All the years wasted
If we've ever dare tasted
This dark place called addiction
Where we lay in our affliction 

We'ed all move our feet
For something so sweet
This new life in recovery
Promises to be lovely

When we think there's no other way
He gives us another day

Another chance
One more last dance
To live the right way
With promise of a brighter day

Towards one goal
To climb out of this hole
Never to walk in shame
Never to be the same

His promise to be near
Or to ever live in fear
If we just take him in
We'ed begin--to see clear

Always thankful to Sacred Heart
For this brand new fresh start

Thank you Sacred Heart

-Bobby

Hello,

My name is Michelle P. and I am/was an addict . . . 

Substance has had an impact on my life because multiple things have happened. Like me having negative thoughts, stealing, depression and etc. It also has an impact on my family members because I am hurting them plus getting worked up and worrying about me. It has a impact on my community because I can/may go out stealing and hurting and harming other just to go out and catch that next high for the day.

It all started when I was 16 years old and I found out I had Lupus. I was sick in the hospital one time because I broke down. 

After a couple of years, I graduated High School in Detroit, Michigan in 2007 at 18 years old. I then went to medical assistant school and received certificate in 2008.

Yes, I did I had it all. I got better, I got a boyfriend an apartment and I already had a nice truck because of my parents. I was actually doing great I had it all plus a little more. I loved my life.

I was on pain pills like a normal person. Then all of a sudden one day things start to go down hill. I was having my days because of my Lupus. I was already stressing over my relationship, my job and mainly my health. One thing after another thing hit, I start being in the hospital twice a week and then the pain pill taking start getting worse [the pain and sleeping pills I was trying for different types of pain I was having]. 

Most of all the pills that I couldn't stop taking were a high does of Vicodin. I was only suppose to take 1 pill every 4-6 hours and as needed. But I stopped that and I was taking 1-3 pills every 2-4 hours. I was over medicating myself.

The sleeping pills at first was 1 pill every night for sleep. Then I doubled the dose and started over medicating myself and taking a bottle of sleeping pills without even remembering it. I even woke in hospitals because of it.  

Now realizing that now of this pill popping and OD-ing isn't good for me and has me feeling worse than when I first ever started taking these pills. I came to Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center.  

Sacred Heart has helped me to realize that my life for me and my family is more important than a bottle of pills. It has also helped me to understand life is more clear. How to cope with things, take action and don't care about everyone else and their feeling and what they think. How to not be angry about everything.

Sacred Heart has really changed my whole outlook on life. It's guiding me to a much better future to live and be happy until the day I die. 

I am so proud of myself. I'm going to be a whole new new woman the day I walk out of Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center.

I'm going to pass this place on to better many more lives just like it has done mine.

If I had never came here I would just be home taking more pills which will lead to the next worse thing which could of been shooting up somewhere or found dead out in the streets or in my bed. 

I'm so happy this chance has come to me and I took it and ran with it.

Now I'm going to walk out of here and better myself for me and my life. I'm also going to make my family proud of me again and be the best role model for my brothers, sisters, niece, and nephew. No one will have to worry about me again, I promise.

I loved this program. It taught me so much I can't wait to use what I know when I get back out in the world and start living my life again!

Thank you Sacred Heart!

Love, Michelle P.

This is farewell, adios, and goodbye-
You will not interfere with my life anymore, no matter how hard you try. 

You've warped my mind and let me hurt those that I love-
I'll beat and overcome you with help from heaven above.

I'm better than you and in recovery I will succeed-
With meetings and Sacred Heart, I will gain the skills that I need.

I'm choosing a new path and this one is full of light-
Not full of darkness, loneliness, and fright.

So good-bye addiction, you menacing disease-
You're not holding me back anymore, I'm setting myself free.

Written by: Virginia B.

Bright starlit eyes
Staring into the distance
Wind blowing her hair
She's awaiting, dreaming of her existence

Take me away
To my own natural high
Leaving this reckless life-
and sincerely saying goodbye

Blowing out memories of evil
Breathing in thoughts of hope
Trying to fight off a disease
No longer craving dirty dope

A little girl screaming inside
Scared and lost from addiction
Praying to a higher power
Waiting for her next conviction

Developing a desire for adventure
All these thoughts in her mind racing
She surrenders-
and recovery she's now chasing

Written by Michelle B.

Growing up I had a missing link. That link was how to love myself. It disabled me with problem solving. As I grew older my problems were solved with substance abuse. The roller coaster ride began. Clean, straight, clean, straight.

With time it passed. First, I sought help through AA. The pieces to help me still hadn’t been found. AA had let me down. My next approach was outpatient therapy. Sessions were made. Medication was tried. The pieces still hadn’t connected.

December 11, 2007 will be the day to be never forgotten. My despair that day seemed hopeless. The love and support my family provided did not provide that link. How could it? I was the one with the disease. I called a friend and begged her to drive me to where her daughter had treatment. I showed up at Sacred Heart.

In my stay at Sacred Heart challenges were there at my most vulnerable time. Some were good some were horrible. Each member in the house gave me my links towards recovery. That towering wall finally got knocked down. I finally could say “I love Sonia”.

My goal will be to continue with therapy and go back to AA. I have been blessed with a family that has loved and supported me.

Thank you Sacred Heart and thank you to all the clients.

Sonia A.
Age 51

The time I wasted is my biggest regret, spent in these places I will never forget.
Just sitting and thinking about the things I have done, the crying, the laughing, the hurt and the fun.

