The other day at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting I met one of our former patients, Robert E.. He was 8 months sober, thanked me for speaking at the treatment facility one day and shared part of his story relating to his addiction and alcoholism and interaction with the call center. It was absolutely hysterical. He knew he was nearing the end of his drug addiction. Every time he snorted cocaine he felt his heart was about to burst. So instead of stopping, he began to practice calling 911. He told me he would call 15 times in a row. He wanted to make sure he could do it as quick as possible and not make a mistake in case he was having a heart attack from his cocaine addiction. Now that is the true definition of insanity……don’t stop using, just practice calling 911 as quick as possible!! We both laughed and laughed, but beneath the laughter was a shared understanding of just how crazy we get and think it is completely normal.

Then he told me of his interaction with the call center. When he was speaking with someone and snorting cocaine at the same time the only thing he was worried about was that the person on the other end of the phone might here him snorting cocaine. Here he was practicing calling 911 minutes earlier and is now terrified someone he called for help might know he is using cocaine. Long story short, he listened. Some how that voice on the other end of the phone penetrated his high. Some how, he heard and listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, rather than his disease telling him to continue using.

He told me to say thank you to everyone that helped him find recovery. By the way, I will put him up against anyone in a quick dialing contest…..Let’s just leave 911 alone J