Visiting my son in Rehab

United States
March 22, 2009 2:42am CST
Later today we will go see my son who has been in drug rehab for a month now. He has five months to go. He was not allowed to have contact with family or friends for the first 30 days of his treatment. We are all super excited about getting to go up. We will sit with him in the church service and then eat lunch with afterwards. We can visit until 3 p.m. and then we have to return home. We won't get to go every Sunday because of my husband being a pastor, and the treatment facility is almost 3 hours from here. But hopefully, this won't be the last time we get to visit! I will certainly let you know how it goes. What are your plans for Sunday?
7 people like this
20 responses
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
23 Mar 09
I hope that you have an enjoyable visit. I can onlyimagine how excited you are. I bet he is excited too! As for me, I am going to have a lazy Sunday. We don't plan to do very much, but we will do something all together.
2 people like this
@benny128 (3615)
22 Mar 09
hope that your son's rehab goes well good luck to him, and to you !
2 people like this
• United States
25 Mar 09
His rehab seems to be going well. This is an awesome facility. Everyone that we've talked about it has nothing but good to say about the center. They have an 85% success rate (men who don't have to return to rehab). They men leave with a wealth of support from former students who want nothing more than to help the current students.
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
24 Mar 09
No plans for me. I hope your son recovers quickly. I will keep him in my prayers.
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
24 Mar 09
I am glad he is getting help and recovering pretty well that is great.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
thanks friend! It's kind of you to take the time out to drop by and leave your well wishes. I'm desperately trying to get caught up on here and at gather. It's amazing how far behind you can get just being off site for a day or two!
• United States
24 Mar 09
Thanks friend! He looks so much better than he did a month ago when we took him up there. His eyes are shining again, and his skin looks healthy. His appetite is back for something besides junk food and sugar! He told his dad that he still had a long way to go but it felt good not to feel like his insides were going to shake out of his body.
@Annmac (949)
23 Mar 09
I hope the visit goes well and although I'm not religious If he is then I hope God gives him the strength to come through and turn his life around. Although it will be hard for you, I hope you can visit him often and give him the support and love he needs at this time. It's a tough journey you all face but I'm sure your faith will help you through it. Give him my best wishes and let him know others are hoping and praying for him! As for Sundays, it's just another work day for me. I'm a care-worker and that is a 365 day a year job. When I'm not 'working' I'm spending as much time with my hubby as I can. He has Terminal Cancer, so every day is precious to us!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Mar 09
awww...I'm so sorry about your hubby. You say your not religious, but if it wouldn't offend you I would like your permission to pray for your strength through this journey! I lost my dad to liver cancer the summer of 2004. I miss him more than I ever thought possible. But the people that were lifting me up in prayer and were there to listen when I needed to scream were those that allowed me to get through that time without losing my sanity!
• United States
25 Mar 09
Our visit did go well. Thank you for caring enough to ask. I am a pastor's wife from southern arkansas. I have seen God work miracles. I have seen two young men brought back from horrible car accidents when the doctor's didn't believe they would make it through the night, and not only did they do that, but they walked and talked and both are now leading full lives. I have seen cancer cured. But as I said, I have lost my dad to liver cancer, so I know that not everyone is granted a miracle. Please know that I remember the heartache, and the feelings of helplessness. If you need a friend to chat with or scream at....please do not hesitate to let me know! I'm a good listener!
@sharay (2769)
• India
22 Mar 09
Yes...we go to church every Sunday (and we will surely include your son in our prayers today, i sincerely wish he returns back with a new soul) and later in the evening, take my 3-year-old kid to beach or park or anywhere she likes to go...
2 people like this
• United States
22 Mar 09
I do certainly appreciate the prayers. We couldn't do this without them! I hope your weather holds out to be beautiful so that you can enjoy the park. Our kids always loved the zoo when they were that age! Of course, they are in their late teens and early 20's and they still love the zoo! You're building great memories with her that will last a lifetime!
