My son is trouble and I almost lost him

When my firstborn son completed his university education, no one in my family was as happy as I was. He was going to graduate at the end of the year and with his degree, he could now seek employment and become independent.

He had always been a troubled child, having been suspended from high school severally for planning strikes and not forgetting his arrest two years ago for being drunk and disorderly. He is a sweet boy and I would give up anything for him but those few months before graduation were hell on earth for me.

He started going out with a group of boys from the neighbourhood and coming back home late stupid drunk. I reprimanded him on the daily but he felt that he was a grown man who could do as he pleased. My husband suggested that he move out but I differed because he was in no position to finance a life alone at the time. Though, I should have let him go.

He started asking me for money which I knew was for the alcohol. I didn’t want him to steal so I gave it to him. This continued to a point where I sincerely felt that he was draining my pocket and I started turning him down.

One day he called me, drunk as hell and asked me to send him a thousand shillings. I told him that I  did not have any money at the time. ” If you don’t send me the money I am going to kill myself,” he said and immediately hung up. People who threaten to kill themselves normally don’t so I didn’t pay his threat any mind.

Half an hour later strange numbers were blowing up my phone one after the other. My son had been found at the local bus station foaming at the mouth for what seemed to be rat poison! I could not believe my ears. I drove to the scene and rushed him to the hospital. The doctors were able to resuscitate him but he had to be admitted for almost a month.

When he was discharged, my husband and I checked him into a rehabilitation centre where he is to date. Losing my son was painful but I couldn’t bear the devastation of losing him forever over his addictions.