Alternator bad?

When I first got my 2006 Ford Focus it was new, but some milage was on it I guess from test drives or salesmen use. Long story short, I replaced my alternator three times before a mechanic figured out it was the cable between my car and the alternator that was bad. I still drive my car from that day and have only had minor repairs. But now, my car emergency lights light up like a Christmas tree at night, I can't see them in the daytime and I'm seeing my mechanic this week to see if it's my battery or my alternator. When I turn the key, it clicks. I charged up my battery, but the car still makes that clicking noise until it runs out of juice. It will take a jump, but once I turn it off, it has to be jumped again or it will not start. I'm just posting because I see there's a guy who ran his car for 3 months before his alternator would go bad again. That was about the same time I had mine replaced before finding out it was the cable between the car and the alternator. I hope that helps someone else.