Talked with a client yesterday who’d been released from the hospital earlier in the day after another bout with pneumonia. His breathing was hard labor, a struggle to suck in more oxygen
He’s less than fifty years old, and suffering from the effects of smoking cigarettes. The doctor told him he has emphysema and other lung damage. That it would be a while before his breathing improved.
Seeing this man reminded me of how passionately I abhor smoking – having quit nearly 29 years ago. It’s not a holier than thou thing with me. It’s that smoking killed seven in my family – including my mother.
And most of them didn’t die right away; they lingered, dragging oxygen tanks behind them wherever they went.
An uncle, a once robust silver miner - who died at 60 – in his last years couldn’t walk from his front door to the mailbox without pausing to catch his breath.
One of my aunts, a beautiful woman, lived with oxygen tubes in her nose the last 10 years of her life. Health issues defined her final years.
In the past two years at least six TLC staff members have quit smoking and are recouping their health, though some are still suffering residual problems from the habit.
At TLC we encourage smoking cessation and are planning more in the way of education to help our clients enjoy maximum health.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
New Perspective
A recovering alcoholic told me he called his sponsor because he needed help with issues he was facing.
When his sponsor answered, he blew up the phone: he was about to lose his job. His wife was pissed off at him. One of his kids was getting expelled from school for smoking marijuana on school grounds. And so forth.
"Sounds like you have a lot going on," his sponsor told him. "Why don't you go with me on some errands I have to run. Afterward we can work on your stuff."
The sponsor took him to visit a friend, a young woman who's suffering from a deadly cancer. In fact , her prognosis is not good. That day she'd been told by her doctor that the last round of chemo she'd underwent hadn't worked as expected. They were going to subject her to chemotherapy for another three months. But In spite of this bad news the woman was upbeat and making plans for the future.
When they left the woman's house and were driving home they both were quiet and contemplative. When the sponsor stopped at his house to let him out he asked "Now what was that you called me about. You had some kind at issue he wanted to discuss?"
"It was really nothing," the man replied. “Nothing at all.
When his sponsor answered, he blew up the phone: he was about to lose his job. His wife was pissed off at him. One of his kids was getting expelled from school for smoking marijuana on school grounds. And so forth.
"Sounds like you have a lot going on," his sponsor told him. "Why don't you go with me on some errands I have to run. Afterward we can work on your stuff."
The sponsor took him to visit a friend, a young woman who's suffering from a deadly cancer. In fact , her prognosis is not good. That day she'd been told by her doctor that the last round of chemo she'd underwent hadn't worked as expected. They were going to subject her to chemotherapy for another three months. But In spite of this bad news the woman was upbeat and making plans for the future.
When they left the woman's house and were driving home they both were quiet and contemplative. When the sponsor stopped at his house to let him out he asked "Now what was that you called me about. You had some kind at issue he wanted to discuss?"
"It was really nothing," the man replied. “Nothing at all.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
First Anniversary
December of 2011 a few of us got together during a Christmas celebration and discussed starting an outpatient treatment program – a conversation that resulted in an action plan.
Consequently, March 15 of 2012 we opened the doors, state license on the wall. Things progressed slowly. It was months before we had half a dozen clients. Even though it was slow we believed in the potential.
By last Friday - our one-year anniversary - we had over 30 clients. More than half live at TLC in our halfway house facilities.
Because we’re growing rapidly we last week hired five more people, two nurses on a part-time basis and three support staff to take care of the day-to-day logistics of meeting client needs.
In the past month we added weekend field trips, a weekend massage therapist, and a therapy gardening program to help round out our regular extracurricular calendar.
Our success in the first year has inspired us to think about where we’re going in the next few years. We have several ideas for going to the next level – including seeking a license for inpatient treatment.
Consequently, March 15 of 2012 we opened the doors, state license on the wall. Things progressed slowly. It was months before we had half a dozen clients. Even though it was slow we believed in the potential.
By last Friday - our one-year anniversary - we had over 30 clients. More than half live at TLC in our halfway house facilities.
Because we’re growing rapidly we last week hired five more people, two nurses on a part-time basis and three support staff to take care of the day-to-day logistics of meeting client needs.
In the past month we added weekend field trips, a weekend massage therapist, and a therapy gardening program to help round out our regular extracurricular calendar.
