the story of being a criminal's wife

THE STORY OF BEING A CRIMINAL'S WIFE IS THIS:  THE FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY HE IS INCARCERATED, YOU SIT HOME AND CRY ALL DAY, LOOKING AT YOUR WEDDING PIX.  THE SECOND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, YOU SIT AROUND CRYING, AGAIN, HOPING HE WILL SOON BE HOME.  AND THE THIRD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, YOU SIT AT HOME, NUMB, NO LONGER LOOKING AT YOUR PAST PIX, UNHAPPY, WONDERING TO YOURSELF JUST WHY YOU GOT YOURSELF INVOLVED IN THIS LIFE WITH HIM, JUST WHY DID YOU MARRY THIS CRIMINAL, AND WHY DO I TORTURE MYSELF SITTING HERE, WAITING FOR HIM.  AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE SURPRISED TO READ THIS .  BUT THIS JOURNAL IS BASED ON TRUTH.  ON MY FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS.  AND THAT IS THE TRUTH FOR TODAY.  ON TOP OF IT ALL, JIMMY JUST CALLED ME AND SAID , ALL TH PEOPLE IN HIS STORE  ARE MAD AT HIM, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS SAY HOW WONDERFUL OUR MARRIAGE IS, AND THEN, ON OUR ANNIVERSARY, HE IS NOYT WITH ME.  YES, JIMMY IS A PRISONER, NOT ONLY OF THE PRISON SYSTEM, BUT NOW ALSO HIS JOB...IT'S OK.  WE'LL JUST SEE WHERE IT'S GOING TO LEAD.  I'M NOT SITTING HERE FOREVER WAITING FOR HIM...ALL THE OTHER GUYS SEE THEIR WIVES ON PASSES, BUT JIMMY HASN'T DONE IT YET.  IT'S OK.  WE WILL NOW SEE WHERE THIS WILL LEAD.  I WOULDN'T SIT HERE WAITING FOREVER...AFTER ALL, THE WEATHER IS TOO NICE......DO YOU REALIZE, THIS JOURNAL IS LIKE A "REALITY TV SHOW," ONLY IT IS A "REALITY JOURNAL," AND YOU JUST MAY BE THE FIRST TO READ ABOUT ...WHO KNOWS WHAT!

our 4th wedding anniversary

TOMORROW, APRIL 29TH , IS OUR 4TH WEDDING ANNIVERSAY.  JIMMY SENT ME 7 CARDS TODAY!  EACH ONE IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE NEXT. I HAVE THEM ALL LINED UP ON THE BED.  I AM ALWAYS ASKED, WHEN WILL I SEE JIMMY, AND WHEN WILL JIMMY COME HOME.  THE ANSWER IS "I DON'T KNOW." I JUST LET THE TIME PASS BY, AND NOT DWELL ON IT.  NOTHING IS EVER CERTAIN IN THE PRISON SYSTEM, THAT MUCH I LEARNED.  AND SO, I JUST GO THROUGH LIFE, AND WHEN GOD WANTS ME TO BE WITH JIMMY, HE WILL LET THAT DAY COME.  IT IS ALL OUT OF MY HANDS, AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY, IF GOD IS TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING.  IF YOU GET A CHANCE, CHECK OUT "MAMA.COM"SEARCH ENGINE.  I DID LAST NIGHT , AND FOUND THIS JOURNAL ALL OVER MAMA.  THIS JOURNAL IS ALSO ALL OVER GOOGLE . WELL GOOD-NITE FOR NOW, AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL...FRAN

