not even pretty good or better.

I am grateful for all my sister has done to help those who got lost in our family including me, our mother, and her step-sons’ Dan and Doug.  Dan, Doug and I would likely be dead by now without her love, guidance and support.   We would undoubtedly be far worse off than we are.  Karen, thank you for all you have done for so many of us.  We literally owe you are very lives.  It is Karen's birthday this month.  An example of her thoughtfulness towards others is that her birthday present from me is going to be a new coat for Dan.