Wish me luck tomorrow! Updated

[Kathy813]

We leave for our family therapy weekend with difficult child tomorrow. I am not a happy flier so keep a good thought for nice weather and a calm flight.

difficult child has found a job down there and seems to be willing to go to a sober house in the same area as the residential treatment facility. She will be released on March 17th for the next step in her recovery.

We will be spending three days in therapy sessions with and without difficult child and attending groups such as Al-anon. It is reportedly quite intense so I can't say that I am looking forward to it but hope it will be productive for all of us.

At least it is a great time of year to be in south Florida.

~Kathy

 

[buddy]

Best wishes for it all to go well! Enjoy the weather

 

[Calamity Jane]

Have a safe and productive trip. I hope you find difficult child to be well and you happily reconnect. Glad she agreed to the sober house and very glad she found a job. Sounds encouraging.

 

[Nancy]

Good luck Kathy and I will hope for good weather and an easy flight. For the intense program, bring advil or tylenol and take as soon as you find yourself starting to get a headache. I vividly remember how my head throbbed at the end of our Sumday family programs. Lots of crying and intensity and jaw clenching and concentration, a truly emotionally draining day. I can't even imagine having three in a row.

I'll be anxiously awaiting your update.

 

[DDD]

Personally, my friend, I am hoping and praying that dear St. Patrick will be on your side. Your Irish friend, DDD

 

[HaoZi]

Best of luck!

 

[AnnieO]

Praying and dancing with the Meggie Bean for you... Calm flight vibes, calm program vibes and... I second the NSAID advice.

 

[rejectedmom]

Like DDD I too am Irish and noticed that she is being released on St Pats day. Here is hoping all the good luck settles on her and she has an easier time coping with a sober life. Hope the seminars are not so gruling and you get alot of good information from them. -RM

 

[Nancy]

Hey I'm Irish too....I see a patten here.

 

[StressedM0mma]

I hope you have a productive weekend, and that your flights are smooth. Good luck to your difficult child. A St. Patrick's day release date is very good luck.

 

[pinevalley]

Good luck this week-end & keep in touch!

 

[Signorina]

Wishing you luck as requested...

Also wishing you peace, joy, hope,strength and overall renewal and I send you many hugs and prayers. Crossing fingers and toes too!!

 

[toughlovin]

You are probably already on your way... but I hope the wethater and flight are good and easy.... and that the family time is enlightening. It sounds like she is making really great progress.

TL

 

[scent of cedar]

Kathy, you know you and your family will be in all our thoughts this weekend, and that we'll be waiting to hear how everything went when you get back. I'm so glad difficult child found work nearby. Maybe that is the missing piece that will help her steer a steady course, this time.

Thoughts and prayers going up for your difficult child, Kathy.

Barbara

 

[Wakegirl]

Hoping for nothing but the best for you and your family this weekend!! Look forward to an update...a positive update for all involved!

 

[Kathy813]

Quick update... Things went really well today. She didn't react badly when we said she couldn't come back to live here. She seems resigned to staying in Florida for a while.

The group session with all of the families was interesting. When one mother asked what to do if her son relapsed after his third stay in a treatment program, the therapist leading the group told her at some point she would have to come to terms with letting him live his life of addiction and maintain minimal contact. He said she would have to say that there would be no financial support since as parents we can't "finance their death." That really made an impact on me.

One sweet thing that happened was when we first got there and difficult child sat down next to me, she reached down and took off a really pretty pearl bracelet and put it around my wrist. It was the bracelet she had bought me for Christmas and put under the tree before the intervention and then took with her the day she was forced to leave our home for treatment.

I'll update more tomorrow.

~Kathy

 

[Nancy]

Oh Kathy that brought tears to my eyes. Giving you that bracelet is huge. She is doing a lot of thinking. I can't wait to hear more.

 

[buddy]

Me too...I cry easy and that triggered me. It's so special. Stay strong, I pray things continue to go well.

 

[toughlovin]

Thanks kathy for the update. It all sounds really really good and i am really glad for you. And thanks for the story about the family meeting....that is a pretty powerful statment about not financing their death....i found that affirming for the choices we have made regarding my son. The balance between supporting them in recovery but not in their drug use.

TL

 

[Calamity Jane]

Your update is heartening, Kathy. She is really trying now...when you compare it with the way she was behaving before and during the intervention, you'd think our difficult children must be possessed, because their personalities are hijacked when they use. Hope things continue to improve and she understands what a great gift this is.