My Story Of Recovery

[kysharon]

I had surgery to repair my achilles tendon in 2002 and had bone removed from my foot. I had continous horrible pain, was in a cast for weeks, on cructhes for months, then in a brace for what seemed like forever. I finally was referred to a pain clinic where I received injections and meds for pain control. Within a short amount of time, I was addicted to opiates and the pain was still bad. Being a nurse and having to walk alot didn't help. Towards the end I was talking a 90 day supply of Percocets in week and a half. In December of 2003, I was totally out of control. My life consisted of having pills, running our, getting more off the street. I knew I needed help but it was not until someone at work said that I looked impaired because I had taking too many Percocets at work that I had to do something. I usually never took pain meds at work but was in so much pain that I had made my daughter bring my meds to me. I took four ten mg perks within a few hours. My hospital, thank God, had a Behavior health program which I was referred to. I still did not think that I was addcicted........don't we all. So even after starting the IOP Recovery program, I still tried to work my own program. It was not until I got honest and started listening and learning that I began a true program of recovery. I attended IOP for 5-6 days/wk, started attending NA, got a sponsor and began to work the steps. I educated myself on addiction and read everything I could about it. Thats how I found this board. All of this saved my life. I began journeling which helped immensley. And something else that helped was when I had cravings........I embraced them and did not push them away. I would just stop what I was doing and try to figure out the reason for the craving and disect everything about it until the craving was gone. In IOP I learned the tools nesesarry to keep me clean. My higher power is God and I started praying again because during my addiction I had turned my back on him. I would put my glasses, or something I would need in the morning on awakening, under my bed so that I would have to hit my knees first thing (this was suggested to me by a very wize person). I made myself a God jar and all my problems that I could not handle I wrote down on a peice of paper and put them in there, just turning things over to him and letting it go.

So here are a few things that helped me get and stay sober for 13 months:

!) IOP and NA, and working a true program of recovery. It may be hard work but it is so worth it.

2) I found this board early on in my Recovery

3) My friends on this board and my family

4) My faith in God

5) Just knowing that everyday sober is so much better than anyday high on opiates.

6)Getting honest with myself, my family and friends, and sharing instead of holding things in.

Thank you for allowing me to share.

Sharon