Early this morning, today, I was awakened to a deep, sick feeling that something was wrong with Rod. I opened my emails, I was informed that in his current mental state, he made some decisions that I have no power to correct.
Rodney Vessels, without my consent as his power of attorney, bought a ticket to fly back to Minnesota, releasing me of any legal authority over his life.
All authority has been given back to him and his sister.
To ensure that I was doing the right thing, I had Julie Taggart (she drives like a “bat out of hell” so I called upon her skills) rush me to the airport to visit face-to-face with Rod. I called the airport authorities ahead of time to have them detain Rod until I could talk to him.
When I arrived, the security had detained Rod. I showed them the Power of Attorney, and after they had interviewed Rod, they could tell he wasn’t in his right mind. He was extremely disheveled, having not slept soundly for days. Rod asked the police to allow him to get on the flight and not let me stop him. The police decided that Rod was in no shape or form to make any decisions, so they told him, after reviewing the power of attorney, that they would follow my instructions for his care and the decisions of whether to let him board the flight.
I talked to Rod, but nothing I said to him could convince him of the great burden he has caused to me and the MWAW, and what he was doing would do to our relationship. He was stuck on some paranoid thinking that to most would seem incomprehensible. (I’m not going to go into this, as it is way too complicated.)
As I was conversing with Rod at the airport, a great peace came over me. I knew I had to let him go, just as the Brothers and I knew we had to let him go back in September of 2011 as I wept over Rod lying in his hospital bed just after his stroke.
This time, I knew that my relationship with Rodney in this life was over for good. I knew that the great amount of stress and burden that I had gone through during the past few months on his behalf was coming to an end. I felt good that I had been able to get his disability approved, and that, at least, he would have a good income in the few years to come that would make his and whomever would become his caretaker’s life a bit more bearable. What Rod had previously done for the MWAW was paid back to him in what we did for him. Now, he can rest knowing that he owes us nothing in devotion and the MWAW owes him nothing in devotion.
I knew Rodney was not in his right mind, but I was not going to fight for him further, as the stress would be too great. I was able to talk to his sister in Minneapolis, tell her all the details, and release Rod into her custody and care.
I hugged him, told him I loved him, but he was never to have anything to do with me or the MWAW again.
I let him go today. No matter what transpires in the future, Rodney’s life is in the hands of the “powers that be”, not mine. I want nothing further to do with him.
I have to address the financial burden that Rod has caused on many of you who have done incredible things to help him during the past few months. Those to whom he owes money because of what you have done for him, please be assured that somehow we will work out a solution to these financial problems. I am not going to burden Rodney’s life with having to account for these things and pay us back. Those so burdened, please trust me that you will be taken care of … I would appreciate this as we attempt to transition our affairs in a way that doesn’t include Rodney any longer.
The peace is lingering, even now.
I wish the best to Rodney.
What his life is worth will be determined by him alone, and those in whom he decided to place his care.
I need to sleep right now … I need a drink of something … I need to rest …
… even my mind is still mortal.
