Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

[Guest guest]

Judy, I could have written your post. ;-) My pet rescue friends and

I say we like animals better than people. LOL! Oh yeah, and I am

a " fixer " too. Definately more of a Mars than a Venus. I listen and

then try to fix the problem when maybe the other person only really

wanted sympathy. Got to work on that. I am little mother to the

world and just have to set things right. Besides pet rescue, my

friend and I are rescuing a homeless man...whether he wants to be

rescued or not! At least we got him into social services and got him

housing and food and signed him up for his social security

payments. He may be getting an apartment soon. He would probably

rather have his bottle and live under a dumpster, but no, we have to

save him. Time will tell. I make my life too complicated.

Ruthie

> Isolation? Love it, myself. As an only child I always

had to be my own entertainment, so I got good at it and can always

have an enjoyable time. In fact, sometimes people are an intrusion.

LOL! (pains in the (_!_) LOL!) I love reading, doing crossword or

cryptogram puzzles and looking after my animal friends. I also enjoy

my garden and feeding the birds. I love looking up the unusual birds

I see in my birding book and keeping a list. Cooking and baking are

fun as well. I try to make myself be as active as possible because I

know if I rest, I rust. Just sitting in my recliner to watch a movie

makes me totally stiff so I know to get up and walk around a bit.

Inactivity brings more in activity so I try to keep moving as much

as I can.

>

> Ruthie

>

>

[Guest guest]

I congratulate you on trying to rescue the homeless man, but you're right, it

might not 'take', and I hope you won't feel like a failure if it doesn't. It is

sometimes hard to reach someone like that. They need mental health help also if

there's much chance of it to work in the long run, oh and alcohol rehab which

usually is a function of the mental health services. Not all homeless people are

like that, of course. I know several down-on-their-luck people who aren't on the

streets by any choice of their own. My mental health group works with homeless

people as well, they have a lot of facilities to help them, but their success

rate is very low. Even when they provide housing, the people often prefer the

streets and 'camps'. It's a hard and often thankless task most of the time. It's

strange that the ones who would most benefit from these services are the ones

who most often 'fall through the cracks'. I do hope it works for your guy. It

does help us when we try to help people. I'm glad you are making the effort.

That being said, I am pretty much a loner at most times as well. I do have

friends with whom I socialise when I am able, but prefer usually my own house

and life. I used to garden, I always had huge gardens in Washington which except

for the vegetables were quite well established. I had a dozen raised beds for

veggies. I could also afford help with it all back then when it began getting

too much for me on my own. However, just wandering through the gardens would

raise my spirits, and it was my only real 'indulgence'. Now that I'm living in

Arizona, it would just be too hard on me, cos the things that grow here aren't

the things I love. I do have a lot of potted plants, but outdoor gardening, even

if I had a house, would NOT be the same nor worth the effort to me. I know if I

moved back to Washington it would be different, and I would manage at least a

small flower garden and a small vegetable garden as well. I could kick myself

for moving, Now, due to circumstances beyond my control, I can't afford to move

back. Well, the many houseplants at least help. They are now my 'indulgence' and

may crowd me out of here soon...LOL!! I am always making too many starts and

repotting them. I gave quite a few away for Christmas, to make room for more. I

am careful to only raise the kinds that aren't toxic to animals, as my cat does

nibble at times, even though she has her own little patch of grass and pot of

catnip. I have a problem keeping the catnip, as if I'm not careful she will

'nose' it all up while barely past the seedling stage.

Sorry this has turned into a novel. I just woke up and can't go back to sleep

yet, so this is how I'm 'celebrating' New Year's Eve. The pain of my flare has

eased up just a bit for now, and I'm bored.

Peace and Love

Caroline

____________________________________________________________

ONE-CLICK WEBMAIL ACCESS - Easily monitor & access your email accounts!

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[Guest guest]

Homelessness is a mental illness known as " wanderlust' so don't expect a leg up

to mean the same thing as you. For those who have it they don't dream of a home

and four walls the way normal people do they prefer to be on the move and

aimless, now if you could give them a shell to crawl into and take everywhere

that would be more helpful. Any way care and share but don't make your dreams

theirs, they have their own dreams and aspirations, think eskimo and your closer

to how they feel about the perfect home.

Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

I congratulate you on trying to rescue the homeless man, but you're right, it

might not 'take', and I hope you won't feel like a failure if it doesn't. It is

sometimes hard to reach someone like that. They need mental health help also if

there's much chance of it to work in the long run, oh and alcohol rehab which

usually is a function of the mental health services. Not all homeless people are

like that, of course. I know several down-on-their-luck people who aren't on the

streets by any choice of their own. My mental health group works with homeless

people as well, they have a lot of facilities to help them, but their success

rate is very low. Even when they provide housing, the people often prefer the

streets and 'camps'. It's a hard and often thankless task most of the time. It's

strange that the ones who would most benefit from these services are the ones

who most often 'fall through the cracks'. I do hope it works for your guy. It

does help us when

we try to help people. I'm glad you are making the effort.

That being said, I am pretty much a loner at most times as well. I do have

friends with whom I socialise when I am able, but prefer usually my own house

and life. I used to garden, I always had huge gardens in Washington which except

for the vegetables were quite well established. I had a dozen raised beds for

veggies. I could also afford help with it all back then when it began getting

too much for me on my own. However, just wandering through the gardens would

raise my spirits, and it was my only real 'indulgence'. Now that I'm living in

Arizona, it would just be too hard on me, cos the things that grow here aren't

the things I love. I do have a lot of potted plants, but outdoor gardening, even

if I had a house, would NOT be the same nor worth the effort to me. I know if I

moved back to Washington it would be different, and I would manage at least a

small flower garden and a small vegetable garden as well. I could kick myself

for moving, Now, due to

circumstances beyond my control, I can't afford to move back. Well, the many

houseplants at least help. They are now my 'indulgence' and may crowd me out of

here soon...LOL!! I am always making too many starts and repotting them. I gave

quite a few away for Christmas, to make room for more. I am careful to only

raise the kinds that aren't toxic to animals, as my cat does nibble at times,

even though she has her own little patch of grass and pot of catnip. I have a

problem keeping the catnip, as if I'm not careful she will 'nose' it all up

while barely past the seedling stage.

Sorry this has turned into a novel. I just woke up and can't go back to sleep

yet, so this is how I'm 'celebrating' New Year's Eve. The pain of my flare has

eased up just a bit for now, and I'm bored.

Peace and Love

Caroline

____________________________________________________________

ONE-CLICK WEBMAIL ACCESS - Easily monitor & access your email accounts!

Visit http://www.crawler.com/notifier and check it out!

1. While it is wonderful to share our experiences with everyone on the list as

to what treatments do and don't work for us, pls always check with your dr.

Some treatments are dangerous when given along with other meds as well as to

certain health conditions or just dangerous in general.

2. If you are in a difficult situation (doesn't matter what it is) pls don't be

afraid to ask for help.. It is the first step to trying to make that situation

better.

3. To unsubscribe the e-mail is:

Fibromyalgia_Support_Group-unsubscribe

4. Also, it is not uncommon for more than one member to be feeling bad at the

same time when it comes to flares and b/c of that potentially take something

another member says the wrong way. And that includes the things that one member

may find funny (even if it's laughing at fibro itself) even though we who deal

with illness whether one such as fibro or multiple illnesses try to keep a sense

of humor.

5. Pls let's be gentle with each other, and if you are having a bad day pls let

us know so that we can do our best to offer our support.

Have a nice day everyone.

[Guest guest]

What you said is true for a good many of the homeless, however there ARE those

who aren't there by choice. I think it is something many of us in 'reduced

circumstances' are afraid of at times. I know it happens. So, we must take care

when 'judging' someone who is homeless. I personally would end it all before

attempting to live that way. As hard as private groups try to help the

situation, our government basically will turn its back on people truly in need

of help and support. It is a shame. I know one of my 'hobbies' is writing my

representatives in government at all levels asking them to support various bills

aimed at health insurance, poverty and pain issues. I figure if enough voters

keep bombarding them about these issues, then possibly something constructive

might get done. I know I'm probably dreaming, but it certainly can't hurt. If

any of us have an issue dear to our hearts, it doesn't take long to whip out a

letter or email to the appropriate person. It's much better than just sitting

around and griping about the issues. I do hope that people will vote only after

careful consideration of the issues this time, and make certain that the people

they are about to vote for are fully accountable before casting a vote. It's too

easy to be 'blindsided' by all the garbage they say on their TV ads, and not

actually research and find out where a candidate really stands on an issue. Of

course, often they do lie, but we can only do our best.

