Wow, stylin.
You’re a survivor.
survivor is a good word.
it took a long time to reconcile the fact that being at the orphanage saved my and my sister’s life.
mom left us and my dad when i was 4 or 5 and my sister was 2 years younger.
My dad got custody of us (in the 50’s, the father getting custody was unheard of - my dad’s father was connected)
My dad was in his cups so his mom came(along with his youngest brother) to live with us she and took care of us for a couple of years.
My dad got worse and my grandmother couldn’t handle him anymore (she was away from her husband for these years).
Hence we got sent to the orphanage...not technically orphans but we never saw our mom again and she died when i was 18.
There is a website dedicated to that orphanage. run by the former asylum residents. good stories\sad stories and accurate history of the place. - with photos here and there.
I’ll leave a link to it on my home page.