PRISONER'S WIFE DOES "TIME"WITH HER HUSBAND

FOR THOSE OF YOU JOINING THIS JOURNAL FOR THE FIRST TIME, LET ME EXPLAION SOME THINGS.  I AM A PRISONER'S WIFE, WHOSE HUSBAND IS NOW IN A WORKING HALF-WAY HOUSE.  I AM DOING THE "TIME ," WITH JIMMY, OTHERWISE, KNOWN AS "DOING THE BID."  I WAIT AT HOME.  IY IS NOW APRIL 28, 2005...EXACTLY 25 MONTHS SINCE JIMMY WENT TO JAIL, THEN PRISON, THEN REHAB, AND NOW FINALLY A HALF-WAY HOUSE.  IN THIS JOURNAL YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME, FIRST HAND, WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WAIT , AT HOME, FOR YOUR HUSBAND WHO IS INCARCERATED.  WE ARE NOT KIDS, BUT ARE 2 MATURE PEOPLE, WHO HAPPENED TO FALL IN LOVE 4 YEARS AGO, ACROSS THE NATION...I LIVED IN LAS VEGAS, JIMMY LIVED IN NEW JERSEY.  WE MARRIED 8 WEEKS LATER, AND I FULLY KNEW HE HAD TO SERVE A PRISON TERM.  I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE PRISON SYSTEM, AND REALLY NEVER WANTED TO KNOW, UNTIL I FELL IN LOVE WITH A MOST WONDERFUL MAN.  I DIDN'T REALIZE HE HAD TO STAY IN PRISON FOR SO LONG.  WE THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN HOUSE ARREST, LIKE MARTHA STEWART.  SO HERE IT IS 25 MONTHS LATER.  THAT IS A LOT OF DAYS AND HOURS, LIVING FOR YOUR HUSBAND.  IN THIS JOURNAL YOU WILL EXPERIENCE JUST WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE THE LIFE OF THE FORGOTTEN WOMAN, AT HOME...YES, THE FORGOTTEN WOMAN IN OUR SOCIETY.  AND SO, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MY TEARS, MY JOY, MY JOKING, MY UPS AND DOWNS, MY EMOTIONAL TURMOIL AT TIMES.  READ THIS JOURNAL , WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE , FROM THE NIGHT I STARTED IT...A LONELY, MISERABLE  NEW YEAR'S EVE DEC. 31, 2003.  SEE HOW IT STARTED OUT .  SEE HOW THE WRITING HAS CHANGED SINCE THAT FIRST ENTRY.  SEE HOW DEPRESSED I WAS, AND HOW, NOW, SOMEHOW HAVE LIFTED MYSELF ABOVE ALL THAT, ALONE, WITH MY HUSBAND'S SUPPORT FROM PRISON.  NOTICE HOW I AM A HAPPIER MORE TOGETHER PERSON.  YES, I FIGURED THE PRISON SYSTEM OUT, BY MYSELF, BY GOING THROUGH IT.  FOR THAT I AM GRATEFUL...TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT THROUGH THIS PRISON EXPERIENCE, LED BY MY HUSBAND, ONLY TO BECOME A STRONGER PERSON.  IF YOU ARE READING THIS, AND VERY DEPRESSED, HANG ON.  THINGS WILL AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND IN YOUR THOUGHTS...IT IS AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY, BUT ONE WELL WORTH TRAVELING.  I INVITE YOU ALL INTO THE CORNERS OF MY MIND.  FOR SOME IT MAY EVEN BE A SCARY EXPERIENCE.  DO NOT FEAR, FOR YOU WILL ONLY LEARN FROM IT...JUST HOW IT IS TO LIVE LIKE THIS.  YOU SEE, I LIVE FOR THE RING OF THE PHONE.  THAT IS HOW WE HAVE STAYED CONNECTED.  AND FOR THE WAITING OF THE MAIL.  I HAVE BOXES OF MAIL, LETTERS, CARDS, AND HOME-MADE CARDS.  AND , OF COURSE, I LIVE FOR THIS JOURNAL, WHICH HELPED PULL ME OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF DEPRESSION.  AND YES, EVERYDAY I GET LOADS OF MAIL AND COMMENTS FROM THOSE READING THIS, TO THANK ME, AND SHARE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES.  AND SO, I FEEL BLESSED.  AND I AM HAPPY TO GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS.  AND NOW, APRIL 28TH IS HERE, AND WE PROCEED INTO THE 25TH MONTH OF BEING PHYSICALLY APART...........FRAN

THANKS FOR CORRECTING ME!

