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View Full Version : Hello, Newly sober


hulihan
07-29-2007, 06:53 AM
Hi all, I am newely sober, I have now been sober since June 19, 2007, I checked into a treatment center thinking they could and would sho me the beginning road to soberity, but instead this is what happened and I think it should be shared as they are charging me $36,000 for a 2 hr stay, I am not bashing, just think my experence should be heard !
The events transpired as follows: On the evening of June 17, 2007, when I told the staff that I was in bad shape, they committed to help me. They did not. Instead, after signing multiple documents, they charged my credit cards, sent me to the doctor, was told then that my medication will be on the way, who then left me on my own from approximately 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM, knowing full well that I had begun to detox without medication and that I was requesting immediate medical assistance. My wife informed that I had not eaten food for quite some time, and I informed that I was very weak and hungry. They assured my wife that they would fix me food and told her and my son to go home. This happened at approximately 6:30 PM. They did NOT fix me food. Instead, they left me on my own to help myself. I tried to find food, but the refrigerators was empty.
Please take note, if I could have helped myself, I would never have checked myself in.
At that point, I was hungry, tired, rapidly detoxing, and desperate for help. I decided to walk the five miles home. At approximately 10:15 PM, a staff member called my home to inform my wife that I had left the facility. My wife informed the staff member that the Center had NOT provided the services as promised and that I would NOT be returning to that Treatment Center. The staff member told her that there must have ?been some miscommunication? because the medication should have been given and was not. The staff member then apologized that no one had ?remembered? to fix me something to eat. The staff member asked my wife to please send me back. I refused to go. I was devastated, very sick, and extremely disappointed. I continue to work on my recovery on my own. The next day I checked into another facility, detoxed and have been sober since, I attend AA meetings daily and some days I take it a minute at a time, but I need advise on how to handle this problem, I gave them every penny we had on CC and now they refuse to give any refund !
Please any advise would be helpful !
Craig

EDITED ONLY to protect the identity of the treatment facilities.
Carol87
Moderator

angussdundee
07-29-2007, 08:49 AM
Hi Craig, Glad to make your acquaintance. Hope you keep coming back. This site is a good addition to your recovery program.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm not qualified to advise you with any issues you may have with the first treatment centre but If I may suggest anything that might be helpfull it would be this;
There are thousands upon thousands of alcoholic/addicts that can testify, withdrawing is a very stressful experience. Certain types of withdrawal are extremely dangerous and should only be attempted under medical supervision and that's why a doctor should always be involved from the start. A well run detox unit or treatment centre will always make that a priority to ensure that detox will not only be safe but also more comfortable for the patient.
It seems to me that whatever experience you recently just had it eventualy got you to attend AA and that can only be good. God works in mysterious ways right enough, so don't be bitter, it hurts too much. And hey, what's a few bucks considering your wife and son have still got a Dad. If you stay close to AA and don't drink for one day at a time you stand to earn more that you could ever have dreamed of, and not just money!
You say that you continue to work on your own recovery. That's good, because it's your illness. With the help of AA you can eventualy begin to trust in God and clean house and that's your priority just for today. All the other issues that have to be dealt with as you progress through your recovery - and there will be many - will right themselves in time. Don't be taking on the world and all it's injustices just yet. The goal of withdrawal is to detoxify your body and clear your mind. Once that part is completed you'll be ready to get on with the real work of recovery and your new alcohol and drug free life.

Welcome to AASL and we sincerely want to be your friends.

anguss.

hulihan
07-29-2007, 09:36 PM
Thanks for the support, why was the name of the treatmewnt center edited, I attend two meetings a day, and am going to do everything in, power to get how they run thier place if you are not a celeb out in the open, we cannot get any response from the treatment center, the board of directors do not answer our calls, all we get is B===s=== ! , What happen to complet honestlly, what do you have to loose , all I am trying to do is stay sober, and sometimes it is an hour at a time, but 35,000 is alot of money, and through the internet I am learning how to get the word out, I have been told at all my meeting to tell everybody what happened, I was in really bad shape and needed medical treatment right then and there, and they admitted they messed up, so editing is bs in my opioun ! All they seemed concerend with was getting my money ! 8)
Craig,