Dennis moved out of the flat as Lorna refused to go there until he had moved out and she told him he was not allowed to see the baby. I thought this was very wrong he could have had supervised visits but he said he would keep away. Her Mother was a real tyrant and her sister they were taking over and Lorna being in a vulnerable state was allowing it but she would live to regret it. It was only a matter of time before Lorna wised up.
Dennis went to court and the judge ordered him to go to a new type of rehab in Newark, Notts. called The Red House it was supposed to be a revolutionary approach to getting off and staying off drugs. I really hoped it would work. He would have to stay there for a minimum of 1 year longer if necessary. After the year it would be voluntary.
He seemed to like it there and there was definitely an improvement. He appeared on a TV program called Everyman it covered topical issues and on this occasion was about drug addiction, it was strange seeing my brother on TV looking fit and well. The Red House was self sufficient the inmates for want of a better phrase cared for the grounds and grew just about everything required. This was part of the rehabilitation. It was religion based but Dennis was quite into this anyway, they often went on religious outings. Each to their own.
He had been there for about 18 months and they thought it was time he went from there and tried to stay off the drugs on his own. They found him a flat in Newark set him up with furniture etc.. It took him about a month to get in with the drug fraternity of Newark and he was back on the heroin and back on the slippery slope. He didn't work so had to shop lift for his drugs and food. He had also been told about a shoe shop there that all the junkies went to because they displayed the left and right shoes this was unusual as they usually only had one on show so all the junkies were well shod.
Several years passed and we didn't hear from Dennis, we didn't know if he was alive or dead it was a horrible time. I did see his son occasionally he was a lovely little boy, such a shame he didn't know his Dad but lorna was adament that they shouldn't have contact.
I am Lorna , and feel compelled to write a reply and hopefully correct my sister-in-law. Dennis and I never stood any chance of our marriage lasting a fact that sheila is right stating that, our childhood had in fact decreed that before it ever happened .But we were both lost both of us in need of a family life how wrong we were, I was working at the time of my marriage in a material shop in Bridge Street, Stupidly I became pregnant,my body did not agree with this state I became ill very ill in fact ,we had accepted a flat I was ill with a kidney infection yes I could not take the large tablets we had moved into our home Dennis would cash the income support I would not see him until the next payday he also never brought home the antibiotics in liquid form he had in fact told Dr Stoner I would not take them I was too weak to leave the flat and by this time seriously ill, when sheila came too the door Dennis would cover my mouth so I could not call out for help I owe Sheila my life and my baby if she had not persisted I would not have survived When she came that day with Roy Dennis let them in and took Den out of the home Sheila did call Dr Stoner he came I was rushed into hospital with malnutrition and Chronic pylonephritis I was unable to keep fluids or food I was kept alive by drips and blood transfusions At the flat there was no food or medication in the fridge at all , After a long time in hospital I was released my baby was still in IC he was born at 28 weeks and had stopped breathing he was 3lbs 4ozs at birth but had lost llb within 24hrs the prognosis was very bad for my son , I weighed 4 and a half stone after birth Dr Stoner did visit when I had moved back to the flat and he had come to apologize for taking Dennis's word that I would not take any medication he felt totally to blame and asked that I accept his sincere apologies he informed me he was moving to another practice in Devon I believe ,My point is that there are always two sides and over time memories fade but not that there was food or medication in the flat there was NOT.. And still to this day I harbor no ill towards my ex husband we both wanted to belong but the reality is we were never going to be able to live as others live there lives as normal people .I have a lot to thank my sister-in-law for , she did try to help me but thru my own traumatic life that was something I would never be able to accept,to this day I am now almost 59 I live alone and trust which most people take as a part of normality is something to this day I cannot & do not find easy to understand..Maybe oneday Sheila I will write my story and my marriage , my son,my family..Linda
ReplyDeleteAlso we did NOT have a fridge ,Sheila now do you remember all we had was a gas cooker my mother got for Den & I we also had two armchairs and a single fold up bed we had very little in the home ,my mother gave me 5000 players No6 coupons for the babys stuff Dennis took them god only know's what he did with them , when I moved back into the flat my curtains were at your house and bits and bobs my parents went to get them Dennis left me with the cooker and a saucepan full of mouldy stew and that was all he left ooops and the fold up bed
ReplyDeleteThe weight loss Sheila was not due to my eating problems I had pylonephritis plus Den had all the money- I was vomiting 24hrs a day I could not keep fluid down and yes you are correct I had a food problem off & on until my late 30's but not when I entered motherhood . One day Sheila we should sit down and write together what happened we both have a lot to tell .
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda for your version, we differ somewhat. Still what has passed has passed.
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