I've been meaning to post an update on my son for awhile now. He's been clean and sober for over 3 months now, and, so far, the only random drug test that he's failed was the one he took right after he got out of Bradford (which was about 2 weeks after he quit using). He hasn't missed a court date or a group meeting yet and I don't have to remind him or nag him to get him there. He does it on his own. His group counselors and the judge referee all say that he's doing great. His license was going to be suspended, but, because he's in the court ordered drug program, the judge issued an order staying the suspension of his license as long as he's in the drug program.

Last week was fall break in Alabama. He spent his fall breaking helping his grandmother who had had knee surgery. He drove her to her therapy sessions and drove his aunt (who doesn't drive) to the grocery. I half expected him to take off after he had done what they needed done, but he spent the whole day at his grandmother's house. His grandmother bragged on him to me for an hour one night, especially how carefully he drove her around.

Just a short update

Sorry for the delay in updating. My son completed his inpatient treatment, and is going to NA meetings and Continuing Care counseling. Today was his court date. It went OK. We were both so nervous this morning that neither of us could eat breakfast. Everyone got called in one at a time. In some cases, they let you know ahead of time what was going to be suggested. They suggested probation and a program called New Horizon Drug Court for my son. It's a combination of counseling plus monitoring by the court. For the first 12 weeks, he goes 3 nights a week, from 5:30 - 8:30, then it drops down to one night a week for the rest of the program (if everything is going good). He has a probation officer and has to submit to random drug tests. He also has to check in with the court one day a week (at 3:30). If he completes this program successfully, his record will be erased. My son agreed to this and basically pled guilty. I think it's a pretty good deal compared to what he could have got.

Just Another Day in Paradise - Part 4

Just got back from Bradford. There are only two places in Alabama that will work with Blue Cross on this kind of care. However, they only take patients who are in need of detox. The business office lady offered 10 days of treatment for $2500. I closed out 2 of my IRAs to pay that. So, he's got treatment for 10 days. I got the number of outpatient services in order to start working with them now about insurance.

I called my sister to see if she could lend me some money. She wasn't in, so that's when I decided to close my IRAs. She called me back and I got the "too easygoing" lecture from her (got another one shortly after that from my ex-mother-in-law) and that I needed to take care of myself. She probably would have lent me the money, too, but that's water under the bridge. My sister says that I should stay home and not go to Atlanta tomorrow. I still have my hotel reservation, though, and I really want to go. If I don't go, I'll end up just moping around the house or working.

As I was typing this, I got a phone call from Bradford. My son is doing pretty good (still some denial issues, e.g., "I can quit anytime"), but he's cooperating and adjusting well.

Just Another Day in Paradise - Part 3

Insurance lady called me just a little bit ago. She couldn't get anything worked out with Bradford. She's now looking for some place that will take my son and accept my insurance.

Just Another Day in Paradise - Part 2

Added after I got home:

One of the business office people from Bradford called back. They want someone from the insurance company to call them tomorrow to try and work this out. The lady that I talked to at the insurance company afterwards said that she would call them first thing in the morning, and if they couldn't get it worked out, she would try to find another program. I cried on the phone during both phone calls.

My ex-mother-in-law called, and even though my son didn't want her to know, I told her. I also called my sister and my mother and told them. Everyone is pretty upset with my son, and even though I don't think they meant to, they made me feel even worse about being a terrible mother.