Before COVID was an everyday word I had my gallbladder removed. That was only January of 2020. Up until that point I was trying to get sober and failing. I went to meetings, had a sponsor, and was attempting to work my way through the steps.
The night that I went to the hospital I remember for the first time being concerned about the possibility of having to take narcotics. My sobriety was in its infancy, and I didn’t want to turn back before I even gave myself a chance to walk. For the first time ever I let the medical staff know of my addiction and my fears. I was prescribed pain meds and checked in with my sponsor daily until they were completed.
I would be lying if I said it was that easy. I had a refill on all of them and the addict in me took advantage of that for sure. Then on February 19 2020 my meds ran out. I had no legal reason to continue taking the medication, nor did I have the actual physical pain that would warrant the need for an additional refill. On February 20 2020, as the pandemic was starting to ramp up, I took my first serious step onto sobriety and I haven’t turned back.
I leaned hard on trusted and loving friends and my sponsor. While the world was turning upside down I was remaining sober. I celebrated one year of sobriety on Feb 20 2021 in all of the crazy turmoil of COVID. My divorce was finalized on May the 28 2020 and on May 31 2020 I celebrated the first birthday in over 20 years that I was truly present for.
Now one year and three months sober and just celebrated the one year anniversary of my divorce and another birthday. Pretty radical.