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"If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.



What Goes UP . . . written by Brigitte
Posted by:Jenn--Monday, January 09, 2012



NEWTON HAD IT RIGHT

What goes up, must come down, especially when you are dealing with drug-addicted teens. Pierre has proven this theory repeatedly since he came home from inpatient 5 months ago. He has only been clean for a span of 6 weeks at a time. Relapse, consequences, relapse, you get the picture. Most recently, he tested positive on a home screen and swore on his mother's life (YIPES!) that he was innocent and something was wrong with the test. Took him to the dr. to get a gas chromatography test and it was . . . positive. I was ducking lightning bolts and black cats the whole week.


He is back on home detention, spends weekends at Shuman resort, no car, no phone, no friends. He has outpatient treatment daily and goes to NA meetings 3-4x/wk. The good news is that he is not abusive or defiant and we are not missing money. He treats family members and counselors respectfully and even went to his grandmother's house and cooked her dinner. The bad news is, well, that could change at any time if he continues to use. His goal seems to be to get off probation, not weed. Francois and I feel that a third round of inpatient may be around the corner. Either that or, when he turns 18 in May, he moves out and tries out his fantasy life of working, living with "friends" and smoking weed when he wants to. That may be the epiphany he needs to see life without the safety net. I wish we knew the best route to take.

2 comments:

Wilma said...

Brigitte,

I can certainly relate! If looks could kill I'd be pushing up daisies after the looks I got from Bam Bam before, during and after court!! Bam is on home detention right now with the phone calls but will be getting his new jewelry-ankle bracelet-once the phone line is set up. He doesn't have a standing reservation at the Shuman resort but I'm sure if he works hard enough he'll get one.
He also turns 18 this year in June and I think his goal, too, is to not go off weed. I think the only times he's been clean in the last year was when he was inpatient somewhere. Even now he has once a week outpatient and has tested dirty there and twice at court in the last 8 weeks!
He is just starting probation so it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few months. We are on day 2, in the honeymoon phase.

Stay strong. You and FRancois have accomplished so much in this last year and have done everything you can for Pierre. It is ultimately up to him but you know you have done everything in your power to help him.

Thanks for the update I have been thinking of you.

Wilma

Cheryl, Jim, Andy + 3 Stooges said...

Thanks for the update Brigitte...I have been thinking of you and your family and wondering how your 'new normal' is going.

Andy at 18 1/2 and in his 7th in-patient facility is still pushing, manipulating and furious with us for PUTTING him in these institutions. NEVER does it dawn on him that HIS behavior/actions are what earns him these placements.

Hang in there, you & Francois are like the Cowardly Lion only now you both have COURAGE to do the right thing and quite possibly, save your sons life.

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