Our success in the first year has inspired us to think about where we’re going in the next few years. We have several ideas for going to the next level – including seeking a license for inpatient treatment.
Stay tuned.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Success Rate?
A while back someone asked about our success rate. I said I didn't know.
I guess I could've said something like 50%. Or 75%. Or 90% for those who spend X amount of months in the program. But the reality is that I don't know. I believe, though, that it’s as good as the next program’s success rate.
Our computer database shows right at 350,000 people in TLC over the past 21+ years. But the idea of tracking what they’re all doing now would be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. I know other programs advertise a certain success rate. And I don't agree or disagree with their claims.
They may have spent a lot of money at one point to find out where people were at exactly that moment. Or they may have some kind of follow-up program where people check in once in a while.
I'm not sure how they it, but I know tracking people is costly. And I'd rather spend our limited and precious resources on paying bills and helping the addicts who are standing in front of us.
So anything I tell you would be anecdotal. And I do have stories of those who succeeded.
We have many graduates who showed up with only the clothes on their back,
A few years later they'll have a good life. Maybe reunited with the family, off parole, and a job as a supervisor for a construction company. Perhaps own a small maintenance company. Or else back to school and get a degree.
We have many graduates who stay in touch and report success. And that’s enough for me.
I guess I could've said something like 50%. Or 75%. Or 90% for those who spend X amount of months in the program. But the reality is that I don't know. I believe, though, that it’s as good as the next program’s success rate.
Our computer database shows right at 350,000 people in TLC over the past 21+ years. But the idea of tracking what they’re all doing now would be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. I know other programs advertise a certain success rate. And I don't agree or disagree with their claims.
They may have spent a lot of money at one point to find out where people were at exactly that moment. Or they may have some kind of follow-up program where people check in once in a while.
I'm not sure how they it, but I know tracking people is costly. And I'd rather spend our limited and precious resources on paying bills and helping the addicts who are standing in front of us.
So anything I tell you would be anecdotal. And I do have stories of those who succeeded.
We have many graduates who showed up with only the clothes on their back,
A few years later they'll have a good life. Maybe reunited with the family, off parole, and a job as a supervisor for a construction company. Perhaps own a small maintenance company. Or else back to school and get a degree.
We have many graduates who stay in touch and report success. And that’s enough for me.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Idealism vs. Reality
About once or twice a year I get a call from someone who wants to start a halfway house or recovery program.
And this week a lady called with the same question. "Could you help me start a halfway house?" she asked, "I really have it in my heart to help people."
When I asked if she would call up McDonald's and asked them how to make a hamburger she seemed puzzled. She went on and on about didn’t I care about people? Didn't I want to help people?
By the time the phone call was over she was pretty abusive. She was easily discouraged, which is what I wanted to accomplish. To be in the recovery field one has to have gritty determination and be willing to deal with a lot of setbacks in order to succeed. If my answers deterred her then she needed to be in another field.
Usually these questions come from people who are well-intentioned. They want to help addicts in recovery. But the conversation doesn't go on for very long after I start asking them about their business experience. In fact they usually get off the line pretty quick when I start explaining to them that they've got to figure out how they're going to pay the bills.
In the 20 years I've been in this business I've seen probably a dozen halfway houses and recovery programs start up, then close down within a short time. Most don't last more than two or three years.
Because the reality is that to carry out any kind of mission, whether it be a church or recovery program, one has to figure out how they're going to make money. How they're going to get funded. How they're going to pay the bills.
When my son-in-law was going to Rhema College in Oklahoma they taught him that a church was 80% business and 20% mission. In order to carry the message, one must keep the lights on, pay the bills, insure the church bus, cover the mortgage, etc.
There are plenty of people to help in the world, but one must balance idealism with reality.
And this week a lady called with the same question. "Could you help me start a halfway house?" she asked, "I really have it in my heart to help people."
When I asked if she would call up McDonald's and asked them how to make a hamburger she seemed puzzled. She went on and on about didn’t I care about people? Didn't I want to help people?
By the time the phone call was over she was pretty abusive. She was easily discouraged, which is what I wanted to accomplish. To be in the recovery field one has to have gritty determination and be willing to deal with a lot of setbacks in order to succeed. If my answers deterred her then she needed to be in another field.
