| Biographical Non-Fiction posted January 24, 2017 | Chapters: |
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This is a current narrative
A chapter in the book Lamentations of a Lost Laddy
Mr. Darren and Recovery
by Badger_29
This chapter is dedicated to all those who are still suffering.
| Background Starting with my beginnings, this third chapter tells what my life is like right now. |
I Live at North Side Recovery, in Del Paso Heights, a suburb of Sacramento, California. from 2012 to September of 2016, I lived by the Feather River in Marysville, CA, which is about an hour N of here
I moved here to Sacramento for a number of reasons: I like it here, there are great resources, and I needed to get away from the drug scene, from which I had been suffering as an intra-veinous methamphetamine user for twenty-four years.
I started by checking myself into Sierra Vista Mental Hospital. I had been there before, and I knew that they would take good care of me. Since I had just had a hernia surgery, they sent me from there to Mercy General Hospital, where I recieved the most gentle and loving care. I mostly slept and healed.
My next stop was for two months at Heritage Oaks Mental Hospital. There I got the tools that I needed to enjoy recovery, and I knew that they would not release me until I had a stable place to live. I met some very interesting people there, and I got the opportunity to share my love of life, my poetry, and my music, as I had my guitar, and performed.
I got out in December 2015, and moved into Midtown Independant Living. Because I had literally lost everything (but my guitar) to my addiction, I had no identification. So, I had to go back to Marysville to my bank to get rent money. I was firm in my resolve to quit using, but meth is such a crafty and cunning enemy that I suffered a relapse. I told myself,
"You are doing so well, a couple of hits is not going to hurt you". Three days of hell later, I found that NOT to be the case.
I went from there to a house on Thomas Street, in North Highlands, with what I thought was a stronger resolve. Heriatage Oaks Hospital had set me up with this living condition also. The image is one that I took there, with the gorgeous and fragrant Jonquils blooming out front.
When I arrived at around 9:00 PM, I was met by a friend that I had met at Heritage Oaks, Daniel. He was also on SSI, and he got money on his card every Wednesday. He was my room-mate, and when he got his money, the first thing that he did was buy an eight-ball. This is slang for 1/8th of an ounce, or three point five grams.
Well, there went all my resolve again. I just could not get away from it, and it was driving me crazier! So, disgusted, weary, and even more strung out, I sought solace at L to L sober living, near Auburn and Watt Avenue.
I stayed there, and it was a much more stable environment. I was required to attend three NA meetings a week. It was a beautiful house in the suburbs, and I really started enjoying sobriety. I was surrounded by recovering addicts, and we all worked together to stay clean one day at a time.
My next stop was the best, Northside Recovery. Now, don't get me wrong, I would very much like to have a place of my own, and enjoy those comforts, but this is where God has me, and I embrace that. He told me that I was to prosper in that which He would have me to do, and to share the blessings that I have and the talents that I have been blessed with.
I am so very thankful, I was raised with old school values: honor, integrity, courtesy, honesty, pride in your family name, and hard work. Having this thankful attitude, just when I think that things have leveled out into a comfortable plateau, He takes me even Higher!
Now I have a great job conducting surveys for Research America, and with the resources that I have available, I am able to enrich and bless not only my life, but the lives of all those around me. I love to cook, and there is a gas oven and stove at the house.
My first payday, I bought a prime rib, and cooked it with all the trimmings, green beans with bacon, onion, and tomatoes, my special smashed garlic potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream with a parmesan crust, and berry pie with fresh whipped cream for dessert.
Everyone there loves and looks up to me, especially my roommate, Curtis. He is very special to me, and God put me here to help take care of him. He also is a recovering addict, who lost one eye to a bullet wound. His addiction took him far away, and he no longer even knows how to contact any of his family members.
Another thing that has greatly helped me in my recovery is, since the person who conducted the Wed. night NA meetings left, I filled in and took over. After a lot of upheavel and changes at the house, all of the meetings were cancelled.
Tomorrow night, I will be starting the NA meeting up again, but now it is voluntary, not mandatory.
To show my appreciation for how well the guys are doing, I made French dip sandwitches and my special smashed potatoes with plenty of Au jus and rich brown gravy, and told them this is the type of gourmet cooking that you will enjoy WHEN you decide to attend my meetings. Honey attracts more bees than vinegar!
I am happy, blessed, and fulfilled. I have let go and let God, and He is taking me on a wild ride that is honestly enjoyable, not fake and short lived, like the drugs.
