I am new to this site. I'm just hoping to meet and discuss my situation with others that have been thru or are going thru a similar situation. My brother, my friend, is a herione addict. As is his wife. This has been an ongoing story, as we knew he and his wife were abusing rx drugs such as oxycotine and vicodin, along with zanex,and alot of downers. We have confronted both of them on there addiction with the rx drugs and of course they always denied everything.. we have contacted protective services as they have 3 beautiful children.. nothing was ever done.. right before x-mas, my brother admitted that they had been using heroine for the past 6 months. they started by snorting it and in the end were shooting it. his children have been with me as we were awaiting gaurdianship, they have been with me for 3 months now, his wife has just disappeared, and has not contacted or tried to contact me or the children. everything was in place and ready to go with the gaurdianship, and this past weekend, we were told that the children could go to there dad's for the weekend, as there was nothing in writing from the judge, with tremendous fear of letting the children go, i was told i had no say in the matter until court. Keep in mind our court date was only 5 days away.. So with a heavy heart.. i took the kids and dropped them off... i gave my oldest nephew our phone number and told him to keep it in his shoe... and if he needed to call to make sure that he did... friday and saturday went well... sunday their mother showed up, her and my brother had an arguement witch led to a screaming match... as a result, the police were called... the police report states that my brother was under the influence of a controlled substance, and that paraphenillea was found in the home.. we were contacted and asked to come and collect the children.. The following day, the worker came to my door and had told me that she had recieved the police report and said that she had no choice but to make the children wards of the state. she did tell us that if we qualified, the children could remain with us... unfortunatley, my husband of 6 years had a domestic violence charge on him 17 years ago.. and because it was a crime of "violence", they will not let the children be placed with us.. as a result, my parent's are stepping in and takeing the children.. My brother is in a situation where he has 1 year to get his life in order and pass every drug test they throw his way, or he stands to have his rights terminated...his sickness has spread like a diesese thru this family.. it has affected each of us not only as a family in whole but individually. I have no doubt that he is still using... as i have seen the fresh track marks running up and down his arm, his tiny pupils, his behavior, although my mother, thinks i am just looking for things and tells me that i am going to try to make him look bad no matter what.. that is not my intentions, i truley do want him to be clean and healthy, but how do i turn a blind eye to the obdvious? I am happy that the state has stepped in, i am hoping this is his bottom and there is nowhere for him to go but back up the ladder of hope, to reclaim his life... he was not always this person, he was a truley wonderful person, he had the world by the ass. a beautiful wife, a nice house and the perfect family... but as quick as a tornado can tear away a tree from the roots, herione took my brother... Thank you for taking the time to listen... I need an outlet... I have 3 children of my own, and i need to stay healthy for them,