Now it’s just me and my hard driven guilt, behind a wall of emptiness I allowed to be built.
I am trapped in my body, just wanting to run, back to my youth with its laughter and fun.

But the chase is over and there’s no place to hide, everything is gone, including my pride.
With reality suddenly right in my face, I am scared and alone and stuck in this place.

Now memories of the past flash through my head, and the pain is obvious by the tears I shed.
I ask myself why and where I went wrong, I guess I was weak when I should of been strong.

Living for drugs and the wings I had grown, my feelings were lost, afraid to be shown.
As I look at my past, it’s easy to see, the fear that I had, afraid to be me.

I would pretend to be rugged, so fast and so cool, when actually I was lost like a blind fool.
I am getting too old for this tiresome game, of acting real hard, with no sense of shame.

It’s time that I changed and get on with my life, fulfilling my dreams for a family, to be a wife.
What my future will hold, I really don’t know, but the years that are wasted are starting to show.

I just live for the day when I’ll get a new start, and the dreams I still hold, deep in my heart.
I hope I can make it, I at least have to try, because I am heading towards death and I don’t want to die.

-By, Linzi M., age 24

I was diagnosed seven years ago with the HIV virus. When I was given my diagnoses, I could not believe it. My first thoughts was to end my life, how could I tell my family, church members, and friends. I disconnected myself from everyone and shut down until I was referred by a doctor to Sacred Heart HIV/AIDS Care Services for case management services.

The AIDS care staff worked with me to overcome the shame and guilt I was carrying around inside me. I started to attend support groups and found out that I was not alone, there were several other women infected with the HIV virus just like me.

Since working with Sacred Heart HIV/AIDS Care Services, I have been able to disclose my status to my pastor and his wife, who have been a wonderful spiritual support for me. I have disclosed my status to all my children and family members, who have turned out to be a wonderful support system.  The support system that I would like to thank the most at this time is the support and assistance I get with the AIDS care staff at Sacred Heart; they have made a huge difference in my life.

I am still attending Sacred Heart HIV/AIDS Care Services support groups and I am able to tell my story in hopes that I can touch, help other females who have been newly diagnosed and assure them that they will be fine. I recently became engaged to be married and was very lucky and blessed to find a partner who is caring and able to handle being with an HIV positive person. 

The information that I have learned through attending meetings has helped me educate my partner on the practices of safer sex so we do not infect him. Sacred Heart HIV/AIDS Care Services has truly been a blessing and I thank God everyday for giving me the courage to make that call.

-Tonya

My addiction has become my affliction.
During my life, there has been so much friction.

Such a painful price to pay, I say this with strong conviction.

Treatment is never where I wanted to be.

But in my sickness I couldn’t break free.

Let the truth be told, my addiction has gotten the best of me.

There was another center that turned me away.

But in the end it was Sacred Heart, that said for 30 days you are welcome to stay.

Today I have a brand new start, now it’s up to me to do my part.

-by, B., Age 50

God help me, life’s getting rough-
Who knew change would be this tough?

I thought that life would get better-
If I followed the rules down to the letter.

The pain in my heart I cannot explain. . .
Making it difficult to keep myself sane.

Wishing for death, yet wanting live-
Hating myself, but wanting to forgive. . .

Forgive myself and those that have hurt me-
Without forgiveness I can’t have true recovery.

To my friends and family, I humbly apologize-
And I hope that someday you will all recognize. . .

A change in my actions as well as my heart-
And possibly allow me another fresh start.

Only an addict can understand addiction’s hold-
But I’ve played all my cards and it’s time to fold.

So, I’m laying it all out, the truth’s on the table-
I’m an addict, accept me if you are able.

-Eugene S.

When I first came to Sacred Heart my self esteem was in shambles. Over the past three years, while active in my cocaine addiction I have managed to [not lose, but] give away the trust of my family, countless material possessions, any real friendships I may have had and my marriage to my addiction. All while of course putting the people who truly love me, my priorities, and my responsibilities on a permanent hold. I’d almost giving up all hope that my life would ever get back on track.

Since being here I’ve learned that if I focus only on the failures of my past, I will never move successfully into my recovery and as a result I won’t have a future at all to look forward to (unless it’s in a jail cell or a coffin).

Today I spend time looking at the bad and the good things that have happened in my past. But rather than wallowing in self-pity or dredging up painful memories over and over I’m recognizing my faults, moving toward acceptance and looking forward to a positive future of recovery.

Regardless of what’s already happened due to my poor choices- my higher power has a purpose for me otherwise I wouldn’t still be here. It’s not all above me. And for that reason here I stand today in front of the people in my life that truly care.

I know that my higher powers healing power has begun to work in my heart, my mind, my will and my emotions. I was powerless to control my tendencies to do the wrong thing and had lost my gratitude for the little things in life. But I’m finding my faith again and I thank my higher power every morning for being there and for putting me thru the trials, hurts and hang-ups that he has because it brought me here, where I can stand in front of my mother and my husband and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unconditional love and support. And I’m truly sorry for the countless sleepless nights, the jailhouse phone bills and excruciating pain I’ve caused.

It’s such a relief to put my worries of tomorrow in my higher powers hands and pray for his guidance while I live for today. I still (and always will) have a lot to learn, but I like me for me again. And I know that what I had become- is not who I truly am.

-S. S. , Age 24