Pubdate: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 Source: Mobile Register (AL) Copyright: 2004 Mobile Register. Contact: http://www.al.com/mobileregister/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/269 Author: Connie Baggett Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts) SHE KEEPS WORKING TO INDEPENDENCE, CUSTODY OF DAUGHTER She Credits Drug Court For The Progress She's Made In Getting Free Of Drugs ATMORE -- Dianna Wiggins is counting the days until graduation from drug court -- but she refuses to count her chickens too soon. "I keep working," Wiggins said Wednesday, cuddled up with her daughter Iva. The second-grader has been living with a foster family in town as Wiggins recovers. "And I keep Iva with me as much as I can. I feel great about graduation, and living in the apartment has been OK, but I can't wait to get my own place." Wiggins, 34, wants to buy a home one day soon. She's even started thinking again about opening her own beauty salon -- a dream she had before methamphetamine took her freedom, her children and nearly her life. She said her life spiraled out of control after the sudden death of her husband sent her into depression. She coped by making all the wrong friends, she said, and soon began dating a man who led her into methamphetamine use. They were arrested twice before she realized she had to change her life. After nearly a year in drug court, Wiggins has been drug free on every screening. She has held a job and satisfied every other requirement to finish the program. Drug court is a program designed to help defendants arrested in Escambia County overcome their addictions while erasing criminal charges from their records. Her family has supported her and now are proud. "I hope to be in a home of my own soon," she said. "But my first goal is to get Iva back with me. I'm learning to fit taking her to school around my work schedule. I pick her up in the evenings. My mom wants to be sure I can do it on my own." Wiggins still has problems with her everyday life, she said. Her oldest daughter, Nicole, quit school weeks ago at 17. Wiggins is trying to encourage Nicole to get a GED. She has fewer treatment sessions now, and goes to court only once a month. She said she is ready to face life unsupervised. "I feel like I have it licked," she said. "I can't say if another tragedy comes into my life just how I will deal with it, but at least I know how to process it. My old friends -- I still greet them when I see them, but they know I'm not involv ed with it anymore. It doesn't go past a hello." Wiggins is supporting her 12-year-old son in football training. She's looking forward to cheering him on at games next fall. The boy lives with other relatives. Nicole lives with Wiggins. "Drug court has been a blessing," she said. "That's what it took to get me on the right track. If it had not been for that, I never would have come this far. "I've thought about going back to school for cosmetology, buying some land, maybe open my own business and do nails and hair," she said. "That was my dream a long time ago. I just never did anything about it. " But now, she said, she has goals for her life, boundaries to guide her, dreams for herself and her children. "Working at Huddle House has been a blessing," she said. "But I know I don't want to wait on tables forever. I'm excited -- but I'm taking one day at a time. I'm ready to start life without supervision. I already have in a way. It will be like the leash is off, but I won't be doing anything different except not going to Brewton for court." And Wiggins will catch up on normal things like family vacations, football games and gymnastics with 8-year-old daughter Iva. Her kids, she said, deserve her undivided attention. She said she's got some catching up and making up to do. "I missed a lot of things in three years," she said. "I owe them some time. We are going somewhere special." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin