When I woke up in the Emergency Room on April 28, 2015, I felt as though my life was over, and I wanted to die. I looked at the faces of my loved ones, and the disappointment, sadness and anger was all too apparent. I had wrecked my car in an alcoholic blackout, and had been charged with a DWI. My now ex-husband took our son to his parent’s house, and my mom was left to take me home. The next day I made the decision to enter treatment, and I self-reported to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. There was no fight. I had no other options if I wanted to live.
The plan was for me to have a chance to talk to my son before I left and try to explain to a 5-year-old that “mommy was sick, and that I needed to go somewhere to get well.” No truer statement could have been uttered. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop drinking long enough to tell my son “Goodbye.” I was powerless over drugs and alcohol. I firmly believe that God did for me what I could not do for myself. He intervened when I was at the lowest point in my life. I could not stop drinking to the point of blacking out, and I could not stop taking pills. I was slowly killing myself.
Thankfully, on April 30, 2015, my mom and a friend brought me to treatment, and this is when my life started to change. I began to learn about myself. I began to deal with the issues of my childhood. I was honest like never before. I formed life-long friendships, and I found strength in the many counselors, therapists, and other people in AA that shared their experiences, strength and hope with me. I learned that alcohol and drugs weren’t my problem, that I was my problem. After I completed part of my treatment as an in-patient, I transitioned into Palmetto’s Halfway House, and entered their Intensive Outpatient Program in Monroe. During this time, I was going through a very contentious divorce, but by having the support and love from my IOP group and the women in the Halfway House, I was able to face the wreckage of my past and hold my head up and fight. I finally had a voice. This transition was so vital and beneficial to me. I needed to learn how to live again – to live life on life’s terms.
Once I completed treatment, part of my recommendations was to attend Palmetto’s Aftercare one night a week for 2 years. My Aftercare group had become my new-found family. They have become the brothers and sisters that I never had. These are men and women who are valiantly working and living the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. In Aftercare, I continue to grow. I have grown exponentially, both spiritually and emotionally. Aftercare has been, and continues to be, my favorite part of recovery. In Aftercare, I continue to learn about myself. I continue to make strides in my recovery, and most importantly I continue to heal. It gives me great comfort to know that in addition to my weekly AA meetings that once a week for 3 hours, I am surrounded by men and women in recovery who truly know me inside and out. These men and women have celebrated my triumphs and have picked me up when I was down, and for this I am truly grateful.
My recovery journey is not over; it will never be over. I know that I have to fight every day if I want to stay sober. I have to continue to deal with the consequences of my addiction on a daily basis, but my Aftercare family loves me and supports me through it all. If it weren’t for Palmetto, I wouldn’t have the restored relationships with my parents, and I wouldn’t have been given a second chance to be the mom to my son that God made me to be. I never thought that I would ever be able to say that I am grateful to be an alcoholic and an addict, but today I can honestly say that I am eternally grateful. I believe with all of my heart that God and Palmetto saved my life. I believe that God brought me to Palmetto, and Palmetto and AA brought me back to God.
Jennifer Levinson, Sobriety date: May 1, 2015
From Hollye’s Desk
The Palmetto marketing team and myself have been busy traveling all over the United States. We have met some wonderful people, and are now collaborating with several new professional boards. While Palmetto has been a leading substance abuse provider in Louisiana and the southeast region for many years, it is our mission to attract and treat individuals nationwide, so we are excited to be expanding our professional network. With each additional professional board we work with throughout the country, Palmetto gains insight and wisdom from different schools of thought, ever enhancing our clinical knowledge.
If you or anyone you know would be interested in a visit from Palmetto’s experienced clinical staff, please contact me: Hollye Rogers, C.O.O., at (866) 848-3001, or you would be more than welcome to visit us at our main facility in Rayville, Louisiana, on beautiful Lake Lafourche.
Download our full Summer 2017 Newsletter and other articles here.
