GOOD NEWS - CISCO HAS RELAPSED AGAIN Posted by:Rocco--Friday, August 27, 2010

Good News

Our son Cisco has relapsed again.

Good News because…

… Cisco stayed clean for almost eight months. This is the best he has done in almost four years.

… we have a great support team from Allegheny County Probation, Wesley Spectrum and Gateway that Cisco could not dupe.

… Sally and I were able to stand up in court in July and request that Cisco’s probation be extended for an additional six months.

… Sally and I and our support team were "On Alert" and aware that Cisco was beginnig to slip up.

… Cisco’s probation officer’s intuition finally said “I am NOT comfortable with this! Let’s get him to a safe place before he really falls flat.”

… after Rocco escorted Cisco to Shuman Center, we did find evidence that Cisco had plans to escalate his addictive behavior.

…when Cisco tried his best manipulation tactics during our Shuman visit both Sally and I were able to get up, end the visit and walk out without feeling guilty.

… Sally was able to call up the strength before his hearing and tell Cisco, to his face, “No, you are not coming home and I am not sure that you are ever coming home this time.”

… our support team has found another place for Cisco to work through his behavior issues and to continue with his recovery and that the Hearing Officer agreed.

… Cisco will be away from the people, places and things that he can’t resist on his own.

…Cisco has, as Lloyd put it so well, manipulated himself into a higher level of treatment.

Good news because we also have a lot of encouragement from our friends and fellow parents at PSST and at Gateway Parents Night groups.

It is not that we do not feel bad for Cisco. As I told him on the ride to Shuman “We are not doing this to just to punish you. We are doing this to keep you clean and to help you with your recovery.” I would also like to note that Cisco did not in any way resist going to Shuman.

Sally noted a little irony that our first visit with Cisco will occur on our 33rd anniversary. This is also the third anniversary of Cisco’s first cry for help. We spent our 30th anniversary in the AGH emergency room following Cisco’s first overdose. We wish we knew about PSST then.

Hopefully our actions today might eventually lead to a lot of anniversaries of Cisco’s clean time.

For all of you PSST parents – stick with it. It takes time but it is worth it.

For any of you who have not attended a PSST meeting yet – give it a try. There is no cost and no commitment. All you have to lose is a few hours of your time, the chaos in your home, a lot of sleepless nights, and the feeling of loneliness, helplessness and guilt.

PSST’s Goal is to empower the parents of teenage substance abusers and/or Juvenile Court Youth with the support, information, skills and techniques a parent needs to help a teenager save his own life. Over the years, we have collected practical, hard won information that parents need based on our direct experience with teenagers who are facing alcoholism, addiction, probation, and out-of-home Court placement. Our meetings and this blog are open to all parents who are serious about making a difference in their children’s life.