THANKS FOR CORRECTING ME, AS WRITTEN IN YOUR COMMENT!....LOL!......YOU GAVE ME A BIG LAUGH!....I WAS JUST TESTING YOU, IF YOU ALL KNEW WHAT DATE IT IS!....AFTER I WROTE THAT ENTRY AROUND 3 AM, AND WENT TO BED, I REALIZED IT WAS APRIL 27, NOT THE 28TH!....I WAS TOO LAZY TO GET UP AND CORRECT IT...I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE WOULD WRITE ME ABOUT IT!.........I MAKE SURE I KEEP PLENTY OF CALENDERS HANGING UP IN THE HOUSE, TO MAKE SURE I KNOW THE DATE!......I JUST LOVE YOU, MY READERS...YOU MAKE ME HAPPY AND LAUGHING THROUGH YOUR COMMENTS AND LETTERS.  ANOTHER COMMENT WAS POSTED A FEW MINUTES AGO.........FROM nanchr5...THANK YOU THAT YOU LOVE READING MY JOURNAL, I KNOW YOU WILL BE HAPPY WHEN JIMMY COMES OUT, BUT SAD THAT THIS JOURNAL WILL END....BUT GUESS WHAT, IT WILL MOST LIKELY NOT END.  THERE IS 'LIFE AFTER PRISON,"  AND I BET ALL OF YOU WILL LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!  LOTS OF ROMANCE , AND LOVE, THAT IS!  (YOU CAN READ nanchr5 COMMENT IN THE ENTRY TITLED, "LOVE MESSAGE TO ME FROM JIMMY, IN KINTOCK.")....WHEN JIMMY COMES OUT, IT WILL BE THE SECOND PART OF THIS JOURNAL.  PAINTSAQHA (SHERLY) ALSO LEFT A LOT OF NICE COMMENTS TODAY!  PLEASE READ THEM.  IN ANSWERING YOU, YES I AM WRITING SEVERAL BOOKS, IN FACT.  I HAVE COMPLETED 4 CHAPTERS OF A FICTIONAL NOVEL, I HAVE ANOTHER BOOK ALSO PARTLY DONE...AND YES, THIS JOURNAL WILL ONE DAY BE A BOOK.  ACTUALLY, I AM LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER, AND IF ANY ARE INTERSTED, PLEASE CONTACY ME.  I DON'T WANT TO GO THE 'SELF-PUBLISHING ROUTE."  I HAVE READ THAT MANY BLOGS/JOURNALS THAT ARE BEING WRITTEN , ARE BEING TURNED INTO BOOKS.  SO, ONCE AGIAN, IF ANY PUBLISHERS ARE OUT THERE READING THIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!  SHERLY, AS FAR AS SINGING GOES, DON'T WORRY I'M NOT GOING ON AMERICAN IDOL....LOL!.....I'M TOO OLD, AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO BORE YOU!  I ONLY TURNED TO SINGING, BECAUSE WHEN ONE CAN'T SEE, YOU CAN ALWAYS SING AND NOT SEE!  WHEN I FIRST LOST MY EYESIGHT, JIMMY SAT DOWN WITH ME TO EXPLORE THINGS I  COULD DO, AND ENJOY DOING.  SO, HE BOUGHT ME A BIG-SCREEN TV AND A KARAOKE SET, CALLED "ON-KEY KARAOKE," WHICH IS VERY POPULAR , AND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET.  WE FOUND OUT THAT I ENJOYED SINGING, AND LIKED DOING IT, AND HAVE A STRONG VOICE..AND SO, I STARTED SINGING IN FRONT OF LITTLE SENIOR-CITIZEN GROUPS JIMMY AND I PUT TOGETHER.  JIMMY WOULD COOK THE FOOD, AND I WOULD SING.  AND EVERYONE WAS HAPPY! SOME ALSO SANG WITH THE KARAOKE.  IT MADE THEM FEEL GOOD SINGING..IT MADE THEM HAPPY, TOO.  THAT IS WHAT IS OF MOST IMPORTANCE!  I MADE TAPES OF MY SINGING, AND GAVE THEM TO PEOPLE, WHO LIKED IT.  I EVEN AM IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A TAPE FOR A RESIDENT AT KINTOCK. HE LIKES MY SINGING, AND SAYS I SOUND LIKE BARBARA  STREISAND!  AND SHERLY, GOING BACK TO THE WRITING, WELL, KEEP ON WRITING.  IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN'T SPELL. SOMEONE WILL EDIT YOUR WORKS.  AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF I LOSE MY EYESIGHT COMPLETELY, I WILL STILL WRITE, BY SPEAKING INTO A TAPE RECORDER.  SO, SEE HOW LIFE IS!  THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE!..........with love,   FRAN

