The Past 3 Years

So, the last time I posted my alcoholic son had been in jail for DUI.  Because he wouldn't abide by the rules of the court, he ended up in jail while they could get him in a rehab facility.  He finally returned to a state-funded rehab that he had already been to twice before.  After being there for 21 days, he came out and my codependent self let him stay with me at my mother's house.  He started drinking again and not abiding by the rules (mine or the court). I talked to the court officers and was told they would put a warrant out for him.  One night he was especially drunk, so I called the police and had him picked up.  He finished out his original sentence and went to stay with his paternal grandparents.

In Oct 2017, I decided it would be a good idea for him to go to Raleigh, NC to live in an Oxford house and be close to his daughter. Notice that I said "I decided..."  Still trying to control the situation.  Being in Raleigh did not end well for him as he was in and out of sober living houses and different hospitals.  Relapsing and becoming homeless then going to the hospital to detox and doing the whole crazy circle all over again.  I lost track of where he was at any given time.  North Carolina does have a great support system for people who are trying to recover and it probably saved his life while he was there.

I don't remember exactly how long he was in NC but it was more than a month.  As you probably guessed, I did let him come back to AL and live with my mother and me.  I was in the process of doing renovations to Mom's house and I thought he could help.  While I don't remember all the details during this time, I do know that he did start drinking again as usual.

In May of 2018, I did a GoFundMe to raise money for Dale to enter The Foundry in Bessemer, AL.  It was a faith-based rehab and I knew that a closer relationship with Jesus was his only hope.  The $975 was raised and I dropped him off down there.  He hated being there and never adjusted to their way of doing things.  After a month or so, my sister agreed that he could come a live with her so I picked him up and took him to his aunt's apartment.  She is on disability so could take him to work etc.  He did OK there for a while, getting a job and all.  But gradually the alcohol temptation was too great and he relapsed again.
 (To Be Continued)