My son just told me that when he went to the Medical center on 6/30 as the guards were going thru his property, they found his prescription eyeglasses .. He was asked why he was not wearing them and he explained he had some contacts in. So the guard THREW THEM IN THE GARBAGE!! Brand new glasses! I had just got them for him because I could not get him anymore contacts without an appointment for an exam!!! THEN the guard proceeded to toss a pair of shoes in the garbage.. ON TOP OF THE GLASSES!! now the guard has come to the box of contacts and since they are 2 different perscriptions (one strength for each eye) and the boxes were OPEN he says they were contraband and threw them in the garbage, fished out the glasses and lo and behold they were BROKE!!! GRRRR! So of course now here he is with his contacts needed to be thrown out because he has been wearing the same pair since 6/30, no more to put in and NO GLASSES!! I'm just a little upset right now!! It's a good thing those glasses only cost me 20.00 on my insurance! But I cant get him another pair that cheap again till 2016! So now I will have to pay FULL PRICE for him a new pair!
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You know. I was all worried an upset. Terrified. Still am to a certain extent. Still have not seen my son since mid June. But it's OK. He is OK. He calls and his voice is different now. Different from the way it sounded the 9 months he was in the county. He sounds "Happy".. Not like Happy Happy Happy, but content if that makes sense. The camp he is in is an open dorm camp. He says the food is the best he has had.(Compared to the county jail and to the Main unit they send all males too first for medical workups) Visitation papers are now turned in and we are awaiting approval. Hearing the change in his voice, makes me feel at ease. He is OK. It's OK! The new normal is OK.
Hi All,
I just saw a film produced by Brian Lindstrom of Portland Oregon, called, Mothering Inside, a program at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Oregon. In this program, called the Family Preservation Project, incarcerated women have extended time with their children while learning parenting skills. The film showcases the bonds that are being formed between the women and their children, some of whom have not seen each other for years. In the program moms and kids enjoy eating, playing, doing activities together, in short, all the things normal families do. This has made the transition to home much easier for all those in the program and recidivism is zero.
The program was cut this last spring, but this film and efforts by others restored funding and Governor Kate Brown has signed legislation to restart it in the fall under the auspices of the YWCA.
Programs like this, and the general public's awareness of these kinds of programs, will help all our loved ones who are or who have been incarcerated. I don't know if there are other programs like this in other states, but if there are, it would be good to know about them and how to advocate for them. Not only do we all need to fight against injustices, but we need to advocate for programs that actually help and rehabilitate our freedom challenged loved ones.
sorry aint been on ladies been sick
My son sent the most beautiful letter this week and I wanted to share some of it with you. The first line had my eyes squirting with tears!! He said, "Here's a thought I had the other day, from God to you. You trust in the path I laid out for My Son, now trust in the path I've laid out for yours". I have to pause for a minute to say WOW! God gave His Son to save the world. Can I trust God enough that the path He has laid out for my son is for His purpose and His glory? Matt goes on to say, "While this might not be the best place to learn lessons, it may also be the best place to learn lessons. I'm discovering a strength and a peace inside of me that goes beyond anything I knew existed. When I was reading my Bible last night, my "friend" (the one that we prayed God send to Matt!!) came over and was talking to me and mentioned that we should start a mini Bible Study. I told him that it was a great idea, so we'll probably start that one day this week. There are "good" people in prisons. While I am still staying on my toes and being careful, I can't become an angry, untrusting person. I like to think I've got enough "street smarts" to recognize and avoid bad people or bad situations, which are actually fairly easy to spot in here since I've got so much time to watch and observe. There's a small handful of people I talk with and most of the others I just ignore. I still use Romans 12:21 as one of my guiding verses, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". Just because evil things have happened doesn't mean I need to become less of a good person. I need to be a smarter person, but not an angrier person."
I just got a text from VineLink saying they moved Cody today...Hopefully this means that we can go see him now! It's not too far away from us.. only about an hour and half drive. AND... a friend of mine works at the unit next to his.. not the same unit my son is in, but the main unit there. So my friend can keep an ear out for me through his other buddies who work at the unit Cody is in. So I feel a little better.
My son, Andrew, has been home for 5 weeks now. I am so proud of him and how he is living his life now that he's had a second chance. He is still drug free and keeping all the rules, and he finally got a job!
Most surprising to me has been how his PO has worked with him to make the job possible. His PO extended his curfew hours to 6am from 7am so Andrew can get to work on time for 7am. His PO also reduced reporting to the PO office from two days per week to one day per week and moved it to the evening instead of the morning so he could keep his job. I tell you all this so you and your boy won't be afraid to ask for the terms of probation to be adjusted in order to obtain or keep a job. It can be done if your PO is willing and helpful.