Peace and Love

Caroline

> Homelessness is a mental illness known as " wanderlust' so don't expect a

> leg up to mean the same thing as you. For those who have it they don't

> dream of a home and four walls the way normal people do they prefer to be

> on the move and aimless, now if you could give them a shell to crawl into

> and take everywhere that would be more helpful. Any way care and share

> but don't make your dreams theirs, they have their own dreams and

> aspirations, think eskimo and your closer to how they feel about the

> perfect home.

____________________________________________________________

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desktop!

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[Guest guest]

Hi Kate,

That is really interesting. I didn't know that. I had never heard of

wanderlust?

Do you think that pertains to most people who are homeless?

I realize it doesn't mean the people who are homeless because of a disaster,

such as New Orleans. I'd be interested in knowing more about this.

Thanks,

Marti

Kate Court wrote:

Homelessness is a mental illness known as " wanderlust' so don't expect

a leg up to mean the same thing as you. For those who have it they don't dream

of a home and four walls the way normal people do they prefer to be on the move

and aimless, now if you could give them a shell to crawl into and take

everywhere that would be more helpful. Any way care and share but don't make

your dreams theirs, they have their own dreams and aspirations, think eskimo and

your closer to how they feel about the perfect home.

Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

I congratulate you on trying to rescue the homeless man, but you're right, it

might not 'take', and I hope you won't feel like a failure if it doesn't. It is

sometimes hard to reach someone like that. They need mental health help also if

there's much chance of it to work in the long run, oh and alcohol rehab which

usually is a function of the mental health services. Not all homeless people are

like that, of course. I know several down-on-their-luck people who aren't on the

streets by any choice of their own. My mental health group works with homeless

people as well, they have a lot of facilities to help them, but their success

rate is very low. Even when they provide housing, the people often prefer the

streets and 'camps'. It's a hard and often thankless task most of the time. It's

strange that the ones who would most benefit from these services are the ones

who most often 'fall through the cracks'. I do hope it works for your guy. It

does help us when

we try to help people. I'm glad you are making the effort.

That being said, I am pretty much a loner at most times as well. I do have

friends with whom I socialise when I am able, but prefer usually my own house

and life. I used to garden, I always had huge gardens in Washington which except

for the vegetables were quite well established. I had a dozen raised beds for

veggies. I could also afford help with it all back then when it began getting

too much for me on my own. However, just wandering through the gardens would

raise my spirits, and it was my only real 'indulgence'. Now that I'm living in

Arizona, it would just be too hard on me, cos the things that grow here aren't

the things I love. I do have a lot of potted plants, but outdoor gardening, even

if I had a house, would NOT be the same nor worth the effort to me. I know if I

moved back to Washington it would be different, and I would manage at least a

small flower garden and a small vegetable garden as well. I could kick myself

for moving, Now, due to

circumstances beyond my control, I can't afford to move back. Well, the many

houseplants at least help. They are now my 'indulgence' and may crowd me out of

here soon...LOL!! I am always making too many starts and repotting them. I gave

quite a few away for Christmas, to make room for more. I am careful to only

raise the kinds that aren't toxic to animals, as my cat does nibble at times,

even though she has her own little patch of grass and pot of catnip. I have a

problem keeping the catnip, as if I'm not careful she will 'nose' it all up

while barely past the seedling stage.

Sorry this has turned into a novel. I just woke up and can't go back to sleep

yet, so this is how I'm 'celebrating' New Year's Eve. The pain of my flare has

eased up just a bit for now, and I'm bored.

Peace and Love

Caroline

__________________________________________________________

ONE-CLICK WEBMAIL ACCESS - Easily monitor & access your email accounts!

Visit http://www.crawler.com/notifier and check it out!

1. While it is wonderful to share our experiences with everyone on the list as

to what treatments do and don't work for us, pls always check with your dr. Some

treatments are dangerous when given along with other meds as well as to certain

health conditions or just dangerous in general.

2. If you are in a difficult situation (doesn't matter what it is) pls don't be

afraid to ask for help.. It is the first step to trying to make that situation

better.