1 person likes this
@emilie2300 (1882)
• United States
22 Mar 09
I hope everything is going well I been praying for you and your family. I bet you are so excited to be able to see him and have lunch and go to church with him. How is he dose he look good. I hope he is in good spirits. excited to see you. Let us know how the visit went. I will continue to pray for your family.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Mar 09
I am so glad that you got to see him and he looked good. Smiling and being happy. And not looking high. It's good to see him being him self. That's great good to hear he put on some wait I am sure that's not a bad thing. That's the best thing that he realized on his own that he needed to get away from some of his friends. That's a first step. I am sure he is learning and doing great going through the process. It's still going to be a long process. I am still praying for him and your family. God Bless. Tell him to keep up the good work. Take care keep strong. Let him know your there for him.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
22 Mar 09
i also go to church every sunday and yesterday is no exception... i had been having a very bad weekend as i have a big argument with my hubby and i am still feeling hurt until now... hopefully, it will go away soon... i don't feel like talking a lot with my hubby at the moment... i wish your son all the best with his rehab and hopefully everything will go well for him... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
Oh, I'm sorry friend. Disagreeing with your spouse is never fun. It hurts and it just makes the whole universe seem out of whack. I will be sure and say a prayer for you and your husband that God will allow those hurt feelings on both sides to go away. Also that HE will restore peace in your heart and in your home.
• United States
22 Mar 09
We are sitting home and relaxing. We had the grandchildren Friday and Saturday. This wore us out! How is your son doing? I hope that he is adjusting to being away from family and friends and that he is accepting of the treatment. I wish all of the the very best. Big huggers to you.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
James in his room - This is our sons' room at John 3:16 ministries. He is there for another 5 months while he kicks a drug and alcohol addiction. It is an awesome program and I believe James is where he needs to be.
He is doing well. He seems to be adjusting and making friends. Many of the men came to us and introduced themselves and talked about what a great young man James was. The instructors told Mike that we had done a good job with him, and felt he would succeed after he finished rehab because he had a strong support system. This program has a wonderful success rate so it would seem they know what they're talking about
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157788)
• United States
23 Mar 09
My plans for Sunday went all to pieces, but I will not go into that. I hope your visit with your son went well. We grieve for our kids when they take the wrong paths and then have to suffer for it. I have an issue with my son right now. Not the same as yours but equally serious. We need to always pray for our kids.
• United States
25 Mar 09
aaawww....friend I am so sorry. I know that when my plans go all to pieces, it seems to throw my whole world out of whack! I hope that things will soon be back to normal. Please let me know if there is anything I can specifically pray for. In the mean time...I will simply pray for you Any time our children take a wrong path, it hurts our mommy hearts. Doesn't matter how old they are~!
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
25 Mar 09
I spent Sunday with my husband and my kids. We don't get a lot of time together as a family because of all of the things that we do during the week but it is nice to have a day that we can do that. We done some long needed yard work and of course, laundry! I am glad that your son is getting some help and I hope that he does well with it. Tell him that he is in our prayers and you are too. With God's help,he can beat this addiction.
• United States
25 Mar 09
Glad you got some family time. That is so important and it's an aspect of marriage and family that many overlook these days. That is sad because it is imperative for the mental health of a parent! We used to do family game night and stopped when the kids got involved in so many sports. Now that everyone is out of high school, we have been trying to do it again!
@snowy22315 (170947)
• United States
23 Mar 09
I think that I will go to church actually it ins Sunday night so I ahve alrady been. My son was already in a rsidenial type school so I kind of know what you are going through with the rehab thing. I guess that there some things that can be OK though if you let them be.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Mar 09
He seems to be doing soo much better. He's gained 15 pounds. The light is back in his eyes, he doesn't talk about partying all the time. He has decided that some of his friends probably need to be out of his life...including the girl friend he had when he left here. He won't give me details, just that he'd talk about it with someday.
• United States
23 Mar 09
Good Luck to your son! Yesterday we did some spring cleaning and I had to work last night.
• United States
24 Mar 09
I'm on Spring Break from School this week. Today I did 5 loads of laundry, and will probably do that many or more tomorrow. I'm trying to get caught up on regular laundry, plus things like the comforters from the beds, the rugs out of the bathrooms and the winter coats before I put them in the tubs for the summer.
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
22 Mar 09
Not much of myself during the free, sunny day of this sunday. I usually stay home and watch movie at home. I felt sorry for your son. And you should encourage your son get rid of his old habits. We all live in a limited time of lifetime, we should love ourselves. We should do something that is not regrettable.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
John 3:16 ministries - Here is a shot of the main camp from across the lake where James' dorm is.