Thanks for letting me share my good report, mamas. I am praying for you all and your children. I want you to know that with God's help you and your children can do all things. Remember to keep God's power in the midst of it all.
With love and a hug, Denise.
Today is my son's birthday, the first we've celebrated since he's been in prison. My daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and I had lunch today to celebrate and we talked about how this will be the first of many "hard days" for the next few years. My birthday is in September, the first without him. It will be the first Thanksgiving and the first Christmas without him. When his baby girl turns a year old in January, he won't be here to celebrate. It's a hard day :(
Everything is crazy. I have no clue to what is actually going on. I cant believe they could do something so wrong. where did I go wrong. Why does it hurt so much ?
IF YOU HAVE THIS PLEASE I NEED HELP CONTROLLING BLOOD SUGAR
Hi All,
I'm a member of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They have joined an effort called Stepping Up which aims to reduce the number of people with mental illness in jails. Here's their statement: "The Stepping Up Initiative is a national effort to divert people with mental illness from jails and into treatment. The campaign brings together a powerful coalition of national organizations, including NAMI, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties, the American Psychiatric Foundation and numerous law enforcement associations, mental health organizations, and substance abuse organizations.
The initiative will challenge counties and local communities to work together to find solutions that work for the local community. The campaign will also support local leaders by providing examples of effective reforms and connecting them with other communities that are successfully reducing the number of people with mental illness in jails.
- See more at: http://www.nami.org/steppingup#sthash.t13sG7un.dpuf"
I
I went to the webpage: http://www.nami.org/steppingup to see whether my county in Oregon has joined in this effort and it has. The website has various means by which we can become active to further this cause. I'll be on an e-mail list to be updated on future efforts.
I just wanted to pass along this information about this--forgive me if you all know about this already. I thought if your county has not joined in this initiative, the website lists ways you can work to encourage them to do so. We, as moms of sons who've been or are incarcerated and who may also suffer from a mental illness/substance abuse, have powerful voices in this effort. Let's hope this effort leads to substantial change!
Karen
today was very hard i was feeling so cunfused i woke up and called my son then i rembered he on home he is in prison. i feel like its my fault and im not a good mom.i tried to keep busy so i wouldnt like about it. then i receaved a phone call that tells me my son is out of quointeen and i can go see him i ran out thge door to see him, he looked so good but then he started tl cry then i lost it. i feel a little betterhe has a lot to tnink about. thank you for listening .
Hi,
Here's a link to a great article I found on line: http://www.dailygood.org/story/1074/how-to-transform-stress-into-courage-and-connection-kelly-mcgonigal/ ; It basically outlines how to Transform Stress into Courage and Connection. It's something I've observed in this group and it's given me some hope that what we do is right and just and will have a positive impact. I will become more active in this group even though my son has been released and we're hoping he'll agree to going to a rehab facility instead of going back to jail.
Thank you all for being there for all of us who are going through these difficult times.
Karen
As some of you may know, my son, Andrew was released just about 3 weeks ago and came to our home to start his new life. I must say that the transition has been so much smoother than I had anticipated. He really did grow up and mature over the past 18 months. He has focus and drive like I haven't seen in a long time. He is abiding by all rules and regulations, both from his PO and here at home. He has a great attitude. He has been very helpful to me around the house even cooking dinner twice a week. (WHAAAAT??) Physically, emotionally, and spiritually he is doing so very well.
There have been small frustrations with several hoops to jump through with P&P and the motor vehicle dept, etc., but I guess we'd expected that. Some people are helpful, others are just mean.
The biggest hurdle has been finding a job - even a part-time job. I feel like the system sets these guys and gals up for failure here. The first strike is the big black "EX" mark he's labeled with. This eliminates a lot of work. Additionally, Andrew has to wear an ankle bracelet for the first 60 days to track his movements. He cannot leave our state and must be in the house from 7PM - 7AM. This further eliminates jobs that run on shift work (7-3 or 3-11) or construction or landscaping since he can't leave the house until 7 or return after 7. The final complication is that he must check in and report to P&P twice a week between 9-11am. Do they really think employers want to work around all these issues and complications? Why do they make it so much more difficult in an already difficult job market? We need a miracle (or wait for the 60 days to be over). It really stinks.
With all that said, mamas, I still encourage you. This too shall pass, and it is just wonderful to have my boy back. If you are waiting for your child to come home soon, bathe your home and circumstances in prayer. Get others to pray on your behalf. I really do believe that this is much of the reason things have been going so well. Having the supernatural back-up power has made the biggest difference because we're not doing it alone. Some of you have been a great part of that, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Loves.
