You are invited to read my memoirs, With Vigilance, a woman of long term recovery. Someone told me my story is the key that can unlock someone else’s prison. The slow, painful path back to becoming a functioning member of society, seeking employment, unlearning many messages, took much time, and many stumbles. The gifts and promises are shared along the way as well. I take an honest look at the low bottom of using, the many rehabs, the total lack of family support, and the celebrated 22 years of recovery while finishing my Master degree, Previous books on addiction glamorize and dwell mostly on the insanity of addiction and alcoholism. Freedom from the bondage of self takes time, patience and willingness. Long term sobriety takes work, doing what your told, especially when you don’t understand why. Hard work and giving away freely what you have been given, discovering purpose through blood sweat and tears is shared openly. I went to one of the only two rehabs in the country at the time that took the mothers and their children so affected by this disease. With much encouragement from my sponsor and her sponsor, I boarded a plane with a four year old in tow and stayed in sober housing and long term recovery for a year. The sweet, wise and sometimes painful times with my daughter are very touching and very honest. Her wisdom, thoughts and questions are painful but beautiful. I have come a long long way from ‘Rock and Roll Royalty’, married for 15 years to a member of the Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet band, touring the world, access to excess that nearly destroyed us. I have connected with so many different lives that are broken, angry and desperate for validation. All of this recovery is without any family support-actually the opposite. The continued crisis, degrading and rage goes on. They said it was not possible to recover without any family support. It is possible, everyone does not have family, does not get their family back, family is everything…not necessarily. Spiritual family-yes. As my sponsor and several Professors have said, ’these women need to hear what you have to say’. My heart is filled with much gratitude. We are warriors-women in long term recovery!
