michaelaligblog.com

I have not updated this blog in a while, as I have been distraught in the way people on the internet have turned on me. I really don’t understand how people, who don’t know anything about me or my life, can accuse me of being the cause of Michael using drugs! Did I go there and shove them in his mouth? Of course not! Michael is an adult, and responsible for his own actions.

 When I was working, once in a while a client in our program would use. Was that my fault? No! I did my job, and we would check to make sure the other staff were doing their job. Sometimes a staff was too busy and someone slipped through the cracks. That’s what happens now a days in the System, as the budget gets cut, and so does the staff. We would fix the staff issue, get the client in rehab, and life would go on.

 Unfortunately in the Prison system, when an addict has a slip, they are punished by spending a year in a Cell alone with paper, pen, books, and mail. No treatment is given, and the worse part is there is still someone coming to your Cell door offering you drugs almost daily! It’s not all the Prison’s fault, the addict needs to want to change, but when they are ready there’s nothing in place for them.

 Michael was looking forward to possibly getting out next year, no way that will happen now. For testing positive for taking Opiates, Michael was given 4 years SHU time, which he is appealing. The Hearing officer is known for giving over the top punishments, and told Michael he hates drugs and wants to make an example of him. Michael pretty much gave up on his life at the hearing, and continued with his suicidal threats, and was then transferred to the Mental Health Ward at Sing Sing! Nice for me, he was 15 minutes away! Bad for Michael, he was under strip Cell, which is when all they have to wear is a smock that can’t be destroyed. I kept calling there, and finally the day before he was scheduled to leave, he was given his clothes and I was allowed to visit him.

 It was probably the worse visit of my life. Michael could barely get a word out, as he was heavily drugged and deeply depressed. Michael kept insisting that he could not make it through the SHU time. I read to him many positive messages from friends, and reminded him that he has to get through this, and he’ll still have plenty of life to live when he gets out. In his state of course he wasn’t going to believe it. He hopes he can get a visitor every week, as that is very important to him. I assured him I would try to help with that, but once he is moved further upstate to a “SHU Prison” there’s only a few people that would make the drive.

 So, Michael is now back at Eastern State Prison awaiting transfer to a SHU Prison, and his day for his appeal. The inmate Law clerk at Eastern was doing Michael’s appeal for him, but that can take a while to be heard. Hopefully Michael’s friends will stick by him; I am, but am also giving some tough love this time. Michael can only receive letters, magazines, newspapers, and books. He has no phone privileges and can’t receive any packages. I’m still scheduling the visits so that no one gets turned away, so PM me on the Pro Board or ask me on here if you want to schedule to go visit. I only help to schedule, and Michael does want me doing this, so people don’t drive a long way and get rejected at the door because Michael already had his weekly visit.

 Michael has a visit tomorrow, so I may know more, and will update when I do.

Lovepurple