17th Anniversary
My name is Rochelle M. and I am an Alumni of Norton Valley Hope in Norton Kansas. I will celebrate my 17th year May 26th. I arrived at the Valley
right out of the Hospital. Two of my best friends, which one of them was my sponsor, called the cops on me as I was drinking and driving.
So I went home for I wouldn't get a DUI. My friends were there when I got home so I went into the house and got my pills and yelled out the window
of my upstairs bedroom to my sponsor to take my pills and she said, "I don't want your damn pills' so I said the hell with you all. I downed them.
We'll in the meantime I got scared and tried to throw them up, and they also got worried and called the ambulance and that is how I got here 2 days later,
May 26th 1989.
I am so grateful for them doing that, they saved my life along with the Valley. I always drank and did drugs when my kids weren't with me. They stayed with
my mom and dad allot. There at the last it seemed like I was always somewhere, either at Hadley's 4 north for suicide or in the hospital for suicide. . I am
grateful for my family for watching my kids for me so I could get clean!
I am also grateful for my HP whom I choose to call GOD. There has been a lot of things happen in my life since I have gotten clean, the death of my Dad when
I had 4 years, and I got a lot of support threw my NA/AA family. In the beginning I went to a meeting every day till we moved to the Ranch 18 miles from
Goodland. So I didn't make many meetings then, but did keep in touch with NA/AA friends.
The most recent turmoil is my best friend Dianne death. (She was my first sponsor, the one that said I don't want your damn pills.) She was also my maid of
Honor at my wedding, (15 years ago) and we grew in friendship over the years. I am grateful for God, Valley Hope, my husband, my friends, and my pastor to be
in my life when she died. If I didn't have them I know I would have twisted off or even worse died myself.
I have a granddaughter now and she means the world to me. I am so grateful she will not see her grandma as a drunk and dope head! Anyway just for today she
won't! As that is all we have, TODAY!! I mighty have 17 years but all I have is TODAY!!
Thank You, and have a great day!!!!
By: Rochelle M.