[dis-fuhngk-shuhn]

Can you say "dysfunction" ? [dis-fuhngk-shuhn]

When you look it up in the dictionary, there it is...my family photo.

My family had a long love affair with drugs. All drugs. Alcohol, pot, cocaine, crystal (meth), anti-depressants, codeine/pain meds. By the grace of God, almost all of us are now clean and sober. Except for my poor sister-in-law. She's the last one still in the steel-trap grip of addiction. But, she is just about to hit the proverbial "rock bottom", where she will finally find help.

Which is what has to happen.

My husband's parents blame themselves, since they were heavily into the "party scene" when my husband and his sister were teenagers. They even did some "swinging". So they beat themselves up a lot over the poor example they feel that they set. But they realized where the road they were on was leading and they turned themselves around. Both have retired now and are active in their church family.

My husband and I specnt many years in "pursuit of the perfect high", like "Baba Fats". (See http://www.banned-width.com/shel/works/high.html, for more into) Finally, he found himself trying to feed an insatiable addiction to painkillers--which eventually got him arrested. He went into an intensive inpatient treatment program and came out a new man. Clean now almost 18 months! We are still living with his parents for financial reasons, but he is doing well in college, looking forward to a new career as a clinical laboratory technician. Once he completes all the terms of his probation, his record will be expunged.

Sister-in-law....wow, what can I say? Her third marriage is ending as a direct result of her continuing involvement with alcohol and drugs, as did her two previous marriages. She lost her previous job, due to excessive absences...caused by, you guessed it, alcohol and drugs. And she is now on administrative leave pending a hearing from her current position, due to...wouldn't you know it?...alcohol and drugs. Her son has been removed from her home--yep, alcohol and drugs, again--but also because she let a convicted felon move into the house. And her husband cleaned out her bank account he left. So, she has no job, no son, and her money is about to run out.

Yeah, I'd say she is almost ready to ask for help. But will she take the help that's offered?? My husband's parents say they will only help her if she goes into the same inpatient treatment treatment program her brother went into. It's a real tough program, but by God, it works!

Did I hear somebody mention "dysfunctional"? That would be us!

Please remember us in your prayers.