I need help and a have a few questions...

tiak41 · Oct 17, 2008

hi pair, after you got arrested, did u have to wait a certain amount of time before you were able to get a job with your background check? I was convicted for theft a misdeamnor in april 06 and now I can't get a job...

pair_of_feet · Oct 17, 2008

No I was convicted on first offender status and since it was related to my substance abuse it was reduced to a misdemeanor.I guess different states and hospitals have different rules. I haven't had a problem though. Most places now are only interested in the last 7-10 yrs as far as criminal history, mine was 11 yrs ago.

sl33y · Oct 17, 2008

Just curious.... Has anyone been thru this kind of situation and NOT had any legal action taken?

chaotic · Oct 17, 2008

Well, so far sl33y I have not had any legal action taken against me. I was called into the BON but fortunately for me, they dismissed the complaint because I had already referred myself to their monitoring program and was in treatment. I had also written them a letter before the meeting stating that I realized the severity of my actions and problems, and expressed sorrow and remourse. I did not have an attorney either. Now if the law was involved and I was looking at criminal charges, then I would definately bring an attorney in.

Have you heard anything from the BON yet? Did your employer notify them of your issues?

Have you contacted an addictions counselor yet? If not, please do so ASAP. I can't stress this enough!

The best advice I can give you is to have all your ducks in a row as far as treatment goes if you get called in by the board or even if criminal charges are brought against you. This is very important. And be honest. Tell them, yes I am an addict and I have a problem but I am working on getting it under control. You want to be able to tell them that you are in treatment and that you have already contacted the VRP program and have been clean for x amount of days. They want to know that you are serious about your recovery and are working on it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

sl33y · Oct 17, 2008

Thanks, chaotic.

I saw a counselor today and also filled out all the paperwork for the VRP program. So, my treatment has begun.

Now I need to find a job because neither my wife nor I are workng right now and we can't sustain more than 2 months without income:(

Thanks for everyone's help and comments during these very dark times for me.

I felt really good after speaking with my counselor today, so I guess that's a start.

Now, hopefully the DEA forgets all about what happened and I can focus soley on treatment and keeping myself clean and serene!!

BEDPAN76 · Oct 18, 2008

sl33y, Thanks for keeping us posted on what is happening with you. It shows that you are serious about your recovery. And seems like you are doing everything right! Keep hanging in, and you will find work. Especially if you come across as humble and sincere. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts this weekend....:wshgrt:

sl33y · Oct 18, 2008

Thanks again, bedpan!

I am beginning to feel better, although the fear of my situation comes and goes at times.

One day at a time, right?

YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT AND I AM DEEPLY GREATFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

jackstem · Oct 18, 2008

One day at a time, right?
I am beginning to feel better, although the fear of my situation comes and goes at times.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT AND I AM DEEPLY GREATFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

Sometimes it's one minute at a time! When my daughter was in early recovery, she said the thought of not having a glass of wine or beer ever again was so intimidating. I simply told her what my sponsor said to me at about the same point in my recovery,

What seems impossible to NEVER do, doesn't seem as intimidating for a month, even less so for a day, and absolutely possible for one minute.

Every minute I put together gets me closer to the time when the craving will pass. And all cravings pass.

The ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens are part of the GO! system in our brain. This is the area where pleasure is experienced. It wants satisfaction NOW! The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that makes "executive" decisions...commonly called the STOP! system. It's where we weigh the good vs bad consequences of an impulse, and then decide that delaying gratification to a more appropriate place and time is the best solution.

The changes that occur in the disease of addiction decreases the activity of the prefrontal cortex and increases the activity of the ventral tegmental and nucleus accumbens. This means the impulse (craving) will be acted upon regardless of the negative consequences associated with acting on the impulse now.

The longer we abstain from using mood altering substances, the stronger the prefrontal cortex becomes as a result of the brains healing. This improves our ability make better decisions, delay gratification, and use the tools we learned while in treatment.

I encourage all of the folks I sponsor to learn about the pathophysiology of addiction. It helps them to see that addiction has a physiological basis and really is a disease, not a lack of willpower or moral weakness.

You're feeling better because your brain is beginning recuperate. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll feel even better.

Hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack

lance197728 · Oct 22, 2008

sl33y,

buddy, you and i are in almost the exact same boat. i'm going on 3-1/2 months since my trouble started and i've yet to hear anything from the authorities. i've finished my treatment program, i'm actively involved in na and i just started my new job last week.

things have really started to turn around for me, but to hear that i could be arrested a year from now is absolutely devastating. i really wish i hadn't read that. the lawyer i spoke with very early in the ordeal said i should expect to hear from the police in 2-6 weeks and that if a couple months went by i could maybe breath a little easier. so i've been feeling good about things until i read this thread.

all i can tell you bro is really work on yourself and take things one day at a time. believe me i know that's difficult because i think i'm going to have trouble doing that myself now, but what other alternative do we have?

hang in there and let me know if you want my email address and i'd be happy to share my experiences so far.

lance

sl33y · Oct 22, 2008

Sure, Lance. Send me your email and we can discuss.... I think things are finally turning around for me as well.

It is still VERY early for me, I haven't even gotten my official treatment plan yet or gotten into the VRP program. BUT, I know what I need to do and I am going to do it.

Where are you at, if I might ask?

nurseboudin · Oct 22, 2008

Thank you all for your honesty. I am in recovery, too. I was never sorry or ashamed of myself until the consequences of my actions started piling up.

Today, my license doesn't mean a thing unless I put my recovery first. My relationships don't mean a thing unless I put my recovery first. I like what stem said about the patience of this disease. It's relentless. Once you've been down the path of addiction, it's easy to have euphoric recall later on. You were chosen by the disease - not the other way around. Relapse can and will kidnap you if you are not keeping your priorities straight. Then what? Remember that you can't be a good nurse when you are stealing (I refuse to use the term "diverting") from patients or your employers. That's not what good nurses do.

Unless you are in recovery - and I am not condoning a specific program and/or treatment facility - you will not be effective or happy in other areas of your life. Job, relationship, whatever.

Yes, I am an addict/alcoholic of the educational variety, too. Addicts are master manipulators. And many of us are smart - hence why we can be so slick at getting what we want when we want it. No matter what the cost to others. That's why accountability is so important in recovery. I strongly recommend that you address your addiction first. You will have so much more to offer when you are not putting your addiction first. That may not make sense now, but it WILL. Once you understand what this disease is and does - you can pick up the necessary tools to live a life worthwhile.

Thanks for your posting - I wish you the best.

lance197728 · Oct 23, 2008

i'm in texas and in the tpapn program. my diversion issues were in houston, but i moved last month because i couldn't find a job anywhere in the area. i finally found a job in a town a couple hours south of houston so i basically just went where the work was.

it sucks having the potential legal crap constantly hanging over my head though. i've come so far in the last three months, it would be terrible for legal issues to come now.

anyway, feel free to email me anytime:

moderator note, please do not post email addresses as per terms of service