I fully agree with you. He is doing his best to get rid of the old habits. He came to us and ask for help and we found a rehab center that has a very high success rate that they stay and get help and don't go back into that life anymore. It's an awesome center. Each time we go to visit, there have been graduates that come back to worship with the residents and encourage them. They will have phone numbers and e-mail addresses once they're done so they can call if they need help or encouragement.
• India
22 Mar 09
Hey lotter i can under stand your feeling ,its nothing like that when we meet our children,i know,i will pray to god and see he will be fine soon and will live with you for always. GIVE MY BEST WISHES TO HIM.
• United States
25 Mar 09
Oh dear, I hope he won't live with us for always! LOL At some point he needs to grow up and get married and live on his own. But I do know what you mean, and I appreciate the prayers. We can never have too many people praying for us.
• United States
15 Jun 09
It is in our culture that when you marry, that you get your own house and start a family of your own. There are very few young couples who live with their parents for any length of time, unless they are doing so to care for an ailing parent. In many cases though, at the end of their lives, you will find an elderly parent/(s) moving into their childs home to be taken care of. My mother and father in law live with my husband's sister and her husband. My youngest brother allowed my parents to move in with he and his wife and daughters after my step dad had a stroke and mother got to where she couldn't care for him and herself anymore.
• India
25 Mar 09
hi its not necessary that he will go after marriage ,i will always wish that he never leave you. bye.
1 person likes this
• Canada
22 Mar 09
Wow, good for you. Please tell him he's in my prayers, and I am glad that he is getting some kind of help for his problem. It's nice that facilities like that are available. I wonder why family would not be allowed for the first 30 days. I can somehow understand certain friends, as they may have started him on the problem, but family? No major plans for me, just spending time with my husband, and going to the coffee shop for a while, as usual.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (85862)
• United States
22 Mar 09
I am glad you will be able to visit with him. He is probably nervous but excited to see you all. Are both daughters able to come with you? And although you can't see him every Sunday, maybe that is good. He will have a lot of time to learn how to be quiet. You know what I mean? Sometimes people just can't stand being alone. They have to be doing something, involved in something. I had a friend who said that is why she started drinking. She couldn't be alone. It gave her time to think, and she didn't want to do that. Maybe this will help him realize even without contact with friends and family, he can still do it. He can kick the problem and know that it will even better on the outside because he will indeed have people waiting for him, to show their love.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
James sitting in the livingroom of his dorm - John 3:16 ministries, CHarlotte, Arkansas.
This is a spiritual boot camp for men with drug and alcohol addictions.
The girls could go with us, but they didn't get to this weekend. 'My youngest daughter is planning to go weekend after next and take some of the students from her college class at church. I'm hoping with them that close, that her church will seriously consider picking them up as a full time ministry.
• United States
22 Mar 09
Enjoy your visit and I wish your son good luck. That has to be one of the hardest things to do but also the smartest. I plan to clean ALL DAY LONG. So much fun! Ha ha.
1 person likes this
• Romania
22 Mar 09
Oh this mist be so difficult for you and your family ! My sympathies. I suggest you visit him as often as possible as he needs alot of help and support now. My plans for sunday is SLEEP, sleep.. and more sleep =]
@chimrani (1426)
• India
22 Mar 09
Yes going to church,temples is must in a week.But friend in real i don't visit them.I just work online :(
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
We go to church every Sunday. My husband is a minister, so normally we are at our own church here in our town. This week we traveled to be with our son in his place of worship. It was different to be able to sit with husband and worship as a family, we don't get to do that often, as he is normally in the pulpit and I'm either in the pews or in the nursery.
• United States
22 Mar 09
Hope you had a good visit with your son. Today is Sunday and I went to church this morning. Not doing much now except mylotting. I might take a nap soon.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Mar 09
We had a really good visit. Hope you had a good nap! LOL I didn't sleep well the night before we went up to the Rehab Center. I think mostly nerves. I took a nap in the car on the way up, and I just collapsed in exhaustion on othe way home. I slept the entire 3 hours!