Dear Tribe family and friends, last friday 5/29/09 my wife cheryl and i celebrated our 6th year of marriage. we got into my Acura and drove 4 hours to yuma arizona to see my mom who turned 86 today. my mom in the last 12 years has had 2 heart attacks, 2 stents put in her heart and 7 strokes. the last stroke 3 years ago was so severe she is paralyzed on her left side and totally blind. i cooked her a steak dinner and bought her a birthday pie. it's really hard watching your parents age. as some of you know my 87 year old father lives with cheryl and i and has for the past 5 years. tuesday night he had a minor to medium stroke. he was very disoreintated, slurred speech and other various things that go along with a stroke. in 3 1/2 days in the hospital he had come back to almost himself. weak and a bit harder for him to walk. i now have a home nurse coming into my home beginning tomorrow to begin physical theraphy. so i thank my friends here who prayed for my dad after i emailed them.
this is a great lesson in humility for me because watching one's aging parent struggle in the hospital, the same one where 5 weeks ago my brother in law died in and the same one that tried to overdose me on the wrong medication about 3 months ago. here in our little town of kingman arizona we have a new hospital opening in september and i just cannot wait until it does. knowing that i am providing the best care possible for my father is my main concern now. i am still suffering from two bone fractures in my right knee and a broken fibula in my upper right leg just below the knee cap but i will find out how that has healed up on tuesday. i hope your all doing well in your personal lives of recovery.
cheryl and i are off to Alaska on july 2nd through the 17th and then we will be spending 2 days in seattle wa. of course i am going to alaska because in 1967 that is where i started my addiction and where i ended my addiction on july 11th 1989. it has been a long road of meetings, conventions, campventions, unity days, spending time with my sponsor, spending time with my 7 sponsees, doing H&I work, doing 12 step calls and so much more that makes me so grateful to realize that i am going to make it to my 20th year clean. for me that is a major milestone birthday. in my region only 2 other people have that much time. has it been easy? no i will openly and honestly say sometimes it has been a true roller coaster ride from hell. has it been worth it? yes it truly has. i have more in my life today than i ever expected to have spiritually and mentally. along with 20 surgeries in almost 20 years, becoming a full blown Insulin dependant Diabetic with 6 years clean. getting divorced after 12 years clean. becoming 100% disabled almost 4 years ago. being a Radio DJ for 33 years of my life a true dream come true. i wanted to be a radio jock since i was 10 years old. having the God given talent to play the guitar for 42 years. so today i am eternally grateful for what i have and what i can share with the newcomer and oldcomers alike. if you truly want to now what freedom from active addiction is just live the Narcotics Anonymous 12 step lifestyle. Once you find the peace and serenity i have today, you too never have to use again. or you can try this lifestyle for one year and if you decide it's not for you then your misery will gladly be refunded 100%. God has given all of us a second chance. i certainly hope you use yours the way i have used mine. remember that recovery is a journey not a destination and use the rest stops that God provides along the way.
In Recovery for Life,
JJ in sunny Arizona
