“When you finally get recovery; what a blessing it is!”
In mid-January of 2018, Patty walked through the doors of Renascent Graham Munro Centre already three months abstinent. She had spent the weeks prior to treatment attending outpatient rehabilitation programs and Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings.
Patty had been familiar with AA for years. As a teenager, she had a friend who drank heavily and would accompany her to meetings. It wasn’t until decades later that Patty would find herself in need of help.
“Alcohol found its way into my life when life was busy and hard. My drinking began when I was in my mid-30’s. I would say in about 10 years I became a daily drinker”. A failed marriage to an alcoholic and lost pregnancies all contributed to Patty’s downward spiral into addiction.
Patty became a member of AA in April 2013, and enjoyed short periods of sobriety but struggled to stay in recovery. “I just couldn’t get it right and in September 2017, after a second D.U.I., I experienced the gift of desperation, my life HAD to change”. That’s when Patty began to work hard at leaving alcohol behind and has remained committed to sobriety since.
“Treatment was a hard, but life-changing experience for me and I am so grateful for the care I received at Munro Centre,” says Patty.
Grateful for the life-saving care she received, Patty has been an annual donor to Renascent Foundation for years. While her donations are used to help provide addiction treatment services, there is one exceptionally special symbol of hope that Patty was able to give to the clients of Munro Centre.
“When I came into treatment, they allowed me to bring my guitar. Music is my go-to when things are tough. It helps keep my feet on the ground. One year, I made a donation to Renascent in memory of my son. The Centre Manager, used that donation to purchase a guitar which has since hung on the wall in the living room there, and I will be forever grateful for that inspiring gesture”.
“In recovery life is still hard, but now I have tools that I can use to get through the rough spots and I stay sober “one day at a time,” adds Patty. While losing in sobriety, her Father, Son and more recently her life partner of 32 years, Patty remains committed to living a sober, more spiritual life.
Today, Patty’s advice to those who are new to recovery or still struggling is simple” “Be kind to yourself” she says. “It isn’t only those who have fought in a war or first responders who experience some kind of trauma – something we hold on to makes us bristle at the very thought. Dig deep, identify these issues, celebrate the good bits and take a big deep breath”.
