On my visit the other day, Karen and I discussed life after she comes home. How we both have to "work" on settling back into a normal life. If I can use the word normal. ha-ha
Its not like she will have been gone for years. But, I find myself adjusting to having to do things on my own. Adjusting to life without her here. The program she is in is very routine, very structured. Thats what karen likes about this shock program. They always have her mind distracted on routines and structure. My fear when she gets home is that that structure is going to break her. <emotionally>How do I try to help her adjust? How do I re-adjust? I never, ever want to have to go through this again. My other fear is that she will do it again and spend the rest of her life in jail!! I know that there are programs and what nots out there, but does anyone have any suggestions??
thanks

opps.....i meant the lack of structure will break her emtionally.

:-)

i have had same fear, their enviroment is so controlled and they forget the real world for awhile. my guy has to go into drug treatment upon release so i am not trying to set myself up thinking all will be rosy upon release. he ultimately has to run his own program and he will suffer the consequences if he messes it up. THE CHOICE IS THEIRS, all we can do is be as supportive as we can and not enable them to screw it up again



carol

I personally think that patience is key - lots of patience... Karen may fall down (hopefully not far enough to go back) but you have to allow her that freedom to fall and pick herself back up - she has to want this more for herself than you want it for her...she has to be doing this because she wants it...

It will be hard and I am not speaking (yet) from actual experience so you can trash my words... but I am working with my Partner on discussing what we know will be the roadblocks - what we know will be the challenges - what we know will be an obstacle... I don't think that we will ever be prepared for every eventuality but we are trying to account for most possible situations.

Knowledge is power - if you know your weakness, then you have more ability to avoid and overcome - we are working on that premise. I only hope it will work!

thanks to the both of you.