Hello, my name is Stacy. I am Dena’ina Athabascan from Tyonek, Alaska. On November 8, 2016 I celebrated 90 days sober from alcohol. I haven’t consumed drugs since March 8, 2016.
I have been struggling with addiction since I was 11 years old; I’m 29 years now. I must say recovery has brought me so much joy. I hit my rock bottom in March. I had once again lost everything. Being tired of being sick and tired, I reached out for help. My elementary school teacher and I were talking while I was struggling. She asked me, “Stacy what do you want to do?” I said that I needed help that I needed to get out of the city for a while and try to get into treatment. Well, she came through! She happened to have miles and used them to get me a ticket to Portland, Oregon.
When I got there I didn’t know what I was doing, I kept telling myself, “just give up there is no hope for someone like me,” but for some reason I kept getting out of bed, I kept fighting. Everyday I took the bus to get to my outpatient groups and I called and called for residential treatment to see if they had space for me. Even when I didn’t know what was going to happen I stayed and fought even when I felt like it wasn’t worth it.
One day while getting ready to take the bus to my outpatient group I got the call from a treatment center telling me they had room for me! I was terrified. I packed and they picked me up. That was the longest and most horrible ride of my life. But that’s when my life began. I spent 54 of the most challenging but amazing days in treatment. I graduated May 24, 2016.
I completed my program but the program wasn’t the hard part, the hard part was trying to become a normal functioning person of society again. I moved back in with my former teacher, I got a job as a checker at a grocery store and then went on to work at a bakery. I met a lot of other people in recovery and they were awesome. I missed Alaska and was ready to head back home. I have been in Wasilla for a few weeks now. I’m scared; it’s all dawning on me. I’m back but not just back, I’m a whole new me a better sober me that has her eyes open and a big heart, I want to help people who are struggling with their addiction but I just don’t know where to start. I do trust the process and have confidence everything else will work out. I’d just like to let others know, if I can do it so can you. Just believe and know that there is a better way to live!
Stacy C.