Friend in need, again

One of my oldest friends has been struggling with Vicodin addiction, among other things, for quite some time now. I've gone above and beyond to help and support her. That's the kind of person I am. I'm fiercely protective of my friends and family sometimes at a cost to myself.

I guess I'm just wondering to myself how you know when you can't help...how no matter how much better she feels after I talk her off the ledge that she's going to hit bottom again in a matter of days/hours/minutes. She knows I'm here for her, swears she won't lie to me anymore, but then lies and gets caught. I'm sort of resigning myself to being here for her, but not taking time away from my family unless it's truly necessary. She has asked me to read various NA and AA materials and I keep telling her I don't have the time. She's asked me to check out various MySpace pages, and I tell her I don't have time. She forwards me stupid emails and I tell her I don't have time. But I DO tell her I have time if she really needs me.

I understand that she can't really understand anyone else's issues...it's part of "the disease" and that she'll never stop asking me to devote time I don't have to things that aren't crucial.

Guess I'm just feeling frustrated. Today's another day where I spoke to her earlier while she was at work...then I call her back to see how she's doing and there's no answer at the store...no answer on her cell phone and no answer on her home phone...and no IM presence. Could be a few hours or a few days before I hear from her again and I have to try not to devote time to worrying about her - again.

Robert doesn't get why I think this is smart...

Laszlo is very into math. Robert bought him a handheld computer game over the weekend called Kakura...basically a math puzzle with different levels using addition and subtraction. Laszlo subtracts and adds by using his fingers...so if it's 12 - 6, he says "Twelve" out loud, then counts "eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six" on his fingers. The part I think is really smart is that he's counting twice at the same time...his fingers and the numbers backward. Know what I mean? He's counting backwards from 12, but he's also counting UP from 1-6, he never goes above the number he's adding/subtracting.

I dunno...it struck me as really smart, and abstract...and yet another thing that makes my socially retarded son a genius.

;-)