Alumni of the Month Am

Life before seeking help from the Last Door was full of active addiction, pain and isolation. I constantly used against my will and hurt those closest to me the most. It was such an empty feeling knowing I was slowing killing myself yet unable to stop. It took a toll on my entire family, our home life was in shambles as my family kept sending me to treatment, only to see me go back to the same situation if not worse before I left.

Those I loved the most I hurt the most. They had done everything right- good schools, good upbringing, providing anything and everything I needed to succeed and they could not figure out where they went wrong…. It had nothing to do with them; the disease of addiction kills despite race, background or upbringing.

I somehow found myself at the Last Door in September 2008 and it was like no treatment facility I ever attended before (and I attended my fair share world wide) It didn’t feel like an institution at the Door, it’s hard to put into words but it had this energy that I never felt before or haven’t felt in awhile, my peers become brother-like, we talked, lived recovery.

At Last Door they taught us how to live recovery, and most importantly they should us how to have fun in recovery, it was surreal, doing group was an experience I can’t justly describe in words. What I learnt at Last Door applied to all areas in my life, they showed me how start living and giving back vs take take take, what I have today I greatly owe to the time I spent at the Last Door and thank them for showing me the importance of connecting with my higher power again and the power of a fellowship.

Post Last Door – Today I am coming up to 7 years clean and have a life I could never imagined in my wildest dreams. I got married at 4 years clean and today me and my wife share our life with our beautiful 14 month old daughter Raenah. I have a career I love and a family I’m in touch with on a constant basis. I’m there for them today and give back, we talk, we care, we share, it’s a two way relationship, a big difference from what it was like in my active addiction. Today I’m happy, I have my moments, but I also have a program, tools and my fellowship to preserve through anything that arises.  The best part.. i get to visit Last Door even 7  years later and go to alumni group, events, and their main group.

Thank you Last Door showing me how good life could be clean!

Am L

7 years clean, September 19, 2008