Residential Rehabs

I’d been through a couple of detox facilities (around here, they do it right in the psych wards) and one “dual-diagnosis” unit — where they treat the addiction stuff and “adjust yer meds” at the same time. In that one, I came out hooked on more shit than when I went in.

The last time, I was serious. I wanted to be rehabilitated and made fit for society again. Man, they had their work cut out for them! But I had to get there first.

See, my health was in the toilet (physical health, as well as mental, emotional & spiritual health, too), I was stuck in a godforsaken wheel chair, and I was hooked on OCs — my last “DOC” in the collective cess pool of “MORE.” And I actually did have by that time valid medical reasons for taking them. Problem was, as an addict, all the pain in the world wasn’t enough for me to moderate their use like a good girl and not abuse them. But that’s another story.

One hospital told me, “There’s not a detox facility in the state that’s handicapped accessible.” WHAT?? WHY NOT?? Didn’t they ever hear of the Americans with Disabilities Act?? I was told, “People like you don’t want to get better.”

Don’t call me a “people” like anything. I’m a stubborn broad, and I also knew I’d be a dead broad soon, so some kind of willingness (and willfulness) kicked in and sustained me through the next coupla days while the powers that be opened up their bag of tricks and finally, finally found me a place.

Oh, man, I’m leaving out the part where I had to first get myself involuntarily committed to a nut ward cuz “we only do alcoholics here.” I am an alcoholic, you dumb bitch. I just also happen to be a drug addict. Sheesh. Well, another time perhaps.

In a strange way, I’m glad I had to jump through hoops. It was baptism by fire, a first test of “how much I wanted it.” And I wanted it. Talk about being sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I guess any description of that wonderful hospital-based place upstate will have to wait. See, I guess they did a pretty good job. I have a life now. Family, too. And I’m more or less, on most days, anyway, a “productive member of society.” So…I keep up the maintenance work, but I suppose you could say I have been “rehabilitated.”

Till later…