I know that addiction is a progressive disease, because it just got worse and more miserable. Now thing are improving exponentially. I have a future, which is bright and fulfilling.
Jeremiah 29:11 states,
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
I am living proof, and February 4th will be my one year birthday.
I moved here to Sacramento for a number of reasons: I like it here, there are great resources, and I needed to get away from the drug scene, from which I had been suffering as an intra-veinous methamphetamine user for twenty-four years.
I started by checking myself into Sierra Vista Mental Hospital. I had been there before, and I knew that they would take good care of me. Since I had just had a hernia surgery, they sent me from there to Mercy General Hospital, where I recieved the most gentle and loving care. I mostly slept and healed.
My next stop was for two months at Heritage Oaks Mental Hospital. There I got the tools that I needed to enjoy recovery, and I knew that they would not release me until I had a stable place to live. I met some very interesting people there, and I got the opportunity to share my love of life, my poetry, and my music, as I had my guitar, and performed.
I got out in December 2015, and moved into Midtown Independant Living. Because I had literally lost everything (but my guitar) to my addiction, I had no identification. So, I had to go back to Marysville to my bank to get rent money. I was firm in my resolve to quit using, but meth is such a crafty and cunning enemy that I suffered a relapse. I told myself,
"You are doing so well, a couple of hits is not going to hurt you". Three days of hell later, I found that NOT to be the case.
I went from there to a house on Thomas Street, in North Highlands, with what I thought was a stronger resolve. Heriatage Oaks Hospital had set me up with this living condition also. The image is one that I took there, with the gorgeous and fragrant Jonquils blooming out front.
When I arrived at around 9:00 PM, I was met by a friend that I had met at Heritage Oaks, Daniel. He was also on SSI, and he got money on his card every Wednesday. He was my room-mate, and when he got his money, the first thing that he did was buy an eight-ball. This is slang for 1/8th of an ounce, or three point five grams.
Well, there went all my resolve again. I just could not get away from it, and it was driving me crazier! So, disgusted, weary, and even more strung out, I sought solace at L to L sober living, near Auburn and Watt Avenue.
I stayed there, and it was a much more stable environment. I was required to attend three NA meetings a week. It was a beautiful house in the suburbs, and I really started enjoying sobriety. I was surrounded by recovering addicts, and we all worked together to stay clean one day at a time.
My next stop was the best, Northside Recovery. Now, don't get me wrong, I would very much like to have a place of my own, and enjoy those comforts, but this is where God has me, and I embrace that. He told me that I was to prosper in that which He would have me to do, and to share the blessings that I have and the talents that I have been blessed with.
I am so very thankful, I was raised with old school values: honor, integrity, courtesy, honesty, pride in your family name, and hard work. Having this thankful attitude, just when I think that things have leveled out into a comfortable plateau, He takes me even Higher!
Now I have a great job conducting surveys for Research America, and with the resources that I have available, I am able to enrich and bless not only my life, but the lives of all those around me. I love to cook, and there is a gas oven and stove at the house.
My first payday, I bought a prime rib, and cooked it with all the trimmings, green beans with bacon, onion, and tomatoes, my special smashed garlic potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream with a parmesan crust, and berry pie with fresh whipped cream for dessert.
Everyone there loves and looks up to me, especially my roommate, Curtis. He is very special to me, and God put me here to help take care of him. He also is a recovering addict, who lost one eye to a bullet wound. His addiction took him far away, and he no longer even knows how to contact any of his family members.
Another thing that has greatly helped me in my recovery is, since the person who conducted the Wed. night NA meetings left, I filled in and took over. After a lot of upheavel and changes at the house, all of the meetings were cancelled.
Tomorrow night, I will be starting the NA meeting up again, but now it is voluntary, not mandatory.
To show my appreciation for how well the guys are doing, I made French dip sandwitches and my special smashed potatoes with plenty of Au jus and rich brown gravy, and told them this is the type of gourmet cooking that you will enjoy WHEN you decide to attend my meetings. Honey attracts more bees than vinegar!
I am happy, blessed, and fulfilled. I have let go and let God, and He is taking me on a wild ride that is honestly enjoyable, not fake and short lived, like the drugs.
I know that addiction is a progressive disease, because it just got worse and more miserable. Now thing are improving exponentially. I have a future, which is bright and fulfilling.
Jeremiah 29:11 states,
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
I am living proof, and February 4th will be my one year birthday.
Thank-you for reading, may my message of faith, strength, and hope give you cheer and sustained faith.
God Bless You~
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