I grew up in Guerneville and lived with my parents until I was 29 years old. I started drinking at 23 and it got worse from there, at which time my body began shutting down. My teeth started breaking and I was told I needed to have all of them extracted, but was in no condition to survive the surgery. By 29, I was admitted to an emergency room and informed I had liver failure and possibly only three days to live. Thankfully, I responded to treatment and in a week was sent home. At that point I realized I needed help.
Kaiser referred me to Women’s Recovery Services, a Sonoma County refuge whose mission is to help women like me break the cycle of addiction in a safe residential setting. WRS also helps women in its care learn life skills necessary to become strong contributors in their communities. WRS administrators told me to call them every day until they had an open bed. I knew then I was going to be okay.
My parents took me to WRS and I immediately felt like I had been born again. I learned to love myself once more, how to live, and how to respect others. I turned 30 at WRS, which was bittersweet. The other ladies in treatment with me made a Birthday cake, and it was lovely. I was thankful to be sober.
After successfully completing the WRS program, I was offered the opportunity to move into one of the program’s three Transition houses, where I lived for nine months with a roommate. The Transition houses provide an opportunity to practice recovery skills with other women, live in a safe and supportive home, and maintain independence When I left, my roommate and I got an apartment together where we still live.
Today, I am caring for the elderly, hiking in nature, and am more loving to others. I actually enjoy taking sobriety tests because they show how far I have come.
I will forever be grateful to WRS and am very proud of my success.