kintock...good-nite kisses

JIMMY JUST CALLED ME A LITTLE WHILE AGO.  HE ALWAYS CALLS ME AT 2 AM, WHEN HE ARRIVES BACK TO KINTOCK FROM HIS JOB IN ATLANTIC CITY.  AND SO, HE GAVE ME SOME GOOD-NITE KISSES , BEFORE HE GOES TO SLEEP.  I'M USUALLY IN BED, BUT WAKE UP WHEN HE CALLS, AND NOW FULLY AWAKE.  TODAY IS THE 28TH OF THE MONTH.  IT IS NOW 25 MONTHS THAT JIMMY WENT TO JAIL, THEN PRISON, THEN KINTOCK.  AND ON APRIL 29, IT IS OUR 4TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, 25 MONTHS OF WHICH WE HAVE BEEN APART.  ON THE PHONE JIMMY SAID TO ME, "IT IS ALMOST OVER, NOW , FRAN."  I ANSWERED, "ALMOST OVER, BUT NOT OVER ENOUGH."  AND SO, ANOTHER DAY GONE.  AND TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY, AND I FELEL HAPPY THAT IT IS A NEW DATE, AND TIME PROGRESSES ON.  I AM GLAD IT IS THE 28, AND NO LONGER THE 27.  AND ON THE 29TH, I'LL BE HAPPY IT IS NO LONGER THE 28TH....AND SO ON, AND SO ON...IT IS ALL SO SILLY OF ME...BUT I'M LIKE THAT, MAKING SILLY LITTLE RHYMES IN MY HEAD, JUST TO PASS THE LONG DAYS AND NIGHT...THE LONG DAYS INTO NOTHINGNESS...THE LONG WAIT....AND SO, NOW JIMMY IS ASLEEP AT KINTOCK, AND I SIT HERE AWAKE...NOT SURE OF WHAT TO EVEN THINK.  I MAY LIE DOWN AND LISTEN TO THE RAINDROPS FALL OUTSIDE.  I MAY WATCH A MOVIE ON  "ON-DEMAND."  I STARTED WATCHING "SINBAD," BUT DIDN'T FINISH IT TODAY.  AND SO, TIME MOVES ON, HOWEVER SLOWLY TONITE.  THE MINUTES TICK AWAY.  THE RADIO PLAYS, AND I FEEL LIKE DANCING...LATELY I';VE BEEN SINGING MORE THAN EVER...I LOVE TO SING, AND BECOME PART OF THE MUSIC...AT LEAST I CAN HOLD A NOTE, AND SING A VERY HIGH PITCH. PEOPLE TELL ME I HAVE A VERY UNIQUE VOICE...I HAVE A VERY DISTINCT WAY OF PROMOUNCING THE WORDS IN A SONG.  JIMMY TELLS ME I HAVE A GIFT TO SING...HE SAYS I HAVE A CERTAIN WAY, THAT MAKES ONE "FEEL" THE SONG...I GUESS THAT IS DUE TO MY LIFE EXPERIENCE.  LATELY, I'VE BEEN SINGING WITH SADE, HER CD, ALONG WITH MY MICROPHONE.  ONE DAY, YOU JUST MAY SEE ME UP THERE SINGING...I LIKE TO SING, AND DO IT FOR MYSELF, AND OTHERS...TO HOPEFULLY SPREAD JOY AND HAPPINESS.....WELL, I WILL GO NOW.  HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH EVERYONE.........FRAN

