Suggestions changed my life

My name is Troy and I was a patient at Parker Valley Hope just last March. There are a lot of reasons that brought me there in the first place, but I would like to share my experience, strength, and hope thus far. I was never the type of person that was likely to get sober, as a matter a fact, I was pretty sure that I was going to be a drunk my whole life. At the time I had no problem with that, but slowly and surely things had spun out of control. Work had been pretty much non existent for a good two years before getting sober, due to the fact that not very many people like to have an employee that is drunk all the time, but I had no problem with it, so why should they? My family had turned their backs on me...oh wait,… being drunk at Sunday dinner every week was kind of a problem...but I wasn't drinking at the dinner table. Why did they have a problem with that? Every relationship I had was good until I threw up in their car, and woke up in their bed soaking wet and it kind of smelled like dog pee, but they didn't have a dog? That was ok too, because it only happened that one time...oh wait,…last week too. All of these things that were happening to me were ok because that stuff happens to everyone, right? That was what I thought for many years until the truth came out. Stuff doesn't happen to your every day normal drinker, but why was this stuff happening to me? No person likes to admit complete defeat, but life gets to a point were you either have to end up in a mental institution, die, or admit defeat and come to terms that you’re an alcoholic. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was call my mom and tell her that I had a problem and that I needed help. She immediately said, "I've heard this before, what are you going to do different this time?" I was confused. Have we had this conversation before? I was in no place to argue with her and I told her that I wanted to get professional help. Within a week, I had found myself walking into the doors of PVH scared, confused, and not knowing what to do next. I later found out that that was the perfect place to be. I was in PVH for 28 days in which I had learned the basics to AA's 12 steps. I met with a counselor 2 times a week, and I was given suggestions to abide by. At first, I did not want to abide by the suggestions like moving into a sober living house after leaving PVH. I didn't have to live in a house with a bunch of drunks, what will that ever do for me? It was also suggested that I attend after care when I was done there. I didn't need to go to after care. I'll be just fine on my own. There are the key words, “on my own”...the only place I ever got on my own was on the streets of Denver with no place to go. I pretty much only had to think about those suggestions for an hour or so, and made the decision to go threw with what my counselor had suggested. It came time for me to leave PVH, and I had formed a foundation to kick start my new life clean and sober. Once again I was scared, confused, and did not know what to do next. Wait, I did know what to do next. Go to a meeting! I made my way down to Colorado Springs where I attended my second AA meeting ever. The next step was to call this Pine House (Alano Recovery Home) place to find out where it is and move in. Well, that was one of the best things I have ever done was move into the Pine House. The next step was to get a hold of this Adam guy and get my after care going. That was the next best thing I have ever done. The suggestions that I had received from my counselor had started to pan out. The next couple of months had gone by and I continued to stay sober and the only reason for that was I had continued to take the suggestions from the people around me. They were pretty simple, go to 90 meetings in 90 days, get a sponsor, and work some steps. It sounds simple enough and at the same time a lot of work. 90 MEETINGS IN 90 DAYS?!?!? Who would do such a thing? Well, for the first time in my life I took the cotton out of my ears and stuffed it into my mouth. I did what was suggested and it has kept me sober thus far. I now have a job that I still enjoy going to and have kept for the last 8 months, that has pretty much never happened. I'm getting my license back, and have a vehicle that I will be driving legally for the first time in about 3 years. I now am the assistant manager of The Pine House and enjoy it very much. I have a great group of friends, true friends that I can go to with any problem and will get all the help I could ever need (stick with the winners). Most of all though...I'm sober and I'm having the best time of my life. I never thought that was possible without alcohol. My life is so great today and I owe it first of all to my higher power, but to PVH and all the great people there. I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for Valley Hope, I am so grateful for your organization and I thank you all for everything that you all do. The next step is for me to share the message to the alcoholic who still suffers, and that will open up all sorts of new doors for me!!! Thank you all so much and God bless! Troy E

By: Troy E