Drug Addiction Stories

I was in complete shock to learn that my oldest daughter was pregnant with her third child in 2 ½ years. I did not find out until she was very far along in her pregnancy and it meant she had been lying to me for months about it. Then I realized the amount of drinking she had been doing and my heart sank. Having studied in the medical field, I knew what fetal alcohol syndrome could do to a child and worry was an every day part of my life from that day forward. When I confronted my daughter about being pregnant and drinking, she moved out that very night.

She was also an alcoholic

My daughter became someone I didn’t know. She would hang up on me if I said anything about the kids or the unborn baby, and she would say things like “Oh, you think YOU were a good mother?” This was my sensitive and sweet daughter, mind you. This is the daughter I would never have expected this behavior from. She didn’t come over very often and in the beginning, I didn’t see my two lovely grandchildren at all. I was so concerned about the baby that it would make me physically ill. I found out the baby was a boy and I also learned that my daughter had planned to give him up for adoption.

She was staying with a woman who was great with the grandkids, but, she was also an alcoholic. Her doctor called CPS and they paid me a visit, among others. The last thing I wanted was for all of the babies to be taken away from my daughter and yet I was so concerned about the drinking. I informed CPS that IF it came down to it, I did not particularly want to raise any more children, but I would care for my grandkids for as long as it took for my daughter to get sober. He agreed that even over her protests, if the kids were taken away, they would come to me. I simply could not believe all of this was happening. Now, I had a grandson on the way and had no idea what complications he would have as a result of the alcohol my daughter had consumed throughout the pregnancy. It wasn’t going to be long before he was here, and we would all find out.

To put it bluntly, Levi (also known as Spotted Wolf) is one of the most charming street people I’ve ever met.  I look at this man and can see that in the past, before the broken noses and drug use; he would have been a very handsome Native American man.  I met Levi in the parking lot of the Family Dollar one day.  We must have talked for over an hour.  He told me about his late wife and how he always swore to protect her and about the love they shared.  I was charmed, but I was not blind to the fact that losing his beloved wife had made Levi a broken down wreck (albeit a charming one).

His face is now scarred from the many fights he must have been in.  He does have enough self-respect to stay at a homeless shelter when available so he can eat and shower. Other than that, he spends his time either trying to get drugs or trying to get people to buy him some Listerine from Family Dollar.  (Listerine has alcohol in it).  I know there are times he sleeps in the doorways of businesses or wherever he can find that he doesn’t think he’ll be found by the police.  It so happened I was in another store and mentioned Levi.  One of the workers there knew him, back before the drug use.  She said that Levi and his wife used to have a simple, but nice house with a pretty yard.  Levi had a job as a laborer and treated his wife like a princess.  “But”, she noted, “That was before”.  I nodded, understanding that “before” was before his wife passed away, before the drug and alcohol abuse started.

I’ve met street people before, but none of them really tugged at my heartstrings like Levi.  I think of his now broken and scarred face and then I think of how truly charming he is.  Levi also had on a hospital bracelet and told me of his last admission.  Levi isn’t going to be around much longer and I think overall the world is going to lose a wonderful man.  If only he hadn’t turned to drugs and alcohol to comfort him through his grief.  If only he had had someone to talk to and help him through it.  I can only hope now that when Levi passes, it is at least not in the streets.