PRISONS, AND THE PRISON WIFE

DEAR "RUSTYSPIGOT,"

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT IN THE LAST ENTRY.  YOU ARE VOICING YOUR OPINION, AND IT EXCITES ME, AND MAKES THIS JOURNAL AN EVEN BETTER ONE FOR PEOPLE TO READ.  THANK YOU AGAIN, SO MUCH...YOU HAVE REALLY MADE MY DAY!

I GUESS I HAVE NOT EXPLAINED "THE PLIGHT OF THE PRISONER'S WIFE, " AS WELL AS I SHOULD HAVE.  WELL, I APOLOGIZE. BELIEVE ME, NO ONE IS ASKING FOR YOUR TAX-PAYING MONEY.  ONLY SOME SORT OF UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT SYSTEM . TRUTHFULLY, THE PRISONER'S WIFE IS OWED NOTHING, BUT IN A COUNTRY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE CARING FOR EACH CITIZEN, IT IS A BIG SHAME TO HAVE CLOSE TO 1.5 MILLION PRISONER'S WIVES, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS SITTING HOME, FRIGHTENED, NEEDING GUIDANCE.  HAVE ANY STUDIES BEEN DONE IN THIS COUNTRY AS TO HOW MANY OF OUR NATIONAL SUICIDES ARE RELATED TO WIVES, GIRLFRIENDS, CHILDRN, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAD NO WHERE TO TURN TO.  I CAN ONLY GIVE AS MUCH SUPPORT , HERE IN THIS JOURNAL, AS I POSSIBLY CAN, TO LISTEN TO ALL THESES WOMEN CRYING OUT.  NO ONE REALIZES JUST HOW MANY E-MAILS I AM GETTING, WITH WOMEN CRYING OUT, DEPRESSED, ASKING TO BE MY FRIEND...THEY NEED SOMEONE....THEY CAN'T FIND THAT SOMEONE, SO THEY TALK TO ME.  I WILL PLEASE BEG YOU, TO VISIT THESE 2 WEB-SITES, THAT I WILL LEAVE THE LINKS HERE FOR YOU.  I HOPE YOU JUST EVEN GLANCE AT THEM...READ A FEW LINES.  YOU SEE, I DON'T LIKE TO SOUND AS IF I'M THE ONLY ONE DEFENDING "THE PLIGHT OF THE PRISON WIFE."  I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.  I'M ONE OF THE FEW BRAVE ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT IT.  AND I TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I KNOW IT IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE...THE GOOD OF HUMANITY.  AND WITH THAT, I HAVE FURTHER STRENGTH TO CARRY ON, AND FEEL BLESSED DOING IT.  YOU SEE, I AM PART OF IT, WITH A HUSBAND IN PRISON.  SO IT IS A GOOD CAUSE FOR ME TO BE INTERESTED IN.  Prisoners of Love            

Action for Prisoner's Families: Our Aims                                           

"ACTIONS FOR PRISONER'S FAMIELS:OUR AIM, "  IS AN EXTENSIVE WEB-SITE, THAT EXPLAINS THE SYSTEM IN GREAT BRITAIN, FOR FAMILIES OF THE INCARCERATED....

