April P’s Story

I’m a 41 year old recovering heroin/crack addict. I had ten years clean on 6-20-17. The past decade has been the most significant of my life. Besides giving birth to my six children, I’d say I had barely any accomplishments at all before the age of 31. I was a follower. I had no plans for my future in high school. I just followed a guy around and hoped we’d get marry and live happily ever after. We did eventually get married but there was no happily ever after.

By the age of 26, I had had three children and was a full fledged IV heroin addict. I did the methadone program twice, to no avail. Methadone led me to crack cocaine and from there I became an animal chasing the rock. My (ex) husband and I in the end had five children of whom we were incapable of caring for. The state gave them to our family to raise.

When I got clean in 2007 my situation looked bleak. I had acquired an extensive criminal record and had no skills and hadn’t visited my children in over a year. I spent my first 18 months clean not being able to talk to or see my kids. At three years clean, I gained custody back. At six years clean, I realized that my 19 year old son was addicted to heroin. I had to send him away from our home. Over the last decade I’ve watched my kids succeed at life and school. My heroin addict son celebrated 4 years clean this year. Three of my kids are in college and I am too. I got married for a second time in 2010 and my current husband and I very happy together. Today, when the random thought of using again comes to mind, realizing what I’ve gained in recovery keeps me from picking up. When I got clean, I never thought I would ever have a good life again. I was wrong.