Reaching for Recovery

Left: me, completely broken, 93 pounds, living on the streets, living in fear, in pain, addicted to m**h and he**in, and ready for my life to finally end. I had endocarditis twice from using and I had a hole in my heart. My mom took that picture when she went to rescue me.
Right: I took this picture tonight. Didn't care about angles. Just wanted to show my happiness. 9 months clean. I fought hard for months in the hospital, survived heart surgery, gained 40 pounds, got a place to live, and I have my family and my two cats that help me. I've posted the before pic alot but my story is important. Recovery is possible and it is worth it. -Amber

Positive news!

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center and University Hospitals get close to $3 million in federal money to fight addiction The grant will be used to increase the number of board-certified psychiatrists and and physicians trained to treat addiction.

Here is some basic info on opioid addiction that we thought would be useful to be aware of:

Opioid Addiction - Pain Relief - Signs of Addiction | familydoctor.org Opioids are a type of medicine often used to help relieve pain. People who do not follow their doctor’s instructions can become addicted. Learn more here.