Double Recovery - from son's binge lapse and attempted burglary

Well - here we are again, recovering from Tom's recent alcohol lapse, and the attempted burglary we had at our house two days after he was readmitted to the mental health ward. Did I say he finally stopped drinking - almost by a miracle - and we got him into the hospital again? He somehow managed to walk to an AA meeting the night before; after wards he collapsed - his legs gave way, so we had to go and find him in the next town. We kept him at home somehow, getting very little sleep, and drove him over to Roehampton, to the new Lavender Ward, which is purpose built; all shiny. Tom had his own 'en suite' room, with a little desk for private study etc., and was much happier there than in the shabby old ward where 3 patients shared a seedy bedroom. He was there 10 days - doing detox, plus a few days' grace. As before, we took him out for walks in Richmond Park (trees and deer) as he recovered.

He is not quite out of the woods yet, as he got two fines while he was on his drinking binge of 7 days. One was early on, for public disorder; then after he got home, the 2 cops called and said he had another fine for nicking a bottle of wine from the local M. & S., before he collapsed outside (that's why they did not charge him then). This did not look good - Tom got agitated, thinking he would be back in prison after all. But the probation officer says, although he will have to return to court in a few weeks, he probably will just have his community order adjusted. He has after all showed he was capable of stopping and getting help (AA and hospital).

What about me in all this? This time I experienced a series of disappointment, then coping, using my programme from Al Anon - then lapsing into tiredness, back-ache and depression, then recovering - then shock after the burglary, recovery, tiredness - in cycles. I think D. and I have both had mild PTSD from the burglary attempt. This morning I felt depressed and sluggish while at Al Anon (for once I did not share during the discussion), but it wore off. I decided today to return to taking St. John's Wort tablets, which are a bought herbal anti-depressant. I do not need to see a clinician. I also started counselling 4 days ago. I had arranged this before Tom's drink crisis arose, but in the event I was glad I'd done this. The counsellor is a young trainee psychologist and counsellor, and I get her services for free via the mental health charity MIND. She seems pretty good so far - I think she is of German origin. She is studying at Roehampton University, near the hospital.

I am also about leave D. and Tom to go for a 3-4 day trip to Madrid with the local mental health Carers' group. This is paid for - again by MIND. I may have to contribute to taxi fares to the airport at Gatwick. I am taking a small rucksack on the plane - should be OK for size. I am being picked up horribly early, at 5 am on Friday, then we fly by Easy Jet to Madrid, and then... I don't know quite what we are doing. I am taking 3 cameras - for movie film, slides and digital. We are booked into a 4-star hotel, and I hope to see the Prada museum/gallery, and other major sights of Madrid... I have never been to Spain before! I am now trying to learn bits of Spanish. I learned French, German and Italian at school, but not Spanish... Por favor! Muchachas, muchachos...

Cleo, our girl puss-cat, is holding her own against her terminal sickness; stil qutie active and very affectionate. She is on pills every day, which improve her appetite. Charlie is much the same, rough and ready. Weather is cooler and showery - often heavy rain now. They say there's still a water shortage!!

Goodbye - time to cook again... Love & peace (we need it), Tigey