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My name is Stephanie H. and I am a grateful, recovering addict. My journey is like many others. It started in a broken home where I never felt good enough. After I had some medical problems and had multiple surgeries, I became addicted to pain killers. I tried to just stop and never could. I lost my career, marriage, daughter, and home. I thought a geographical change would cure me so I moved to Texas. My mother lived there and was very ill so I rationalized that I would help care for her, but I was still in the middle of addiction.
I was working in medicine and began to commit prescription fraud. I went to treatment in Houston twice. The second time I surrendered to the program and have been sober since July 26, 2011. I moved into a recovery house and I began working a solid program of recovery. On October 5, 2011, my crime caught up to me and I was arrested. I thought I would be coming home with a slap on the wrist. Instead the state of Texas thought I needed more help. I was sent to the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) and spent two months in county jail and nine months in SAFPF. I was also required to spend three months in a state funded halfway house. Three days before I was released from prison, my mother died. I made it my mission to grieve in sobriety.
After I was released I dove into the 12 Steps and sobriety. I never wanted to ever go back to prison. I got a job, lived in sober living, worked with my sponsor, and did service work. I completed probation and was happily a free citizen again. After 10 months of doing service work for my sober living house, I was offered a job as the Outreach worker for them in the city of Houston. I was so amazed and excited to be considered for this position. I began working with treatment providers, criminal justice professionals and people looking for safe housing in recovery.
I have been working for my recovery house for over 18 months now. It has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Working with people in recovery reminds me of the struggles we all face when we begin our journey of recovery. They help keep me sober every day. In addition to working in recovery, I maintain a separate recovery program for myself. As I write this I am in a hotel as I am being relocated to work for the house in Nashville, Tennessee (my hometown). Some days it is very easy to get bogged down in the relapses and sadness of this disease. But every day it is an honor and a privilege to work with people in recovery. They teach me new things every day and help me to keep on top of my program. My life is a miracle today. I get to live this beautiful life, help others, and grow. It’s so much more than I deserve!