My Little Brother

I have gone back and forth many time whether I wanted to post about this or not, but you know what I think, it's ok...I think it will be ok to get it out there for me to look back on and maybe help someone else out some day.

My Brother is a Drug Addict!  Yes, he has been in Re-hab for the past 2 months.  He is set to graduate on the 28th of this month with the long term goal of his to become a staff at his re-had center teaching classes.  It has NOT been an easy road to get him to where he is today.  He has been in and out of a few re hab centers for several years and it worked for a little bit but he always went back to where he was.

Before he went in this last time...HE WAS A MESS!  It was the worst he had ever been.  Mark started drugs when he was 15 years old and he is now 26.  I believe the family denied it for years not wanting to accept it.  I remember him driving down to my wedding with us and he was higher than a kite and then slept the next day for like 15 hours.  

Because of the choice he made to do drugs...It has made such an impact on his life.  He has lost many friends, he still has not graduated High School, he has many fines, been arrested.  The list could go on.  

He has stolen so many things from my parents and taken advantage of their generosity and them being naive. He has taken things from family members.  Shoplifted more times than I can count.

He has told me stories of when he would go and take his dealer at gun point just so he could get his drug.

He stooped as low as you could possibly go just to get his next fix.

BUT, I KNEW and still KNOW, that, that was NOT my brother.  Yes, I did hate him for all the things he had created with in my family.  At one point for about 2 1/2 months I had to remove my kids from my parents home where he was doing drugs, because he became careless and I didn't trust that he didn't have drugs hidden in obvious places for my kids to find (there were many other reasons too).  I knew that deep down there was still this, caring, loving, energetic. and fun brother that I grew up with.  The DRUG took over his life and it was awful.  It changed who he was.  He changed our family dynamic.  It changed my parents, it changed me!

I Pray for him every day that he will be strong and that he can make the recovery he needs to be able to function back in society again.

I was able to go visit him yesterday and it was sooo nice to seee HIM! The person that I know.  I love you Marky Mark, and I hope and pray you continue on the path you are on!