I Love My Support Group!

Which means all of you who read here!

As I read comments this morning I felt encouraged and cared for and then I got the one from Lou which ended with "don't even think of paying for another attorney" and I laughed out loud!!  Lou, your'e awesome. :)

No, no more attorneys. Although I have to say that I have no regrets hiring the spectacular Sheri S. She has been more than an attorney.  Her passion is recovery and she only works with addicts, many that are also mentally ill or have mental health issues.  As far as her pay - Keven sold his car in July and has paid for everything on his own since then.  He's watching his bank account dwindle (I'm in charge of the money, he has no access to it).  But jails free so I guess he won't have to dish out next month's "rent" at Unidos Recovery Home.

Back to Sheri the attorney.  She is in very high demand these days - not just to practice law, but to lead groups, etc.  The Orange County Sherrif Dept. has asked her to provide training to our entire law enforcement agency on HOW DO DEAL WITH THE MENTALLY ILL   This was inspired by the  Kelly Thomas case.  I find it disturbing that they weren't already trained in this.

She's also on a committee to start a family group for all the parents, spouses and siblings of addicts that are in the Collaborative Court Program (Drug Court, Recovery Court, Opportunity Court, Veteran's Court and WIT Court (wit - "whatever it takes").  I'll go to that even if Keven is kicked out of Opportunity Court (as he should be!)

She is also available to me, Keven or any of her clients/families 24/7 and I've never had to wait more than an hour to hear from her if I contact her.  She cares.  She's smart.  She's extremely good at her job and carries a lot of weight with many of the judges around here.  She doesn't coddle her clients, but she does call and encourage them when they are doing well and guides them in the right direction (if they choose to go that way is obviously up to them).

I WILL MISS HAVING HER IN MY LIFE!  She called ME yesterday just to make sure I was doing okay with the latest arrest.

And guess what?  I am.  I'm fine with it.  Its almost weird how fine I am with it.  And I am secretly hoping he gets at least 6 months.  He's safe in there.  He has time to get his head clear and think.

One last thing - His good friend who is also one of Sheri's clients is in there right now too.  This kid is lovable, funny, talented (musician) and had FINALLY got over 6 months clean, was working 2 jobs and going to a 4 year college (took him 4 years to get through a 2 year, but he persisted).  He'd even quit smoking cigarettes for crying out loud!   We were all so proud and happy.  Anyhow, he had a relapse and used dirty needles which gave him sepsis and he almost died.  They had to take his gallbladder out and then it was off to jail.  If he would have died.....I don't know, that would have been the closest friend yet that Kev's lost.  In fact this kid is the one that went to Gilbert's funeral with us last year.

No more death - PLEASE!

Thanks everyone for your comments.  I'm taking care of me.  The hardest part is seeing my mom suffer because she doesn't understand why he keeps doing this :(

Peace, Hope and Love, Barbara