I just got this email today from a mother who attended PSST regularly a few years back. I'm not sure if she ever had a pen name. Let's call him Bryson and we'll call her Donna to protect anonymity. -----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 9:40 AM
To: Woodward, Lloyd
Subject: Bryson
3 years clean and sober today!!!! His business is thriving and he is engaged. His fiancee has a 3 year old daughter which he loves as his own child. On June 30th he became a father. Thank you again for the part you played in his recovery. I am so incredibly proud of him.
-----Original Message-----
From: Woodward, Lloyd
To: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com
Cc: Ketter, Valerie
Sent: Fri, Jul 15, 2011 9:44 am
Subject: RE: Bryson
I saw his clean date came up on my calendar today and I was going to give him a call! Can we post anonymously on our blog? Do you ever check our blog out still? Thanks a million, Donna- you did a great job playing a no-more-enabling parent. I will cc Val- she will be thrilled to hear this :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 9:49 AM
To: Woodward, Lloyd
Subject: Re: Bryson
You sure can post on the blog. Parents need to know there is hope!Bryson still has the same # and I do still check the blog.
-----Original Message-----
From: Woodward, Lloyd
To: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com
Cc: Ketter, Valerie
Sent: Fri, Jul 15, 2011 9:49 am
Subject: RE: Bryson
Thanks Donna!
-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 9:54 AM
To: Woodward, Lloyd
Subject: Re: Bryson
I'm THINKING about writing the story of my journey for your blog. I will e-mail it to you and you can decide if you can use it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Woodward, Lloyd
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 10:03 AM
To: [removed]@aol.com [mailto:[removed]@aol.com
Subject: RE: Bryson
I'm sure we would use it. We have four parent-editors now. WE love to print stories. Did you ever have a pen-name for purposes of the blog? That has made it much easier for parents to share their stories with us. Your story is a really really good one- what a miracle!
Note from Lloyd: This is very encouraging. There are times at PSST when it seems like everyone is sort of stuck in the process. Donna was like that too. She made a strong commitment to do what she could to help, but to no longer enable Bryson. Bryson spent a long time in placement.
Once he was released, he relapsed to Heroin. Donna insisted that he move into a 3/4 way house after he was released from inpatient. Then, there was more relapses. There is a lot more to the story and it is truly inspiring. Finally, Bryson signed himself into Alpha House. He completed the program and three years still going strong...
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3 comments:
Lloyd, Thank you for sharing this. And Donna, congratulations to you - and to your son. Please do write your story for us. So many of us are still in the throes of addiction. While we are praying that we - and our children will survive this - all of the people that we spend our Saturday mornings with are in the same place. Sometimes I begin to drown in hopelessness. Hearing survival stories helps. If you can have a happy endings, then maybe we can too. Thanks for sharing this part of your story - I am anxious for more.
Joan
Donna,
Please share your story. I know I can use a story of hope because, like Joan, I have more feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
Your son is an inspiration.
Wilma
It is refreshing to hear of your sons success. I cannot wait to read all the details. It is good to know that there is hope - that validates our efforts. Congratulations and thank you for sharing.
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