Larry's Story
In one of my appearances before the judge I asked to be allowed to go for an evaluation at the local treatment center here in town. I did not ask because I thought it would get me sober but to get out of jail and to buy some time in a better place than jail and to possibly try to make some sort of impression on the courts so that my sentencing might be reduced, I was facing two five year terms. The judge agreed to an evaluation with the condition that I follow through with their recommendations before my sentencing.
I was evaluated as needing intensive inpatient treatment and ordered into the Prairie Ridge Addiction treatment facility. They provided me with a safe place to learn about my addictions so I could then make a sober clear headed decision on my life, basically, they gave me back the ability to choose where I wanted to go in my life. I truly believe that at some point in my drinking I lost the ability to choose and drinking became a necessity for me to survive. Although I'm not exactly sure how it happened other then by the grace of God something happened to me in there and for the first time in 29 years instead of having a desire to drink I found a desire to be sober and the willingness to try. Today I am over 3-1/2 years without needing to take a drink and I believe I owe that and my life today to the legal system that took me off the streets before I seriously hurt or killed someone else or myself, to the court system that allowed me to be placed in a treatment center, and to Prairie Ridge Treatment Service where I was given a safe place get sober, to learn about my addiction my disease, and to learn the tools I would need to remain sober after I left -- to all of these I owe my life and will be forever grateful.Today I stay sober by being active and getting involved in recovery and by surrounding myself as much as possible with others in recovery. I go to AA meetings and AA social functions as often as I possibly can and I practice the 12 steps of AA the best I can not perfectly as written but as best I can. I am also a Karaoke DJ and I offer my services to AA functions voluntarily when I am asked. I do volunteer DJ shows at the Prairie Ridge Center for the inpatient clients once a month or whenever possible in an effort to show those just beginning in recovery that it is possible to have fun in sobriety. I volunteer once a month to tell my personal story to the inpatients at Prairie Ridge. In Nov. of 2001 I was approached by Prairie Ridge to see if I would be interested in helping to establish a Prairie Ridge Alumni Group. I jumped at the opportunity and became the president of the group. Our purpose is to help those in recovery find ways to have fun in recovery. We hold dances, bake sales, fund raisers, picnics, outings, that are open to all in recovery and anyone wanting to have clean sober fun. The other purpose we have is letting our politicians know that treatment centers do work and that we are living proof.
The number one thing in avoiding relapse "Don't use" the number two thing "Get involved stay involved as much as you can".........
Reprinted from Recovery Iowa 2005 Recovery Month Calendar
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