My story begins back in November 2014. We were completely blindsided when we found out Kate was using opioids and Xanax. She was a second-year grad school student for speech language pathology. She was living with us and getting really good grades in school. I knew she wasn't so happy, it was a very competitive program and a lot of work. There was money missing from my bank account and she admitted to taking it. I was shocked at what she continued to tell us.

Kate told us how depressed she was and how she was feeling that way for a long time. She said she wanted to kill herself and that was heartbreaking to hear as a parent. She tried to stop on her own, I really did not know the enormity of it. Needless to say three weeks later she couldn't do it and she went off to a 30-day program. We are very fortunate, our health insurance covers substance abuse unlimited so everything was paid for.

She was discharged in January, came home and two weeks later relapsed. I told her she could no longer live with us (people, places and things) so she went to live in a sober house two hours away.

That worked for a while, she was going to IOP and getting drug tested, she got a job and eight months later moved in with another girl in recovery. She then relapsed two months later for the whole month of December. We didn't have a clue, she came home high one night and asked for help.

She went to a different 30-day program where it was very therapy based. She was there for 53 days. She got a lot of therapy and I was very involved with her therapist, we spoke on the phone a lot.

After that she went to a sober house in Florida and she celebrated her one year this past January. She is living in Colorado right now and has a job that she really loves. She has been dating a really nice guy for the past year who is also in recovery. He just recently relapsed and so I am worried about her, however, she sounds strong and determined. He is getting help and she wants to stay with him but she said she will leave if he relapses again.

It's not easy being a parent of a recovering drug addict! I am not ashamed and I do freely share my story with people. I have had other parents call me and I like that I can be there for them because I know how horrible it feels when your child is in the throes of addiction. I pray for all of these addicts who struggle every day -- it's not easy for them either.

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