Friday, October 29, 2010

The inconvenience of addiction

As I type up this blog post, it's 2:20 on a beautiful Friday afternoon, made even more beautiful by the fact that I took the day off of work. It would've been nice if my lovely wife and I could've gone out to lunch today or something. Instead, my wife is 30 miles away, with our son, sitting in his doctor's waiting room.

You see, in order to get his Suboxone prescription refilled, my son has to see this addiction specialist every other week. And although the doctor does take some appointments, they book up quickly and we usually miss out on getting one. So instead, my son has to be seen on a "walk-in" basis, which means really, really long waits. Sometimes three- or four-hour waits.

My son will be 21 in December, but he still doesn't have his driver's license. His life issues kind of got in the way of getting his license. As a result, we end up driving him to a lot of places: school, doctor's appointments, therapy appointments, meetings, etc. I don't even want to hazard a guess on how much time my wife and I (mostly my wife, bless her heart) have spent doing this over the last five years.

Yes, it would be great is my son could get to these places on his own, even without being able to drive. But the public transportation system around where we live is pretty awful. So for now, we'll keep playing chauffeur. And watching the minutes tick away on the clock. I'm just hoping the huge investment of time we've made pays off someday.

UPDATE: My wife and son got home at 5:00 PM. They were at the doctor's office for more than five hours. A few minutes before they got home, my other son and I got home from his therapy appointment. Thank God it's Friday.

3 comments:

  1. A family member of mine has suffered from manic-depression and cat-hording for decades. She lost her last job after claiming nuns were spying on her. She filled her extremely large 3 story home in Detroit with cats. In just her formal dining room, trapped between opposite pairs of french doors I counted 47 cats. Then there were more in the basement, kitchen, bedrooms, yard, upstairs 3 bedroom level, attic, etc. We're talking literally hundreds of cats.

    Last year we found a free drug/therapy trial at Wayne State University. Within 8 days we received a call from the relative (a normal phone call, not a crazy letter in 4 different color inks, not a rambling voice mail). Anyway, after less than 2 weeks of this new FREE therapy/drug prescription my relative called and stated disgust and horror at the number of cats she had. In under a month she went from over 100 cats to only 3 cats and two dogs.

    My point: maybe check therapy and drug trials that occur for free at local universities and hospitals. It's usually the most up-to-date therapy/prescription and the doctors are completely interested in their patients' treatment.

    http://www.med.wayne.edu/em/research/clinical.asp

    http://www.dcrc.us/pages/FAQ.html

    Mike L.

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  2. OK, I will not fill this up too much. But I would just like to tell you that it is highly likely that your time will pay off.

    I was myself addicted to heroin aand crack cocaine at a very young age (started at 17), for 3 years, with another year on methadone. It wasn't pretty.

    However the break came when I thought I had nothing to live for and had reached rock bottom.

    Now, years later I am 23 and am at my second year of university. I am doing well.

    So don't give up hope.

    Best Wishes.

    J

    PS. Remember it is sometimes the best to be cruel to be kind - it may help rock-bottom happen sooner. My parents didnt find out till the end so I can't say I fully understand, but the quicker that moment comes for your son the better, no matter how upsetting it may be to see.

    No matter how many programmes he attends it will be worthless unless he really wants to stop (I didnt aattend any AA or anything, though did see a counsellor to get my script). That will happen only after stark and unpleasant realisations.

    Well theres my two pence. Sorry if you feel me intrusive but if you want to ask me anymore feel free I would love to help.

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  3. Having read your other posts I now have to say you are really near the end.

    Now this was me, but for the last bit of withdrawal, after a year long 'weaning' period from methadone I just used a borderline dose of co-codamol (codeine and paracetemol - against docs orders but it worked). Just make sure you have the pills as it is possible to OD, and have don't exceed the stated dose.

    Now, I really am not a doctor, I am just saying what worked for me.

    Agin sorry if I am intruding, but this is really just whata happened. Take it as you will but remember that this was written with only the best of intentions - I would really like to help.

    Peace.

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