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Saving my mom from meth

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Saving my mom from meth

Almost ten years ago today my mother began smoking meth, immediately addicted, the loving woman I once knew disappeared all too quickly. As a young adolescent middle school student, I was unaware of her drug use, literally thought she was crazy, abusive, and miserable. Unfortunately for me this meant mental, physical and emotional abuse. She would sleep for days, scream over anything, tell me I was fat, ugly you name it, even beat me so bad a couple of times that my teachers had to pull me aside in class to ask if I was OK. On top of that we lost everything, our safe home, cars, ability to pay bills. She lost her license, job, and most prized possessions and placed most of her frustrations about these matters in me. Not to mention the dozens maybe even hundreds of times she'd leave me with my younger sisters and disappear for the nights in an unsafe little complex far from our real home. There was days the cops would come and she would hide us under blankets while they pounded an each door and window, shining their flashlights and yelling for her to come out. It was scary to say the least. I can remember walking miles to the school bus all winter in the freezing cold just to stay at the middle school I was attending. After moving from place to place for my first two years of high school I got away from my mom and stayed with a friend. Finally I had a chance for something normal. Immediately my grades improved dramatically and I actually had a chance for a real future.

It wasn't until the beginning of my senior year of high school that I found meth in my mom's room for the first time. The denial that my mom was an addict left me so quick that I felt dumb myself for ignoring it all these years. Skipping forward to a couple days before spring my freshman year of college back in 2009 I received a call from my mother's longtime boyfriend, Tyce, claiming that my mom was in the hospital and that she was going to die. I knew exactly what I had to do and as I drove the 100 miles back home and to the hospital I planned out her intervention. I knew she might scream and that she might freak out, but this was it - I was alone and no one else was going to help her. Upon arriving at the hospital and hearing the news that her toxicity levels were going down I told her that I knew exactly what she had been doing all these years, that everyone did, and the only one keeping it a secret was her. Continued by stating that it was time for her to get help, if not for herself, then for her three beautiful girls that need her more than anything in the world and that I would do anything in my power to help. Instantly she got mad and denied my claims but gave in within a couple minutes.

After taking her home from the hospital I would say that first weekend of spring break was nothing but pure hell. Had her in my possession detoxing from methamphetamine for five days before taking her to rehab. After writing my grandfather a massive email he was very generous and agreed to foot the bill for rehab but that this was her one and only chance. Fortunately for my mom rehab really worked. I will never forget that last weekend she was there and we wrote letters to each other about limits. I knew that day that she wanted nothing more than to be the woman, mother, and wife? she was before the drugs. It has been almost three years now and she is still sober! Got her license back, got a car, job, but still struggled to find a permanent place to live and be happy. However, a couple months ago something great happened: she got a better job, a permanent place to live and finally got away from her abusive boyfriend. She actually acts like my mom, takes me out to eat, and doesn't have to yell about everything all the time.. Just that alone makes me grateful. I am so proud my mom overcame her addiction, and even though it was really hard on my sisters and I we still love her unconditionally and are grateful that she remains in our lives. A true blessing to finally establish a normal relationship with my mom. :)



Partners for Hope raise critical funds on behalf Partnership to End Addiction – the nation’s leading organization dedicated to addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. Every dollar raised on behalf of the Partnership* will help ensure free, personalized family support resources, including our national helpline, peer-to-peer parent coaching, customized online tools and community education programs, can reach those who need them most. Please consider donating to this fundraiser and sharing this page.

*Donations made to Partnership to End Addiction are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All contributions are fully tax-deductible, as no goods or services are provided in consideration in whole, or in part, of any contribution to this nonprofit organization.  EIN: 52-1736502

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1. Miss
I know it feels like forever, louie, but nothing lasts forever. You WILL be able to make a life of your own without her. Remember that.