One Year Down!

[Purplenurse123]

Hi all, just wanted to provide my experience now that I'm one year into my three year sentence (I'm actually 13 months in right now 🙂 ). I'm in a (very) small east coast state, which I think has made things easier because I have a real connection with the people running the program, and I genuinely feel that they are rooting for me. In no particular order, here's some info:

1. I got caught on a return-to-work urine test thru employee health; it was positive for THC, ETOH, and some RX drugs. My state has legal marijuana but I don't have a card for it; I was told that having a card would probably would have kept me out, but not sure how they would have let me off for a positive ETOH. I had also been a problem at work for awhile before essentially giving them the evidence that I was using substances.

2. I was given a three year sentence that will not be a part of my record as long as I complete it without issue.

3. I check in to Affinity daily and can get urine or hair tests. I get approx 1 urine test/month and have not yet had a hair test. I have not used anything but I did have one urine test come back as 'value out of range;' I never asked about it and no one ever brought up concerns with this. I'm guessing it was dilute but otherwise clear? 

4. I got monthly supervisor reports that were just downgraded to quarterly.

5. I have been allowed on two different trips out of the country that didn't require checking in. I was tested the day after I returned the first time, and not tested at all in the week after my return from the second trip. 

6. I go to three AA meetings/week and one group therapy meeting/week.

7. I have a virtual meeting with the committee every other month; there are always at least two members, and sometimes six people who attend who ask me appropriate, supportive, and interested questions about my recovery. I have been able to express some concerns about AA specific recovery (I still attend the required AA meetings! And I do not complain; I just explain that I like having AA meetings and a non-AA focused therapy group to attend).

8. I was told explicitly that nothing I eat or drink could cause a false positive and that no one working in the program has experienced a true false positive (some had seen initial false results, but further lab testing quickly cleared it up). I work in a hospital and use ludicrous amounts of hand sani and it has never yielded a problem. 

9. I had two dates early in the program where I completely forgot to check in; I have no idea if they are dates when I would have been tested, but I realized each day with enough time to get to a different lab and take a test and send an email explaining what had happened. They were very easy going about it, and after the second time said I would not need to keep testing myself again but there has never been a third time 🙂 I also still would test myself, LOL. Of note: when I test myself, I couldn't figure out how to test for ETG. This didn't seem to matter to them. I also am not 100% certain that my LabCorp tests test for ETG; they certainly should! 

10. This is more of an opinion, but I strangely think my less rigorous program (at least in comparison to what some people on here describe) motivates me to behave. I am pretty sure I could 'cheat' and get away with it, but I have NO DESIRE to test this. The first 13 months have been so much less painful than I expected, but I am not looking to extend it at all. I just accepted everything at face value and have a countdown app on my phone LOL. Happy to answer any questions other than location (I honestly don't think there are too many other people participating in my state). This board has been super helpful for me to read during stressful moments, so hoping I can repay a little bit of that!

[Healer555]

One test s month is so much better than the 5x a month for me the first year, 4x a month second year and 3x a month the final year.  

[Erin1984]

Where are you?! Your program is heaven compared to California. In my state a missed check in = automatic 30 days off work. We are tested approximately once weekly and it is an observed test. When a test is dilute they assume you are using and trying to cheat the system and they punish you. Case managers are not supportive. Our committee that decides if and when we can go back to work, carry keys, etc...not supportive!! California requires signatures from AA/NA so you can't cheat. And the list goes on...I totally agree with your take that your program motivates you to be your best. All the California program did for me was give me PTSD and a lot of anger LOL! 

[Universe93B]

You are 1/3 done, good job!   And yes, follow your rules and don't have a positive test because your "very good" rules right now can easily change and you will be jumping through 20 hoops a day.