STARTED WITH A SURGERY –

June 27, 2024 – I first met Tammy about 17 years ago. Her kid and my kid were in a sport together. For several years, our kids played together or against each other. Once our kids grew up, we didn’t see each other – maybe at the movies once, and at the store a couple of times. She and her husband were always nice and friendly. They seemed like a typical South Jersey couple – hard-working, supporting their kids, and working their way through life.

“I know you have a background with addiction, and I want to share my story, so people know how common the problem is – and that it can happen to them.”

(Some background here: My “background with addition” is that I grew up with an alcoholic father, who – thank God – found his way to sobriety by the time he reached about 40 years old. He used his sobriety to fuel his interest in helping others. He went on to found, build, and operate a drug/alcohol treatment facility, and helped thousands of people overcome their addictions. While I was never involved in his business, his interest enabled me to be keenly aware of the problem of addiction in this country.)

Tammy proceeded to tell me that she was in recovery for her addiction to heroin.

Heroin?

Heroin’s a street drug, done by poor and homeless people. Not soccer moms from a sprawling township in South Jersey. Not moms who drove their kids to school, practices, games, and activities.

CONTINUE@CatCountry