Ok, my head’s sort of getting back together now: here’s an update.

Late August 03: Karen threw me out for a month or so.

10 Jan 04: Got raided. Karen & I were arrested when the bag that I had dumped in the room I kept my stuff in turned out to be drugs that Karen was looking after for a friend’s boyfriend (now fiancee).

15 Jan 04: Lost job due to arrest. When the shakes had died down a bit, got sick note for stress and claimed Incapacity Benefit.

30 Jan 04: Joshua-James David Nunn (my little man) was born, after 98 hours of contractions. 72 of that was with induction, and the last 10-12 on a drip. Labour was finally established for the last 6 hours or so, and after all that, Karen had to have an emergency C-Section. Guess who she started yelling for when the drip kicked in? Spent the next two months doing the night feeds, and splitting the rest of his time between me & Karen, who was now spending most of her time round the aforementioned friend’s house.

29 Feb 04: Got dumped. Karen said that I could stay in her house as a lodger. Not surprisingly, got somewhat pissed (an increasingly rare event for me). Karen had now effectively moved in with her friend – she had only been coming home to sleep, and stopped this a few days later.

19 Mar 04: As ineligible for housing benefit, and had not had IB payment, running late with rent. Karen gave me one month’s notice to quit.

End of Mar 04: Karen decided to look after Josh full time. After letting me look after him when she went out clubbing, came in and accused me of telling another friend that I was planning to take him away from her, and took him home with her. The friend later denied saying anything of the kind, adding that the friend that Karen was living with spent the whole encounter slagging me off, and hardly let her speak to Karen. I then didn’t see Josh for a fortnight. Sometime about this point, my doctor said that he wouldn’t give me any more sick notes, and that I would have to learn to live with the stress, depression, etc. (I don’t think I’d mentioned the suicidal thoughts, but he probably wouldn’t have cared anyway). Signed on for JSA.

08 Apr 04: Answered police bail. Spent an hour or so in the cells before being reinterviewed. Charged with posession of a class A drug with intent to supply, probably because I declined to name names. Re-bailed.

19 Apr 04: Moved out.

20 Apr 04: 1st Court hearing. Bailed until 2nd June (committal to Crown Court).

20 May 04: Offered council flat, arranged to view 24/5.

24 May 04: Viewed council flat and accepted. Now awaiting flat’s availability to move in. No carpets. Almost no furniture to put there. Nice peaceful street, friendly neighbours, and a pleasant communal garden to take Josh in if Karen lets him come and see me.

Today: Saw Disability Employment Advisor, who referred me to the “First Steps” course run by Mencap. Seeing their advisor on Tuesday.