[TazziRN]

I grew up as a goody-two-shoes......never smoked, drank, or cussed growing up, and while I did drink once I was legal, I never got drunk except for once, when grieving my brother's death.

I was married to an abusive a-hole. I worked night shift, and I learned quickly that if I was asleep before he woke up, that he would leave me alone until I woke up. I remember I had a bottle of phenergan with codeine left over, and that it had made me drowsy. When I ran out of that I would find reasons to visit the doc to get more. Then I graduated to taking it from work.....this was before Pyxis and it was much easier to steal.

Eighteen months later I stopped using and got myself into counseling, but coincidentally the hospital pharmacy was doing an audit, and I was caught. I was placed in a treatment center as a condition of continued employment, and I've been sober ever since. On March 28 I will have 14 years.

Sobriety gave me the strength to fight back, and to leave my ex, and to build my life back up again. Since then I married a wonderful man who is my soul mate, and he brought me two pretty terrific kids and gave me a third.

[Thunderwolf]

Thanks, Tazz, for your story. I have to commend you for your honesty. Sometimes, the worst environments can even bring out the worst in us...and we begin to use whatever substance to help us cope. It doesn't make right or Ok, but it is a very common experience....be it drink, drug, food, overworking, et cetera. Eventually, we do find the inner strength to make changes in our life, positive changes, which changes everything. Your story emphasizes this. I am so proud of your abstinence. Way to go, girl. Very glad you shared what you did. Hope to see you here often on the forum to assist others, sharing your wisdom. Your story is a story of hope for many who may continue to struggle. Thank you.

[busyrnandmom]

Hey Taz!! I know you are as glad as I am to have something like this at allnurses. There are so many of us addicts, alcoholics, smokers, and on and on with addictions and there is finally a positive place on the net instead of the bashing and negative postings, ect elsewhere on other sites.

You go girl!

Anne

[Tweety]

Congrats on being clean and sober! Thanks for sharing.

[sharona97]

Originally Posted by busyrnandmom

Hey Taz!! I know you are as glad as I am to have something like this at allnurses. There are so many of us addicts, alcoholics, smokers, and on and on with addictions and there is finally a positive place on the net instead of the bashing and negative postings, ect elsewhere on other sites.

You go girl!

Anne

Amen to this!

[nursemike]

One of the things I find gratifying about the nursing profession, including--gasp--nursing management, is that it isn't atypical for people with substance-abuse problems to be given counselling and a second chance. I know it isn't universal, and I know some people blow that second chance, but we of all people should realize that addiction is a disease and not a moral defect. That the disease often leads to immoral acts is part of its symptomology.
I'm so glad you are in recovery, and glad, too, that you got the chance to continue in a field that needs you. If I were doing my own learning assessment, it would say, "Learns best by: the hard way." I suspect the same is true for a lot of people. But we do learn from experience, even bad experience, and I believe (hope) that makes us stronger, wiser people down the road.

[Thunderwolf]

TazziRN's medallion


And on March 28,2008



Hugs to you....Congrats!

[barefootlady]

Good Morning Taz,
Thanks for your honesty. Congrats on your 14 years of clean, sober living. Good luck to you and yours.

[TazziRN]

Thank you, Wolfie!!!!!

[Grace Oz]

GOODONYA Tazzi!
You stood tall, took responsibility and are reaping the rewards.
Wishing you all the very best for your future.