It was 82 days ago that I came to the point of desperation to check myself into rehab. The 37 days I spent at LVH will hopefully continue to prove to be the most important 37 days of the rest of my life. I have never met more caring, loving, devoted people than those I worked with in rehab. I am practicing the skills that I learned. I go to meetings daily, I have a sponsor, I am working the steps and I am working on a relationship with a higher power that I choose to call God. All things that I did not see myself doing a short time ago.

When I came home to Maryland, I cried. I had become comfortable in my safe surroundings and with my new friends who were just like me. Here, I felt like a guest in my own home. I was afraid to go back to work and face my coworkers. But after a short period of time I came to feel that I belong again. It doesn’t matter what others think, what matters is how I live my life and how I feel about myself.

Every day of sobriety is a blessing. It’s great to be able to think again! And guess what? There are people here who know exactly what I am going through too, and they have become my new friends. I look forward to going to A.A. meetings where I can share my feelings and reach out for help and know that it is there.

My saving grace? Desperation. I never want to forget how I felt 82 days ago. It’s what got me where I am today and life is good. Not perfect, but good. A struggle? Some days. But worth every second, one day at a time.

It’s nice to hear from you Ray R. Keep up the good work. We can do it! Hope we hear from more of our friends.

Cindy F.