My husband's Birthday is today, he would have been 62 had he lived. He will be dead 1 year on the 19th. Needless to say, this month has been much worse than I could have imagined. Compounding my anxiety and sadness is my 28 yr. old niece. She finally married her long time bipolar drug and alcohol addicted boyfriend right out of his rehab. He quickly reverted to his old ways. They stayed the summer in an extended stay motel because he kept lying on apt. applications and background checks revealed his criminal history. He got drunk and high, got hold of a gun and repeatedly held my niece and the desk clerk at gunpoint, threatening to "blow their brains out". He was shot dead by the police when he was found pointing a gun into their opening elevator car. My niece witnessed this.
She felt as if we had a bond, after all we were now both widows and had both seen someone get shot and killed. She lives 2 hours away and was reportedly back to work in about a week, going for counseling, joined a bible study group. Really seemed like she was finding her way through this tragedy. Until this past week. She was admitted with sepsis, BP 50/30, liver failure, jaundiced, eyes all yellow, pneumonia., along with drug and alcohol withdrawal.
A Very sick girl and acting like every addict I've ever taken care of in my years as a nurse. Her parents(my brother and his wife are both alcoholics as well) are in denial. I fear for her future. She was discharged to the care of a guy she has known for about 2 weeks. I'm worried sick she well be drinking in no time. And I am powerless to help her. Right now I'm riding right on the edge of full blown anxiety attacks. Sorry for the rant, I just felt I had to put it out there.