Before I start, let me state that this is my experience only no one else and I don't feel it necessary to state names, places and such. This is my personal opinion and part of my story. I will be posting in multiple post, register on the blog site and be sure to get them all.
People wonder why there are so many people addicted to drugs today. If their experience is anything like mine, I can see part of the problem, in my opinion. The day I asked my family to help me get the help I needed, my mom and dad came to get me and I stayed with them until which time I left for treatment.
Mom called several places trying to find out just what we needed to do so that I could go to a treatment facility. They told her that I needed to go to the hospital and get medically cleared to go to treatment. So, that is what we did. My mom, aunt, and sister all took me to the hospital's ER and explained what I was there for. Everything seemed okay until two nurses aides came in explaining to me what needed to happen next for the doctor to see me. And that my friends is when the hard journey to treatment and home again started. As they explained things it became very clear to me and mom (she went back with me to see the doctor) that the only way I was going to see a doctor that afternoon was to sign commitment papers. Yes sir, I would need to commit myself to their psych ward for at least 72 hours, then the doctor could come and see what I needed. That was so not happening. Looking at mom I said to them "your kidding right?" Nope, they weren't kidding. So, needless to say I told them exactly what I thought and we left.
My sister and aunt had been in the waiting room and were some what surprised to see me. We explained to them what had happen and I had told them exactly what I thought they could do with their psych ward and commitment papers. Sis, being the caregiver she is, asked what I was going to do now. Now this was just the day before Thanksgiving, I said "take me back to mom's. I will stay there and tomorrow we will do as planned and that is going to my sister's for Thanksgiving. After that we were to head out again to a hospital to get medically cleared.
Now the second hospital I went to wanted to know: 1) Was I okay, 2) what did I need, and 3) how could they help me? Mom explained what she had been told by the treatment facility as to what needed to be done and that the last hospital wanted me to commit myself for at least 72 hours. She explained that they were of no help at all.
After an extremely long day at the hospital we finally received the okay for me to go to the facility that I wanted to go to. We arrived at the hospital about 3 pm Thanksgiving Day. You see, since it appeared as if it was going to take time and patience to get me to a facility, I had decided to have Thanksgiving with my family and then go to the hospital. After sleeping, eating and sleeping some more, the call finally came in for me to head to the treatment facility at once. We all piled into the car and head that way.
The weather was a bit cool and there were snow flurries for part of the ride. I was so scared but tried to hide it from my family. Thinking the idea of something unknown taking place with strange folks and in a strange place. I had never been in this kind of situation before and really just the unknown of it all scared me. But I knew that this was the best thing for me and if anything was going to help me stop using, this was the start.
After a hour or two drive, we arrived at my destination. Some of their personnel helped me get to where I needed to go and give me what I needed to have. Tired from the ride and tense from the unknown that lay a head of me, they showed me my room and I crashed from the events of the day..
Yes, Thanksgiving 2009, will always be a day that I remember very well. Really I can recall some the smallest details. That day was the beginning of a new way of life for me. It was the day that I said, "Hi, my name is Janie and I need help!"
That is the first of several post about my experience with becoming a "recovering addict". It is different for everyone but then again it is the same in some ways. And so begins my life...
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