It has been a crazy week!
After a wonderful Thanksgiving feast and celebration at my sister's house, we were supposed to go out to A's family to celebrate Thanksgiving over the weekend, leaving Saturday morning. However on Friday afternoon, A was over at my house and we were talking about what time we were leaving, as well as discussing Christmas plans and Christmas gifts. All of a sudden A say to me "Can you get me the number for St. Pete's, I want to go to detox." It came seemingly out of the blue, but I gave A the number and A called. St. Peter's Hospital had beds open and if A was ready to get sober, there was room and to come on down. So after A going back and forth about going down right then or waiting until after we got back from the weekend visit with family, A decided to go to detox, and get the withdrawal from alcohol done.
As it was so last minute, I could not find anyone to watch the kids so the boys came with us, which meant that after driving nearly 3 hours, we waited with A in the ER waiting room until they called A back for intake and tests prior to admitting. When they called A back, the kids and I started the long drive home. To many, you may be cheering and not understand my lack of enthusiasm. It is a wonderful thing for A to take steps to being sober. And I pray and hope that the commitment and motivation for that path is here now. But I also have learned that as A has been through both detox and rehab multiple times (to the point that they don't ever refer to rehab anymore as A could teach rehab so there is nothing more to be learned from it), that sometimes it is short lived.
So we did not go out of town for the weekend. We did end up doing a lot of running around, visiting Grandpa and our chickens, and then going to Grandma's house for coffee. We went to church on Sunday, but Josiah was so out of sorts because A was in the hospital (things like that really upset him), that he just could not keep it together for children's church, so we sat in the little lobby area and waited for Gonzo to be done. He just was very upset and could not control his behavior. I have to find a way to help him manage his emotions. Some of it is development as socially/emotionally/behaviorally he is in the 24-30 month developmental range. So he still reacts to stress and other things as a toddler would--including temper tantrums and very large expressions of emotion without words. So I have been trying to figure out how to get him to start practicing other ways of expressing himself. Some of his reactions. actions and behaviors I think are actually habitual more than lack of development, so I have to find ways to help him break into better habits in his behavior. Overall though, it was a relaxed weekend though, and then the kids started back to school Monday. Monday A called with the news of being released at 11am. I said I could not run all the way down and back until the kids got home and even then it was going to be really hard on the kids to be in the car for 5-6 hours on a school night if I could not find someone to watch them.
then A did something that A has never done before...A suggested that taking a bus up to glens falls (only one hour away) would doable...A suggested this, something that might make it EASIER for me and the KIDS. Something not entirely confortable for A (but extremely reasonable for the rest of the world), and A suggested it....I feel a bit of change in the air.... So A took a bus up, and then after having lunch at a little bistro, hung out in the library where I used to spend my days while the kids were in school last year. A few hours later, around 4:45, the kids and I arrived. It was amazing to see A not complaining about the bus or the wait. We all went out to dinner at the 99 Restaurant and then did a little Christmas shopping at Target, mainly just to get ideas as the boys can not think of anything they want for Christmas (did I ever mention tthat my kids are a little odd that way--maybe it is because they are not exposed to TV commercials or other forms of advertising...). So we walked through the toy area and took note of what the kids reacted to the most. So now I have some better ideas.
So far so good on the recovery. A went to an AA meeting on Thursday and had been going to work and is actually eating food again. I also have not had A calling all the time or being at my house all the time, stopping over to visit yes, but not staying for long periods. It feel like A is starting to built a life, a sober, more stable life. It is these little babysteps that allow me to have a slight glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe A is serious about re-entering recovery. It has been a week, and so far so good. A made it longer this time then the last time. Celebrate the baby steps...
Aside from that, this has been a crazy week, we have had to go 45 minutes to an hour away each day. Monday was picking up A. Tuesday after school, Josiah had his pre-op for dental surgery and his pediatrician decided to do his annual physical at the same time AFTER we got there, so our 15 minute appointment turned int o an hour long appointment with a few shots, which he was not happy about. Wednesday Josiah had an 8:45 appointment with his orthopedic surgeon at the ortho clinic. Then we had to get his x-rays done for his hips, which we not planned (I should have though as he gets them somewhat frequently to keep an eye on his hips). So he missed school Wednesday as it was nearly the end of the school day by the time we got back home. Thursday is Josiah's normal aquatic PT day, which is of course an hour away. Then Friday both Josiah and I were sick. I still babysat, but Josiah did not go to school. Between the shots and all the running this week, his body was just pooped. He had a cough and a fever, and was miserable on and off throughout the day. For me is has been a wretched sore throat, the kind that is extremely painful every time I swallow...Josiah seems better today, but my throat is still very painful. Combined with a stuffy/runny nose and a cough, it is not fun.
Today though Santa is coming to the fire hall, and the Christmas Kids shop is there too. I have to sign off, get the kids dressed, and get up there before noon, which is when Santa leaves. As it is 11 now, I better get a move on....
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