Happy New Year All. Thought I'd share something positive. A quick synopsis of my family's drug addiction problem: My sis-in-law is a prescription drug addict of many years. She and my bro have a now 7 year old son who's autistic. Last spring, after her 7th (?) arrest for prescription fraud and identity theft (she was still on probation), the kid got taken away to Foster Care. My sis and bro were ordered to go to NA and Nar-Anon.
Over the last 6-7 months they have done their programs. There have been ups and downs, such as when I found out they had been drinking wine at home and my sis progressed to downing bottles of vodka. Well around September they threw all the alcohol out of the house, and asked everyone who comes over not to bring it over or drink there. Yes, she is imposing rules on others, but its in the house she lives in. My bro and I agreed that if it would help her, its such a little thing to stop having a little wine or beer now and then. (And if it isnt, whats wrong with us?!!)
They have both gotten very involved in the fellowship of NA and AA. In the small town they live in, many AA meetings are open and they have been welcomed.
In November she finished an outpatient program, and they looked at the CPS complaints against them with a sober eye. (I read it thru again too). Turns out that CPS is including the boy being autistic as part of the complaint, not in so many words, but they are blaming autistic behaviors on the drug problem. Well the three of us got together and discussed this. (I wanted to be included because I also have an autistic son, and a wealth of experience of being blamed for something that is purely neurological). Just being able to have a discussion about this with us was a first for her. They were able to go to court and where CPS was being unreasonable. (I mean GEEZ, the drug problem itself is a valid reason for putting kid in foster care. They dont need to cloud the issue).
Just before Thanksgiving the court decided they could have longer visits with their son, unsupervised, and on Christmas Eve they got their first overnite visit!! We all came over to their house. In the midst of the preparations for dinner, one of their sheep lambed unexpectedly, and we got a little black lamb!! THe boy had a great time playing with the little girl who lives on the property for the first time in 6 months, he remembered her and called her by name. My sis got him a special tricycle built for disabled kids, which he loves.
They will now get him for more overnites and weekends, with the plan being he goes home permanently in a few months. My sis told the court she was willing to be drug tested for the next ten years, if thats what it took to get her son back. CPS is telling my bro to have a back-up plan in case of relapse. We know it could happen. But for today we are celebrating a NEW YEAR (with sparkling cider!) and planning for a future together without drugs and alcohol, but WITH each other, our fantastic special kids, our cats and dogs, sheep, turtles, horses, chickens, all the fruit trees and oak trees, our tenants, our neighbors, our friends, and all the nice people we meet along the way. Happy New Year!
