I was put to the test more than two years ago when my son, Chase, began to spiral out of control into a bottomless pit of alcohol and drug addiction.

On May 3rd, 2006, he almost lost his struggle with his disease. That evening about fifteen minutes after Chase had gotten home, I went to check on him. As I rounded the corner toward his room, I noticed his overhead light was on. That’s odd, I thought. He usually liked to hunker under the covers in the dark with his cell phone buried in his ear. From a distance, I could see he was all curled up on his bed. Bless his heart, I thought. He’s exhausted.

As I got closer, a twinge in my gut signaled something was wrong…soon I could see he was lying in a pool of vomit, his eyes rolled back in his head, his eyelids partially shut with only the whites of his eyes showing. All kinds of thoughts ran through my head. Was he breathing? Was he alive?! I wasn’t sure. As panic swelled up in me, I grabbed the front of his shirt and started shaking him. “Chase, Chase, I screamed. Are you okay? What have you taken? Wake up! Wake up!” He didn’t move. I kept on, pressing further… all my weight on the bed; I was bouncing on the bed, shaking him, trying my best to wake him. Knowing if I couldn’t wake him, he might surely die. Screaming again, I asked, “What have you taken? What have you taken?” Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he barely whispered an inaudible word. “What? What are you saying?” His eyes still closed, his body stiff, he whispered again. “What?”, I screamed. “Loritab”, he whispered. “They took it…not me.” I could smell alcohol, so now I knew, he’d been drinking, and possibly taken Loritab… What else?

My mind raced. Should I call 911? Does he need his stomach pumped? How bad is he? Slowly, but surely, he roused a bit…said something about drinking and then began vomiting as lunged for the wastebasket. Several minutes later he stumbled into the bathroom. When he came back he began to throw up again. I didn’t say a word. I slid down the wall and sat on the floor and watched my baby heave his guts out. This wasn’t the first time, but it was certainly the worst. I couldn’t help but wonder what might have happened if I hadn’t come in to check on him. Would he have died in his own vomit like his musical hero Jimmy Hendrix? Other questions surfaced. Where had he been? Did he drive himself home? Why? Why God? Why couldn’t he stay away from alcohol and drugs?

Chase is an alcoholic. He inherited this disease that runs rampant in our family. I knew how destructive alcoholism could be. As sad as I was to acknowledge that Chase was an alcoholic, it was a critical step for both him and me. This is a family disease and we would both have to work toward our own recovery. Chemical addiction is hell – for those addicted and for the addict’s loved ones. Unlike many other diseases, this is a disease of the mind. It is the mind that must be treated and yet it is the mind that controls the person’s behavior making the disease harder to fight than other illnesses.

With the guidance of an incredible counselor at Chance to Change named Jackie Landler, I accepted the fact that Chase needed treatment for his addiction. Yet I had no idea how I was going to make it happen. It would cost at least $25,000 to $30,000. Jackie told me to give it to God, to get on my knees and ask for help. Because I had run out of options, it seemed the only thing left to do. So I did. I got down on my knees and asked God for help with my son. That day when I “Let go and let God,” the angels started showing up in our lives and the miracles began.

Miracle 1: With no other option to pay for treatment, I put my home on the market. It sold in eight days for exactly what I was asking. I had enough to pay for his treatment and find another place to live.
Miracle 2: Chase finished treatment but was at risk for relapse if he went back to his original high school. An angel named Mike Boss, whose sole purpose is to help parents and children who struggle with this family disease, offered my son a full scholarship to Oklahoma Outreach’s Sober School.

Oklahoma Outreach is a non-profit organization aimed at providing a network of community services to adolescents and families struggling with alcohol and chemical addiction. Mike Boss and his staff not only provided Chase with the treatment he needed, they provided a safety net for Chase and me after Chase got out of treatment.
Miracle 3: Chase received a 1994 Camero a year into his sobriety as a gift for his hard work in staying sober.
Miracle 4: Chase’s counselor and the Executive Director at Chance to Change were instrumental in getting Chase and me connected to the right person who eventually helped Chase with enrollment and funding to college.

Chase continues to fight against this disease – everyday. As difficult as it is, it is important for families struggling with this disease to know there is hope. Recovery is possible. So far, Chase is winning his battle with this disease; however, it hasn’t been without the help of many angels. Thank you Mike Boss and the entire staff and board at Oklahoma Outreach. Thank you to Jackie Landler and the Executive Director and staff at Chance to Change. Thank you to all of our friends and family in Alanon and AA. Thank you to so many unsung heroes who today help others in the fight against this disease.

Chase and I both travel a spiritual journey of self-discovery now as we continue to face the challenges that accompany any family dealing with this deadly disease. I hope our story encourages others who are desperately seeking answers. There is a solution. Life can change for the better. I encourage others to reach out for help, grab a little courage and take this journey with an open heart and an open mind. With that will come incredible blessings, incredible love, and many angels.

When Chase was a child, my dream was he would someday go to college. With his addiction, I traded that dream for the simple hope that he would live. Please God…just let him live. Today my son is not only alive; he is sober and attending college. I credit his survival to many, but most of all I give credit to God and to Chase. Recovery is something Chase had to want for himself, and when he did, the miracles happened.


Linda
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