BAYSIDE STATE PRISON, TO TALBOT HALL, TO KINTOCK

NO WOMAN SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER IN OUR COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.  AND YET, SADLY, THE WOMAN WHOSE HUSBAND GOES TO PRISON, IS TREATED NOT ONLY IN A BAD WAY, BUT IN A WAY THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.  DOES THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND POPULATION UNDERSTAND JUST HOW A PRISONER'S WIFE IS TREATED?  YES, YOU, THE TAX-PAYING CITIIZEN.  DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY?  LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, AT LEAST.  I KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE...STILL HERE...ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE I AM NOW IN ANOTHER STAGE OF THE "PRISON PLAN."  I WRITE THIS, BECAUSE I REALIZE WHAT I WENT THROUGH IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF INCARCERATION, WITH JIMMY IN BAYSIDE STATE PRISON.  AND YET, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE NORM, AS I LATER FOUND OUT.  IN DOING SOME RESEARCH ABOUT IT, I WAS NOT ALONE. YOU SEE, IT WAS NOT EVEN THE FACT THAT MY HUSBAND WAS IN PRISON, IT WAS HOW I WAS BEING TREATED..OUTSIDE THE PRISON, AT HOME....TREATED LIKE A PIECE OF NOTHING.  IT TORE ME TO PIECES..I LOST ALL SELF-DIGNITY.  I BECAME NO- ONE.  I HATED MYSELF.  AND JIMMY STOOD BY ME.  HE WAS THE ONE WHO TALKED TO ME , DAY IN AND DAY, OUT.  HE SUPPORTED ME, THROUGH DEPRESSION AND TEARS.  IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OTHER WAY AROUND, BUT THIS IS HOW IT WAS..I CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST.  I CAN ONLY HOPE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM, SOMEHOW, AND I KNOW THAT IS A LONG JOURNEY.  I WANT TO HELP THOSE WOMEN WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THIS NOW, AS I WRITE THIS.  YES, THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE.  AS YOU, THE TAXPAYER ARE IN YOUR COMFORTABLE HOMES, WITH YOUR LOVED ONES, THERE ARE WOMEN OUT THERE IN A TOTAL STATE OF DEVISTATION, WITH A HUSBAND IN PRISON.  IT MAY BE HIS FIRST INCARCERATION, LIKE ME, AND YOU ARE TOLD NOTHING ABOUT WHERE YOUR HUSBAND IS.  YOU ARE TOLD NOTHING ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT...ABOUT RULES AND REGULATIONS.  THESE WOMEN ARE DEPRESSED, AND ALSO MANY ARE ON THE BRINK OF SUICIDE.  I KNOW.  I RECEIVE MANY E-MAILS PER DAY FROM LOTS OF WOMEN WHO ARE POURING THEIR HEARTS OUT TO ME.  THEY ARE NOW GOING THROUGH THE SAME STUFF I WAS , OVER 2 YEARS AGO, WHEN JIMMY WAS FIRST INCARCERATED.  IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES, BECAUSE WHY ISN'T ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY?  WHY HAS OUR COUNTRY PUSHED ASIDE THE MANY MILLIONS OF SUFFERING PRISON WIVES.  IT IS A STORY THAT HAUNTS ME.  I CANNOT FORGET IT.  I WILL MOVE FORWARD, ALTHOUGH SLOWLY, TO FIND SOME WAY TO HELP THOSE WHO SUFFER.  AS FOR ME,FOR EXAMPLE, JIMMY , MY HUSBAND TOOK ME OUT OF MY HOME IN LAS VEGAS, WHERE I HAD LIVED FOR 10 YEARS.  HE TOOK ME CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YES, 2500 MILES, WITH MY DOG AND 2 CATS.  I WAS AT THAT TIME A BLIND WOMAN, NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE, AND DIFFICULT TO GET MY BEARINGS IN PUBLIC.  