I used heavily throughout my twenties and had more or less resigned myself to the idea that I would drink myself into an early grave. I had never been comfortable in my own skin. Alcohol was my faithful, reassuring companion….for a while.
Ultimately I ended up in the hospital at age 32 with necrotizing pancreatitis. The pain was relentless and exhausting, but it stirred something deep within me. For the first time in a decade I realized I wanted to live an authentic life, free from the tyranny of substance use.
For the first eight months of my recovery journey, I met with my FAVOR Recovery Coach, Mike Malone, on a weekly basis. He shared with me many of the insights sobriety had taught him, particularly this idea of multiple pathways. I was shocked to learn that folks in recovery still have fun! With his encouragement, I began trying things I had never considered before: cycling, practicing yoga, and weight training. He also suggested I give the All Recovery meetings a try, a concept I eventually warmed up to.
I have been sober for two years now, and I believe it is because this community made me feel welcome when it seemed my life had hit a dead end. I wear my "Got Recovery?" bracelet with pride. Recovery benefits everyone!
My liver was down to 60% function, I was around 85 pounds, and my mother and sister said I was "unrecognizable." I knew alcohol was killing me and I resigned myself to that, because I couldn't stop. I couldn't even remember what it felt like to be happy without alcohol. There was no way out, or so I thought. I had been to other programs for help, and it either felt like counseling where they didn't get it, or the blind leading the blind where not all parties were in recovery.
My sobriety date is November 28, 2015 and that is due in a large part to FAVOR!
"Wow" is the first word that comes to mind when I think of FAVOR. It was love at first meeting. When I found a place that offered multiple pathways to recovery, I knew I was in the right place. I felt really comfortable and related to everything other folks said. I loved that FAVOR had planned activities and Recovery Coaches that are not only trained, but are in recovery as well.
My life is exponentially better and FAVOR helped show the path out. Now I look and feel healthy! Thank you FAVOR!
Trying to find help for our son was difficult and overwhelming. He was turned away from a program in Charleston because they said he needed more help than they could offer him. In the parking garage outside the hospital, with a list they gave him, he began to call other facilities one by one. Finally he was told about a recovery residence in Greenville, SC. Within 24 hours he was their newest resident and we went to our first family support meeting. It was there that we learned about a new program that was in the planning stages called FAVOR.
As soon as the FAVOR doors were open in July of 2013, we began attending the Family Recovery meetings. We quickly realized that FAVOR's approach was different than any other program we had participated in. Our feelings of fear, stigma, despair and hopelessness were replaced with education, acceptance, understanding and hope. FAVOR knows that addiction is a family disease.
Today our son is in recovery! And we just became grandparents to his beautiful baby daughter Ivy! We continue to attend Family Recovery meetings in order to further our education about this brain disorder, share our recovery journey, and give hope and support to other families. FAVOR's continued support of our own needs and concerns as individuals and parents gives us the strength to walk with our family on this journey of hope and healing, one day at a time.