Usually these questions come from people who are well-intentioned. They want to help addicts in recovery. But the conversation doesn't go on for very long after I start asking them about their business experience. In fact they usually get off the line pretty quick when I start explaining to them that they've got to figure out how they're going to pay the bills.
In the 20 years I've been in this business I've seen probably a dozen halfway houses and recovery programs start up, then close down within a short time. Most don't last more than two or three years.
Because the reality is that to carry out any kind of mission, whether it be a church or recovery program, one has to figure out how they're going to make money. How they're going to get funded. How they're going to pay the bills.
When my son-in-law was going to Rhema College in Oklahoma they taught him that a church was 80% business and 20% mission. In order to carry the message, one must keep the lights on, pay the bills, insure the church bus, cover the mortgage, etc.
There are plenty of people to help in the world, but one must balance idealism with reality.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Pet Therapy?
Last week a client from out-of-state came to a session very depressed. When he sat down I asked what was going on because he was near tears. I feared something had happened with his family.
“I miss my dog and cat,” he said hesitantly, after a few minutes.
Hopefully, I didn’t react. But nontheless I was a bit surprised. After all, this client normally projected an aura of emotional detachment, like he was pretty much unaffected by anything.
Then later in the week I left my office and encountered another client shedding tears on the sidewalk. When I asked what was going on, he told me he missed his dog. Since he lived in Arizona I suggested that maybe he could arrange a visit.
While I’ve been working with addicts for over twenty years - and have a friend who runs a program that takes animals into hospitals - I never a thought about animals in the context of therapy with addicts and alcoholics.
However, the way our history goes once something becomes a topic of interest around here it isn’t long before we somehow try to incorporate pet therapy into the program.
The real question with whatever we initiate is always: will it enhance recovery?
“I miss my dog and cat,” he said hesitantly, after a few minutes.
Hopefully, I didn’t react. But nontheless I was a bit surprised. After all, this client normally projected an aura of emotional detachment, like he was pretty much unaffected by anything.
Then later in the week I left my office and encountered another client shedding tears on the sidewalk. When I asked what was going on, he told me he missed his dog. Since he lived in Arizona I suggested that maybe he could arrange a visit.
While I’ve been working with addicts for over twenty years - and have a friend who runs a program that takes animals into hospitals - I never a thought about animals in the context of therapy with addicts and alcoholics.
However, the way our history goes once something becomes a topic of interest around here it isn’t long before we somehow try to incorporate pet therapy into the program.
The real question with whatever we initiate is always: will it enhance recovery?
In this case I think we know the answer.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Sobriety's Gifts
A blessing of sobriety is a good relationship with my family.
And I was reminded of that today while at lunch with my youngest daughter.
I obtained custody when I was two years clean, when she was around eight. She remained with me until she went in the military at 18.
She said that because I had strict guidelines for her she’s a better person. She thanked me for not being permissive and lenient with her as she was growing up.
She was referring to the fact that, while I provided her the basics, she had to work for the extras. She also had strict curfews and dress codes. She thinks attending 12-step meetings with me over those years also gave her good principles to live by. She believes the stories she heard at the meetings might have kept her from becoming an addict.
After she was honorably discharged from the military after three years - that included a tour in Afghanistan – she completed an Associate’s degree at Texas Culinary Academy. And then obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix. She’s now happily married, into physical fitness,
And I was reminded of that today while at lunch with my youngest daughter.
I obtained custody when I was two years clean, when she was around eight. She remained with me until she went in the military at 18.
She said that because I had strict guidelines for her she’s a better person. She thanked me for not being permissive and lenient with her as she was growing up.
She was referring to the fact that, while I provided her the basics, she had to work for the extras. She also had strict curfews and dress codes. She thinks attending 12-step meetings with me over those years also gave her good principles to live by. She believes the stories she heard at the meetings might have kept her from becoming an addict.
After she was honorably discharged from the military after three years - that included a tour in Afghanistan – she completed an Associate’s degree at Texas Culinary Academy. And then obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix. She’s now happily married, into physical fitness,
and studies art in her spare time.
I’m so pleased my daughter's grown up to be the woman she is. Again, a blessing of sobriety.
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