I am 34 years old. I grew up in Chillicothe, OH. When I was 22 I met my ex-husband. We had 2 little girls Selena & Luna. I got my associate degree, and took a job as a surgical tech in 2015. In 2017, I decided to separate from my ex-husband. When I left him, I moved into my mother's house with my girls. I also took a second job as a traveling CST. I was working 12 hours a day, 6 days/week, plus on call. Shortly after moving in with my mother, we got into an argument, and she had asked me not to come back. Because I had left my girls with her, she filed abandonment and she was given temporary custody - I LOST MY WORLD.

I immediately dove into drugs to cope. I wasn't allowed to see or talk to my girls. I put in my two weeks at my jobs and did nothing but sit home and self medicate. I then got pregnant with Alexander in December 2019. I let his grandma take him and continued using. I ended up getting a second degree felony after the US Marshalls came to our house, and I spend 8 months in jail. I plead guilty to a 3rd degree felony and checked into Amethyst addiction treatment center. 

Today I am 7 months, 14 days clean, and am in phase 2 or drug court. I spend weekend visits with all 3 of my children, and I am repairing the relationships with my family, including my mother. I have had the chance to expunge my felony and return to my career as a surgical tech. I now have a close relationship with Jesus, and I'm building many new friendships with the women at Amethyst. I have hope, compassion, and inner peace that I never knew was possible. AG, OH

YOUR MESSAGE- "Have Hope"