Hello all...

I wanted to say hello to everyone. I've been lurking here since 2015 when I had my own substance use problems, with the corresponding license problems and monitoring. This was one of the few places I could check out when the mountain of shame I was experiencing was so high it kept me from getting gas at places near my old job for fear of seeing an old coworker.

I'm two years into monitoring with one year left and things have gotten so much better for me. My state has the monitoring but not without the public discipline, so also had to deal with the public shaming for anyone who wants to look up my name.

I was reflecting on all the posts on here that helped me, and realized I wanted to post something for that new person who is just beginning this path- and to stop hiding and actually participate.

Without writing a book on my first post, I went through the terror of waiting to hear from the board, having to go to rehab/PHP/IOP and once that was finish, consent agreement and monitoring, and the corresponding double testing (same day sometimes) for monitoring and drug court.

I am happy to report that charges were eventually dropped after successfully completing drug court and expunged, I'm working full time as a nurse, and starting to put my life back together. For those people reading this that might have just gotten fired/quit, believe all hope of you ever working as a nurse again is gone, and your life is over, it isn't.

The path getting through this isn't easy. It will 100% be unfair at times, make no logical sense to anyone, and make you question your resolve. That being said, there still is a path. Things can and will get better for you if you commit yourself to doing the things that need to be done to recover (whatever that means to you personally).

I also wanted to say thank you to the people who post their experiences on here. They were invaluable to me getting to this point, and know they will be just as valuable as I complete monitoring and beyond. Why I waited so long to post I can't say, but figured I would work on that tonight!

Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself and figured you guys/gals might appreciate my username - even if others on here didn't get it :)