A slight hiccup in Zach’s recovery occurred with the use of suboxone, which helped curb the cravings in those early days. Unfortunately, he stayed on it too long and became addicted to that also. In May 2015, he had to go through withdrawal all over again. But he persevered through the pain against the demons trying to keep him addicted. It was amazing to witness his steadfastness and yet another part of the learning curve was added. My brother-in-law had recently become active in the fight against drug addiction when his hometown started becoming decimated with overdoses. He asked: How do we stop this? I replied: “ Stop thinking 'not my kid'. Stop thinking the nightmare couldn't affect you or your family. Stop thinking it's not an awful terminal physical disease like any other awful terminal physical disease. S top the social stigma of being addicted to drugs or alcohol. Stop thinking that a stay in rehab is the answer. It is not. Most importantly, even though you don't recognize the person your loved one has become, don't stop loving him/her.” At my son’s lowest point, when every awful thing he had done was on the table and he couldn’t run and hide any longer, I said to him “ Zach, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel” . He replied, stunningly and without affect: “There is no tunnel”. Imagine your child saying that to you. Here we are, September 2023, and Zach has received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) last December and is starting a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) program in a couple of weeks.
The best friends who had deserted him (after he deserted them, I now realize) are back in his life, and they are groomsmen at each other’s weddings. He was married in 2018 to an incredible woman who stood by him through his battle, and we love her dearly. He has just become a father for the first time. He is active in his AA home group and helps others in the throes of addiction whenever he can. He is an incredible son, brother, husband, and father. They say that religion is for those who don’t want to go to hell, but spirituality is for those who have been there. I know what they mean. There was literally nothing on this earth that could have convinced my son to gather the strength to crawl out of the hell he was in. Something much more than that was needed to situate itself in that poor boy’s head and convince him that life was worth living, that he was worthy of life. Some call it a higher power, some call it God. Whatever you call it, that’s what is saving my “miracle son”. Zach has gone from a monster and complete stranger to one of the bravest, strongest people I've ever known, one day at a time.
JUDY’S STORY
HOLA SOBER | MADRID
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