3. To unsubscribe the e-mail is:

Fibromyalgia_Support_Group-unsubscribe

4. Also, it is not uncommon for more than one member to be feeling bad at the

same time when it comes to flares and b/c of that potentially take something

another member says the wrong way. And that includes the things that one member

may find funny (even if it's laughing at fibro itself) even though we who deal

with illness whether one such as fibro or multiple illnesses try to keep a sense

of humor.

5. Pls let's be gentle with each other, and if you are having a bad day pls let

us know so that we can do our best to offer our support.

Have a nice day everyone.

[Guest guest]

I am glad to see that there are so many garden lovers here. It really is

therapy, isn't it? I also have potted plants. I have cacti on my kitchen wide

window sill. One is over 4 feet high. It is a candelabra cactus and they grow to

over 50 feet in their native habitat. I will have to cut a hole in my roof. LOL!

To keep the kitties from nibbling the other plants I have turned my dining room

into a greenhouse of sorts. I have grow lights and plant stands in there and

with the double wide low window sill I have a lot of plants there as well. I

would LOVE to have a greenhouse for real, but here in the woods, light is at a

premium so I must pick and choose my plants both in the garden and in the

windows. Not enough sun for a traditional greenhouse. I have euphorbias and

African violets and a little orchid, a yellow Clivia and some herbs. Can't wait

to get out in the garden again. I have two ponds with fish and a barrel fountain

along with perennial beds and my " tomato farm " . A lot of work, but really a joy.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

Yeah I know all of that. I lived in Philly and saw too much of that on the

streets. But this guy had an apartment and a job and a car and lost them all. I

think the alcohol is his way of blocking it all out. Anyway, he is back on his

way to a little apartment again and counting the days. He laments all that he

lost and is looking forward to getting something back. I think the alcohol will

always be there, but it is not the first thing in his life, so we are hoping

that once he has some money and a place to call his own, he will not rely on

medicating himself to dull the pain since most of the " pain " will be gone. He is

even talking of trying to get a part time job that he can walk to since getting

a car again is out of the question. I am cautiously optimistic.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

Hi Ruthie,

It sounds like you are doing a really good thing here. People who lose

everything like he did are not usually the " wanderlust " type. I think it's

great that you've helped him this far. I hope like you that he will get back on

his feet. Having the apartment and finding a part time job is a good start.

Marti

Ruthie Dyer wrote:

Yeah I know all of that. I lived in Philly and saw too much of that on

the streets. But this guy had an apartment and a job and a car and lost them

all. I think the alcohol is his way of blocking it all out. Anyway, he is back

on his way to a little apartment again and counting the days. He laments all

that he lost and is looking forward to getting something back. I think the

alcohol will always be there, but it is not the first thing in his life, so we

are hoping that once he has some money and a place to call his own, he will not

rely on medicating himself to dull the pain since most of the " pain " will be

gone. He is even talking of trying to get a part time job that he can walk to

since getting a car again is out of the question. I am cautiously optimistic.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

I'm always amazed that more of us aren't alcoholics. I'm serious. With the

physical and emotional pain we go through it truly is amazing. do you

realize what a strong group we are?

Tigger (Ruth) in Rhode Island

_____

From: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

[mailto:Fibromyalgia_Support_Group ] On Behalf Of Ruthie Dyer

Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 2:53 PM

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Subject: Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

Yeah I know all of that. I lived in Philly and saw too much of that on the

streets. But this guy had an apartment and a job and a car and lost them

all. I think the alcohol is his way of blocking it all out. Anyway, he is

back on his way to a little apartment again and counting the days. He

laments all that he lost and is looking forward to getting something back. I

think the alcohol will always be there, but it is not the first thing in his

life, so we are hoping that once he has some money and a place to call his

own, he will not rely on medicating himself to dull the pain since most of

the " pain " will be gone. He is even talking of trying to get a part time job

that he can walk to since getting a car again is out of the question. I am

cautiously optimistic.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

My psychiatrist said after many sessions of my telling him the story of my life,

that he was really surprised that I wasn't an alcoholic, or drug user, or hadn't

been in a psychiatric ward somewhere. I agree with him. there were times I

thought I should go in for a while myself. I have felt really crazy at times and

also very depressed.

I agree with you that we are a strong group of people. Who knows maybe having

a background like that and not doing one of those things is what brings on

fibromyalgia, since emotional scars have to get out somehow.

Marti

Tigger wrote:

I'm always amazed that more of us aren't alcoholics. I'm serious. With

the

physical and emotional pain we go through it truly is amazing. do you

realize what a strong group we are?

