What were you thinking when you heard the radio ad for Rehab at Home?
I was thinking; what could it hurt to try something else? Nothing was working. My husband had been to many, many rehabs.
I talked to my husband and made an appointment at the Recovery Center. The day of the appointment, I cancelled it because he said he wouldnt go. Todd, from the Recovery Center, spoke to me by phone and convinced me to reschedule again. I was to meet with Todd regardless of my husbands motivation. I agreed and a week later I went. My husband decided to come too!
The meeting went well, but no decision was made. Todd introduced us to Alan Bitner. (Alan works with families introducing them to the services available through the Recovery Center.) Alan gave us his cell phone number and we began talking every few days.
Today, A mom of two adult son’s wrote me.
This is what she said:
I don’t exagerate when I say that the gift the Recovery Center has given us this year is the most precious we will ever get. The outcome could have been so different. We are thankful our sons are alive - whole - able to move forward. You probably hear that all the time - but we never, never thought it would be us feeling it.
My concern right now is that I am currently NOT employed at the best rehabilitation clinic in the state.
This is how I see it, you all contributed in saving my life. You did no doubt. Years ago I was a lost soul, traveling this planet consuming anyone and anything that got in my path. You all selflessly took it upon yourselves to guide me. I didn’t know much of anything at the time, all I did know is that my way had gotten me into alot of trouble and now I’m sick. Now I’am tired of who I am. Is anyone listening? Is there a way out?
Well there was Penn Foundation Recovery Center, even though the insurance companies said that I would not be covered because I was shooting cocaine mixed with DXM, Heroin, MDMA, and Crank. I had to mix the drugs, one drug was not enough anymore. Do you know what it is like to stay awake for 4 days straight, just searching on the interenet for information to somehow cure my Bi-polar condition?
Well I didn’t know what to say happened exactly but it was not a coincidence. Today I am a married man, my wife and I are trying to have a child. I hope God works with us. We have two cars, but only one works. My wife has two children from a previous marriage and I love them very much. I just want to thank the staff –Bill,Ted, Jane, Ryan, Tim, and Lorraine. I can’t think of anyone else right now. I would not be here right now if I would not have met Ryan.
If there is anything I can do to give back a little bit I just want to say Thank You all so much. I am an addict/alcoholic and I am proud of it. Now all I need is a job. The foodservice industry killed me multiple times and I am not going to get myself upset like that again. I need a change of pace, maybe you can help me again. I have been putting applications out there left and right. I went to college, attended a technical school and I graduated with high honors. I am really a smart drug addict but I have no job. I have a family, and that includes an 11yr old and a 7yr old named , and a wife. I would not trade them for anything in the world, I’d die for them.
Thank you all
I love you
A.M.
2006-9-15 @ 2:09:27 pm
My daughter has been struggling with heroin addiction for two years. Last January she started treatment at the Penn Foundation. There have been ups and downs, but without the help from the Penn Foundation, I dont know if my daughter would even be alive right now. Not only have they provided the help my daughter needs so desparetly, they have helped me stay strong and learn more about this horrible desease. Having a Rehab at Home coach has taken a lot of stress off of me in dealing with this situation. Right now calls are being made and interviews set up for my daughter so that she can move forward into a half way house. Dealing with the anguish of having a child that has an addiction in itself is draining, but thanks to the program, I feel a lot of strain has been lifted from me. Thanks to everyone that has helped with my daughters recovery. I know this a long journey, but just knowing there are people out there that care makes it bearable.
I just want to express some thoughts and gratitude about one of my experiense with your facility. I have had a long struggle with alcoholism, it is offten difficut to find a facility so willing to work with me regardless of insurance type problems. Penn Foundation immediatly recognized the severity of my situation and the urgent need for me to receive treatment - NOW. Despite my insurance companies lack of response I was seen and admitted quickly.
I had a letter in my purse that one of your staff had sent to me to just check up on me and make sure that I was getting some help. When the crisis came it was comforting to be able to go to the letter, to know I had someone to call and call her and get quick response. The followup and the letter was what kept me in touch and willing to call.
From my experience it is most unusual to have a facility follow up and have concern for your welfare. The reaching out efforts Sandy made to me have me sober and safe today.
This section will detail what treatment is like from the eyes of clients:
I am writing this letter to express all my feelings about everyone here. I just want everyone here to know how much I appreciate all the help you have given me. You have shown nothing but care,love,and respect. Even when you did not know me or my problems. No one here judged me, you all showed me respect. After the first day I started to feel relaxed. Everyone there helped me to learn that there is hope for me. You all have taught me how to deal with my problems. You gave me understanding of what I need to know on how to deal with these things. I hope with all the tools you have taught me I will stay clean, and also show me I was not alone. Thank you for all your help.
P.S. Hope this makes sense.
I often wish that someone could enter my mind and body. This way I may be able to determine for sure if I am truly sicker than others. Why am I so dissatisfied with living life on lifes terms. I wish there was some sort of peace in my mind. Why do I have so much trouble appreciating anything or being greatful of anything.I feel I am blindly falling through a never ending abyss of pain and agony.
Im the mother of an addict too. I have a background in public health and had some knowledge about heroin, but when I realized I had a heroin addict living with me, right in my own home, I was devistated. I tried to remember everything I had heard about enabling and drug treatment. I took my son to a treatment center and beleived him when he said he only needed detox, not rehab, and wanted to come home and go back to work. That was 14 months and 7 detoxs ago. I was beginning to feel this was a battle we could never win. By chance, I called Bucks Co Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence in Doylestown. I just couldnt believe that there was no answer for his problems out there. They listened to my sons long story and said Penn Foundation was where we needed to go. We were there the next day - they managed to find him yet another detox bed; they really listened to him describe his drug use and determined that he needed anti-anxiety meds to help him through rehab. They provided family counseling for all of us and have coached me along daily to make sure I give him support without enabling.
As a mom, the hardest part has been realizing that I am not talking to my real son - Im talking to an addict. He looks just like my son but he speaks another language - the language of the addict. I now know that he can lie while looking me in the eye. I now know that he will steal from my wallet while Im in the next room. He can con his sister into using her car by making her feel sorry for him. But I also now know that, with the right plan and coaching, he has a chance to get away from heroin and stay away from it. He completed a week of detox and 3 weeks of rehab and was happy with his own progress.
He relapsed with other drugs recently while waiting to get a bed at a halfway house. Penn Foundation guided me through that - a time when I was ready to give up on him and just let him live on the streets as an addict. As of this writing he is in rehab at Penn, still waiting for that halfway house bed. This is the hardest thing I have ever done for/with any of my children. Im hopeful again today and trusting that I will be coached through any of the difficult days that I know we will have to face in the future.
The Recovery Center is at the forefront of evidence based programming with an understanding that every individual’s circumstances are unique and require a personalized intervention plan that treats the person in the context of their family, work and community situation.