My name is Tammi and this is my story of breaking free from an addiction that once ruled my life.

Eight years ago I took a bad fall. I was doing some work on our family’s trailer and I landed on my head and ended up with a compression fracture and a chipped vertebrae. 

My doctors decided that the surgery to correct my injury was too dangerous. So instead they treated my back pain with Dilaudid. For three years straight I took a regular daily dose of this heavy narcotic.

It did the trick and relieved my physical pain, but it took my life to a dark place. 

On the day I decided to stop taking this medication, I found myself on the floor. I was so sick. I knew I was addicted and this was the beginning of withdrawal. 

I was supposed to drive my kids to Bible Camp that day, but I honestly couldn’t get up off the floor. I called their Dad to take them and crawled into my bed to try and wait out the chills, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and more awful things that come with detoxing from opioid use. 

It was unbearable. 

I sought out Dilaudid on the streets. I found a supplier, but after a while it became too expensive. So I switched to Fentynal. 

My addiction to Fentynal destroyed my life. It robbed me of my marriage, my home and my relationship with my kids. 

For years I lived on the streets. I was homeless. I was in and out of detox or treatment centres, but unable to get sober. I was so scared. This wasn’t the life I wanted for myself.

I hurt a lot of people, including my kids, and I felt so much shame and guilt. This deep well of shame made it really hard to get help. 

I started to feel that the only way out of this dark place was death. 

But on August 11, 2022, I made a different choice. I chose life. I chose light over darkness. I chose a relationship with God. And I know my life will never be the same. 

I’ve been at Glory House at Hope for Freedom Society for seven months, and the experience has transformed my life. I know that with God in my life I am stronger and I can build a new future for myself. 

At Glory House they have everything a person needs to heal from addiction — my life is proof of that!

I am surrounded by a compassionate community of women who understand what I’ve been through. I am working the 12-step program for recovery, I am focused on relapse prevention and going to counseling. I’ve been able to confront memories of abuses from childhood that have festered and created deep wounds because I didn’t know how to deal with them. I have filled those dark places with light and it’s changed everything.

I am able to love myself again. I believe I have something to offer this world and the people who love me. I am no longer consumed by my shame and guilt. 

I don’t know how long I’ll be here at Glory House, and that’s been a big blessing. One of the ways Glory House was different from my other experiences with treatment was that they had no timeline for my recovery. I wasn’t working against a 60-day or 90-day clock. This community has opened their doors and hearts for the long-haul. 

I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to leave, but I’m starting to imagine what my life can look like beyond Glory House — standing on my own two feet again. I have started to take on more responsibility here. I see a future where I work with kids with disabilities again. I have my own grown children back in my life and I am so grateful.

I want you to know that your support of Hope for Freedom changes lives. It changed my life and I am forever grateful. 

Inspired? Give hope to more women and men like Tammi with your donation.