Tigger (Ruth) in Rhode Island

_____

From: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

[mailto:Fibromyalgia_Support_Group ] On Behalf Of Ruthie Dyer

Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 2:53 PM

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Subject: Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

Yeah I know all of that. I lived in Philly and saw too much of that on the

streets. But this guy had an apartment and a job and a car and lost them

all. I think the alcohol is his way of blocking it all out. Anyway, he is

back on his way to a little apartment again and counting the days. He

laments all that he lost and is looking forward to getting something back. I

think the alcohol will always be there, but it is not the first thing in his

life, so we are hoping that once he has some money and a place to call his

own, he will not rely on medicating himself to dull the pain since most of

the " pain " will be gone. He is even talking of trying to get a part time job

that he can walk to since getting a car again is out of the question. I am

cautiously optimistic.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

NO I certainly wasnt " lumping " anyone into anything. Whether Vet or Men Ill

makes no difference to the fact that these are people who need help and aren't

getting it. The difference is only in the TYPE of help they need. AND LETS not

EVEN go there on the amount of vaccinations the soldiers are given (the little

guinea pigs that they are) AND the fact that your Sept 11 laws stop anyone from

suing for vaccination damage. That good old rider worked great, what congressman

was gonna vote against Sept 11 any rider was gonna get through and sure enough

the ONE that causes the most damage got through.. So yeah good on yah for the

letter writing but the damage has been done long ago. My father in law is a vet

and I too know first hand their own hatred at the way they have been treated but

at the end of the day Vet or " Vanderlust " they are a generation of people we

just don't give a shit about.

How do we change it, well keep writing your letters, and buy one a burger but

don't try to impose your principals on someone else, they just don't want it.

Re: Isolation??? love it too! at times

I can speak with quite a bit of authority on Viet Nam vets. It wasn't only the

PTSD that affected them. It had a whole lot to do with the fact that they did

what they were ordered to do...most were drafted, then sent to fight a war that

most Americans didn't believe in. When they returned, after putting their lives

in so much danger and watching so many of their friends die, they came back

'home' and were treated like lepers. The government refused, for the most part,

to take any responsibility for them. The ones affected by Agent Orange, like my

brother, were not treated for the symptoms of that at all, as the 'official

line' was that it was harmless and could not be causing all of the symptoms the

GIs were returning with. The ones who lost limbs or worse, were not helped a lot

either, they were given a new artificial limb, if they were lucky, then sent off

to make it on their own with no rehab or retraining in a new job that they would

be able to do.

The ones with PSTD got no help at all either. It wasn't even recognised as a

mental illness. When my brother came back, you would not dare to wake him up, he

could jump up quickly and attack you, as in his mind he was still in Viet Nam.

If he heard a helicopter, he would simply 'freak out'. He had many other bizarre

behaviours as well, all of them having to do with a type of hallucination that

he was still in Viet Nam, and still in danger at every turn. It was obvious to

everyone that he, as well as thousands of other vets with the same symptoms had

something drastically wrong, but the government still would not help them. It

took a long time for him to begin to heal, and luckily he wasn't one who ended

up on the streets. He now has quite a few very severe health problems which the

government has finally admitted are due to Agent Orange. He now gets some

disability from the Army, as well as treatment at the VA. To top it off...our

father was English,

and I was born there, but my brother was 'lucky' enough to have been born here.

He was living in England when the American government demanded that he be

drafted into the American Army. We both had dual citisenships, but still, cos he

was born here, he was required to serve for the US.

The point being that these men (and some women as well) put their lives on the

line for America, and instead of returning to a hero's welcome, as the vets from

the other 2 wars had, they were often spit on or worse. Add that treatment to

the PTSD and the illnesses caused by the chemicals, and what would one expect to

happen? I do know several vets who killed themselves within a few years of

returning, as they felt alone and abandoned as well as very ill with basically

the same things we have, and could get no help anywhere. When an injured vet

reurned home he was discharged at the first possible moment, and had no benefits

from the military at all. Many of the ones who now live on the streets developed

schizophrenia and other disorders on top of the PTSD, and got no help for those

things either. So, to lump these vets in with the other homeless, is just not

right. Although many homeless people also suffer from schizophrenia and related

disorders as well.

