1 | Pam Cherry

May 5th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

Jack’s unemployment ran out last July. Since that time he has been using his 401K (which is now nearly gone) to buy beer, schnapps and cigarettes and of course the occasional tank of gas. My income just covers the bills. Are there programs to help with the financing or funds available in the form of a grant, or scholarship?

Jack has been drinking heavily for 30 years, he just turned 48 yesterday, once again this was his “last fun weekend”. He grew up on Long Island and was often riding trains into the City to the clubs. The unemployment of the last 18 months has really exacerbated the problem. In February I had to call an ambulance the first time. He had been drinking all day, we got into an argument, so he took, at the time “about 10 or 12 Xanax” on top of whatever all he had been drinking all day. He was taken the the emergency room and did not regain consciousness while I was there. At 7:30 the next morning he called me, wondered how he had gotten there and wanted me to pick him up, he needed to get out of there. Needless to say I refused. I called the nurse’s station to ask them to keep an eye on him because I thought he was going to leave. Well they didn’t watch him. He walked out of the hospital wrapped in a blanket as a coat. About a hour and a half later the police found him and took him back to the hospital.

I spoke with a therapist later that afternoon and she assured me that she had received a 5-day pre-authorization from our insurance company for detox. They then transferred him to St. Francis. Imagine my surprise when he phoned me two days later to say he had been released. This is so frustrating, did staff at St. Francis not read the paperwork that came with him from Penrose or check to see what had been pre-authorizatized for? Now, because of the shortened stay, two days instead of five, the insurance company will not pay the bill. I thought I would have a few days to figure out where I could hospitalize him. But, of course not. At least we are not responsible for this bill either, since the hospital did not keep him to finish the program that had been pre-authorized.

This is a man that when in a situation occurs where he is going to have to take some responsibility, he somehow falls through the cracks and loopholes in the system. Last August he got his first DUI at 1:00 pm with a BAC of .22. He was arrested by a Park Ranger, so he was not jailed. But naturally, as always seems to happen with Jack, he had been asked to drive by the same ranger that arrested him. So, all charges were dismissed and the State reissued his driver’s license.

I am extremely frustrated, he realizes that his only hope is rehab, but cost, and the commitment to a program are really holding up any possible action on his part. If I could find a way to decrease the cost of a program, he may finally commit to something. But, then I am only guessing and being optimistic.

2 | Bonnie Kempen

December 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

My son has bee in jail now for 3 months has until March 31 to get out.

He is trying to get into rehab for help. He realizes that there is some thing causing him to drink but doesn,t know what. He feels he can learn more about his problem in a rehab than he can in jail.

His name is THomas Russell–Kane County Jail–76 n Main–Kanab,Utah 84741.

He cannot aford the price of a private Rehab so needs to find a place that will help him work out a payment type deal. He is 50 years old