MY HUSBAND FOUND A NICE, SAFE HOME FOR ME. IN NEW JERSEY.   AND THEN, HE TURNED HIMSELF IN.  IT IS SHOCKING THAT NO SOCIAL SERVICE WOULD EVEN THINK OF CHECKING UP ON ME...WHY? BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, NO SOCIAL NETWORKS EXIST, AS FAR AS I KNOW.  WHEN JIMMY WENT TO COURT, THEN JAIL, THE COURT SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE THAT I WAS A BLIND WOMAN, FROM CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALONE, WITH NO HELP.  BUT THEY DON'T CARE, AND THEY NEVER WILL , UNLESS SOMEONE IS BOLD ENOUGH AND BRAVE ENOUGH, TO TRY TO CHANGE THINGS.  I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT DOING GOOD THINGS FOR PEOPLE, THAT'S ALL.  WELL, I STILL LISTEN TO ALL THE WOMEN'S LETTERS.  PLEASE KEEP WRITING.  YOU SEE, I MYSELF THOUGHT I WAS UNIQUE, AND GOING THROUGH SOMETHING TERRIBLE.  AS I RESEARCH IT, I FIND I AM NOT ALONE.  I JUST FOUND SOMETHING ON THE INTERNET, TITLED, "the needs of prisoners' wives:  a challenge for the mental health professionals"  by DANIEL SW,BARRET CJ. IT IS A SMALL ARTICLE ABOUT RESEARCH DONE ON THE NEEDS OF THE PRISONER'S WIVES.  THEY SAY THERE IS A NEED IN 6 AREAS...INFORMATION, FINANCES, RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, GRIEF, AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN.  THE NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF SEPERATION, AND THE EARLY STAGES OF SEPERATION, HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF DEPRESSION.  PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM DID NOT MATTER.  RESULTS SUGGST GIVING MORE INFORMATION TO THE WOMEN AT THE TIME OF THEIR HUSBANDS TRIALS, AND INFO ABOUT SELF-HELP GROUPS.  WELL, I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE SOME WORK HAS BEEN DONE, ALTHOUGH THIS STUDY WAS DONE IN 1981.  I AM SERIOUSLY THINKING OF CHANGING MY DOCTORATE FROM NURSING EDUCATION/RESEARCH TO SOMETHING IN WHICH I WILL DO RESEARCH ON PRISONER'S WIVES, AND THEIR NEEDS.  I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.  I WOULD FIND IT NOT ONLY INTERESTING, BUT I WILL BE HELPING PEOPLE, WHERE A NEED EXISTS.  WELL, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.  I HAD TO GET IT OFF MY CHEST.  NOW REMEMBER, 25 MONTHS HAVE GONE BY FOR ME.  I AM NO LONGER IN THOSE INITIAL STAGES OF DEPRESSION OR GRIEF.  I AM , PRETTY MUCH SO, A HAPPY PERSON, WHO SIMPLY MISSES HER HUSBAND DESPERATELY.  HOWEVER, I HAVE MOVED THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, BY BECOMING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR.  I HAVE GOTTEN OVER 10 MAGAZINE STORIES PBLISHED, AND I HAVE GOTTEN MANY THINGS PUBLISHED IN THE ASBURY PARK PRESS.   AND YES, WRITING THIS JOURNAL, WHICH HAS MADE IT INTO THE NEWSPAPERS.  AND JIMMY AND I, WELL OUR LOVE GROWS STRONGER EVERYDAY.  WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT HE HAS A VERY GOOD JOB, AS FOODSTORE MANAGER, AND BECAUSE WE ARE PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE, WE ARE HAPPY WHEN THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG, AND PROGRESSING AHEAD.     HERE IS THE LINK TO THE RESEARCH ARTICLE...Entrez PubMed.......GOOD NITE TO ALL, AND SWEET DREAMS..........FRAN