...and now the reality begins, phase one

D is leaving the rehab tomorrow, and will be living in a halfway house about 40 mi. from where he was in rehab.. We're still here at home and he's getting a ride to his next residence from someone there at the rehab.. He's actually stopping at Walmart along the way and buying a bicycle,which he'll be using for transportation. Yes, we financed the bicycle purchase, because he has no money of his own yet. The halfway house appears to be a very structured place, and he's required to be out during the day,from 9 to 5, either working, looking for work, or volunteering in some way. Of course, the economy isn't good, but I am hoping he finds something pretty quickly. The halfway house people that are there also will help with some transportation, so that's a great thing. He's planning to see one of the therapists from the rehab. weekly for continuing counseling, although I don't know how he'll make that work when she's 40 min.s away and he only has a bicycle. I mean, does that strike you as problematic ?Of course, he thinks it will work out.,...I'm not getting involved with that,..although he is under our insurance to pay for it. At the halfway house, about 1/2(no pun intended) of the residents are ex-convicts, so that gave me pause,...although really, that's a bit hypocritical, since if D's convicted of his current pending charge (court's in late Feb.), he'd also be a convict. Just another facet of the addiction journey.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that while I was away in CT. over Christmas time, I learned of a tragedy resulting from addiction, another heroin overdose. He was the nephew of a guy I grew up with, his brother's 21 yr. old son. The young man, Chris, had just returned from a 1/2 way house in Florida, after having been there for the previous 3 months. He came back home for Christmas, and to get his car to drive back down to Florida after the holiday. He was home and saw his parents for only an hour, then went out to see some old friends. His mom found him dead the next morning, on Dec. 24th. How horrific is that ? Obviously, he relapsed the first night he was back in town. I opened my hometown newspaper and saw his obituary and gasped....just seeing his handsome photo and the name,....while my own son was also in treatment in Florida right at that time. I admired his parents strength in asking for donations to the Help An Addict organization in lieu of flowers. I just again wish that everyone reading it could think about what happened to Chris in the way people think about those young people lost to other horrible diseases, instead of judging him and his parents....or speculating about what they must have done wrong in raising him.
Of course, I pray that my son won't do the same thing. Again, that's what I'll do along with my hope, keep on praying for all of our kids.