There are no safeguards in place to make sure these people receive treatment,

and part of their illness is that they will not stay on their meds on their own.

This is another reason I write letters to the government!!

Peace and Love

Caroline

> Yes its important to distinguish between people who are " down on their

> luck " and people who are so ill that the concept of a routine, and a job

> are out of the question. Don't quote me on this but the guys who came

> back from Vietnam who had PTSD were MORE likely to have wanderlust,

> simply because the concept of getting up and doing the same thing over

> and over everyday was so alien after the war that they just could not do

> it.

>

> There has been a lot written about the difference between WW1 and WW2

> survivors who also saw similar horror and Vietnam Vets and the difference

> seems to be that in WW1 and 2 we (society) was globally affected so more

> support was given to families and there was that global sense of group

> surival (one need only look at Isreal for proof of that) whereas in

> Vietnam it was they went over there we stayed home and watched it on TV

> there was no " us' and therefore no " us " to pull it together at the other

> end. In WW1 and WW2 we all had to work together and no one got left

> behind (well very few) whereas in Vietnam many simply could not return to

> the life they had because it just wasnt there in a way that allowed them

> to heal.

>

> People who have wanderlust " buy them a burger for lunch " but don't try

> and change their world, they quiet like it. I know that sounds odd to us

> because we can think of nothing worse, but some really do like it, those

> down on their luck give them a map, but they have to walk the path, thats

> how you can tell the difference. One can if given the opportunity, the

> other can't no matter how much you try.

____________________________________________________________

FREE 3D EARTH SCREENSAVER - Watch the Earth right on your desktop!

Check it out at http://www.crawler.com/earth

1. While it is wonderful to share our experiences with everyone on the list as

to what treatments do and don't work for us, pls always check with your dr.

Some treatments are dangerous when given along with other meds as well as to

certain health conditions or just dangerous in general.

2. If you are in a difficult situation (doesn't matter what it is) pls don't be

afraid to ask for help. It is the first step to trying to make that situation

better.

3. To unsubscribe the e-mail is:

Fibromyalgia_Support_Group-unsubscribe

4. Also, it is not uncommon for more than one member to be feeling bad at the

same time when it comes to flares and b/c of that potentially take something

another member says the wrong way. And that includes the things that one member

may find funny (even if it's laughing at fibro itself) even though we who deal

with illness whether one such as fibro or multiple illnesses try to keep a sense

of humor.

5. Pls let's be gentle with each other, and if you are having a bad day pls let

us know so that we can do our best to offer our support.

Have a nice day everyone.

[Guest guest]

Hi Ruthie,

This guy definitely sounds like one that can't be helped, as you said. Not at

the present time anyway and not by you. It sounds as if you are trying to take

care of him and he needs to take care of himself. You have enough going on.

You don't need or have to take care of him. If he chooses to drink and squander

his money, there is nothing you can do about it.

You need to take care of you and staying with this man is not the way to do

it.

I was married to an alcoholic abuser manipulater, as all alcoholics are. I'm

divorced now and know that was my only recourse, although it let me without

much. The constant dealing with this man is driving you crazy. I went to

Ala-Non for a long time to learn the only person I could change was myself and I

did. He has to deal with this on his own.

It's harsh, but it is what it is.

Take care of yourself,

Marti

Ruthie Dyer wrote:

I might be beating the proverbial dead horse. My down on his luck man

just called me and he was rip-roaring drunk. Seems some kind soul gave him some

money and he immediately went to the liquor store for some cheap beer. I was

very upset with him. He wanted me to drive him somewhere and I told him I had an

appointment. Grrr! When I told my friend, who is also helping with him, what

transpired, she said that when he gets his social security money, he is just

going to be a " rich drunk " and lose his apartment again and be on the streets

being able to buy all the booze he wants and getting beaten and robbed for his

money. I am afraid she may be right. But, I couldn't live with myself if I

hadn't at least tried to give him his life back. *sigh*...I guess maybe there

are some people you can't help no matter what. I am just very down over this

right now. I have been in contact with his nephew who told me that his entire

family wants nothing to do with him anymore because

he is an ungrateful soul sucker. I am starting to believe it. After he gets his

money, which will be in March, I will just have to let him live his own life as

he chooses and not worry about him since he will have the means to help himself

if he so chooses. Right now, he doesn't. I don't NEED this stress.

Ruthie