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Recovery Stories - Play Ball
Last week a friend and I were discussing the merits of sobriety. I doubted my ability to stay sober and he was offering words of encouragement. He said, “Hey, Kim, give yourself some credit, you stepped up to the plate and got some help - that was the hard part. You already did that. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Well, I didn’t agree, and the debate was on. I settled it by saying, I’ll write a paper on it, and here we go.
Sports have been used as an analogy for life in many ways. Even the life of drugs and criminal activity are referred to as “The Game”. So, in my opinion, Baseball is an appropriate analogy for life in general, the “Dope Game” being the Minor Leagues and the “Recovery Game” being the Major Leagues.
I believe anyone can play “ball”; thousands of people play “baseball” and “softball” everyday. If you step up to the plate and swing the bat, you will eventually hit that ball. It takes skill to do it repeatedly. Minor league players possess this skill and are paid, but Major League players get paid more and enjoy the perks. They have perfected their skill and are considered Stars. As long as a Major League player performs well they stay in the game, but if they falter, they are benched. If they really fall, they are sent back to the Minors. They can make it back to the Majors as long as they prove their merit all over again. If you are really good, you can be an All-Star!
Lou Gehrig is my favorite Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed “The Iron Horse” for his durability he set several Major League records, won the Major League Triple Crown in 1934 and played in 2,130 consecutive games. His record for most career grand slams (23) still stands. Gehrig was voted the greatest first baseman of all time by the Baseball Writers’ Association and was the leading vote-getter on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, chosen by fans in 1999. In my opinion, he wasn’t an awesome player because he stepped up to the plate; Lou Gehrig was an awesome player because he kept swinging that bat and hitting those balls on and off the field.
In 1939, Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The prognosis was grim: rapidly increasing paralysis, difficulty in swallowing and speaking, and a life expectancy of fewer than three years, although there would be no impairment of mental functions. The cause of ALS is unknown but non-contagious and cruel — the central nervous system is destroyed but the mind remains fully aware to the end. I have firsthand knowledge of this devastating disease due to my biological father having died from it in 1994. And yes, it is a major reason I have such an admiration for Lou Gehrig.
Even life throwing him the curveball of ALS didn’t slow him down He used his education from Columbia University, even though he didn’t graduate, to become a Parole Commissioner for NYC. If he can score a run off a curveball, so can I.
The same can be said about recovery. Stepping up to the plate and going to rehab is hard work. But, anyone can go to rehab and get sober, especially if you are court ordered to do so. If you relapse, you get knocked back down to the “minors”. Every time you step up to the plate, you have to read the balls life throws at you. You may be thrown a strike or a ball. You may strike out you may not. But you will never know the satisfaction of making contact with the ball if you don’t even swing. You will never know the pleasure of scoring a run if you don’t run those bases. You will never know the thrill of scoring a home run if you don’t even try. And you will never know the ultimate rush of winning the Game if you don’t have a good recovery support Team. Welcome to the Majors!
I have played in the “Minors”, as evidenced by my being on felony probation for possession of a controlled substance. But I’m in the “Majors” now and here is how I see things: getting court ordered to a dual diagnosis treatment facility, base on balls; successfully completing a 90-day dual diagnosis treatment plan, base hit; successfully completing a 90-day aftercare program, a double; staying on my medication and attending meetings/groups/classes, triple; handing Judge Stokes and Judge Cruezot back my 2 year probation clean and sober, Home Run; having my children and family back in my life, Grand Slam. Becoming an All-Star of Recovery, like Joe Powell and Royce Adams, Triple Crown.
In my opinion, Mr. Joe Powell of APAA (Associate of Persons Affect by Addiction) and Ms. Royce Adams of My Second Chance, Inc. (the Organization who operates my transitional House, Nona’s Place) with 20 years and 13 years of sobriety respectively are Recovery All-Stars. But on September 20, 2008, at a banquet for My Second Chance, Inc. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Don Johnson of the Welcome House who is, in my opinion, the “Iron Horse” of Recovery as Lou Gehrig is the “Iron Horse” of Baseball. He is celebrating 50 years of sobriety this year. That is longer than some of us have even been alive.
I’m in the Major Leagues now, and while being a Star is great and being an All-Star is even better – to be an “Iron Horse” like Lou Gehrig and Don Johnson, that’s my goal. Play Ball!