22 days and doing well but....

[bird546]

Good morning everyone,
22 days with no chemicals, and I feel better than I have in YEARS. Thanks to everyone here and the meetings I have been attending. I have a question for some of y'all with more sobriety than myself. I have become friends with a guy in my home group with 6 years of sobriety. He is a doctor, type A personality, and just a very cool person. Anyway he was at the first meeting I ever attended and really helped me alot. I go to AA, along with all the other dope fiends in my area because there simply are not any NA meetings within an hours drive from my home. The folks in AA know this and welcome us with open arms. Back to my question, I never told my new friend what I was on at first, but after the second meeting he asked how I was doing with the opiate withdrawals. I was like how the heck did you know that? He just laughed and said, that's not important, but what is, is how are you doing. I told him physically I was much better, but mentally I was struggling. He said it will take some time, but things will get better. I hit 2 meetings a day everyday no matter what period. That's just what I have to do, but I like it so it works out well. Anyway I asked my new friend to be my sponsor (seemed like a no brainer right) I mean he's a doctor, lots of sobriety, very cool guy. He said no he refused, I was a more than a little disappointed, but then he told me why. Turns out he has severe back trouble, several operations etc.  then I noticed he really had trouble just getting around, even just going over to get some coffee, and getting back to his chair.
As we talked he said he said he had a severe morphine dependency after his second surgery.
Anyway he said he hasn't had a drink in 6 years, but due to the pain he has to take 3 5mg lortabs a day. He feels tremendous guilt about this and believes it is a roadblock to his spiritual growth. I am way out of my league when it comes to this because I am just a junkie, never used due to pain, just wanted to get high. He is a great guy and I want to help him, he says just seeing me in meetings helps him, but I don't really understand that yet, but I know a lot of folks have dealt with similar issues. I tried to tell him the amount of hydro he is taking is almost nothing, but that didn't seem to help. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks y'all :)

[BrotherFrankie]

yer all hotties to me.. (sober ones)

[throwindatowl]

You can help him. Im just a junkie looking for a buzz too. My heart really goes out to people in REAL pain... I dont know how they do it. Youll find the sponser you need keep looking. Ive found we all have a sponser inside us. You just gotta look for him or her. Your doing great!!! Keep those mtgs up...Ill do the same.

[j34]

oh lol sorry about that! ya sara imagine 20s again I think I was a size 2 , unhealthy tho,bird - i came to the program 2007 took a year in 2009 relapsed for a day and now am at 18 months soon ,progress all the best

[bird546]

You rock Sara lol!!

[dominosarah]

Oh to be in my 20's again and a hottie!!!  lol

[bird546]

Thanks y'all,  j34 I am a guy. Sorry home page was not set up right. This is not my first rodeo so I gotta get right this time. Total commitment, honesty, humility. The whole 9 yards. So this means I can't ask a young hottie in her 20's to be my sponsor. Dang it. Just kidding.  
Thanks again y'all.
Bird

[dominosarah]

Congrats on 22 days!!  You are really working your recovery and that is great.  As for asking that doctor to be your sponsor...I understand why he said no.  He is taking opiates himself for pain and he knows that wouldnt be fair to you or to him.  He knows there will come a time when he needs to address this.  You are an inspiration to him as he sees it can be done.  Keep working it!!             sara

[gizzy32]

Congrats on those 22 days and hitting all those meetings. It sounds like your really working it:) Your friend said your helping him by seeing you at meetings. I know for me seeing a newcomer helps me also, it reminds me of the early days of recovery and how I need to keep my guard up. It also helps me seeing newcomers go from day 1 feeling like cra p, then a month clean and they seem like a new person and happy most times. It's amazing!

Did that make sense? I just wanted to wish you the best in your recovery, one day at a time. It works if you work it. Well done.

[j34]

First great job on taking action in your recovery!!. There is a saying i like which is ``you cant give what you don`t have , help yourself first. like he said just seeing you there helps him which is true I know when I see a new person comign in, it helps me as well,Good for hime to saying no to be your sponsor, men stick with men and woman stick with woman this doesnt mean you can be friends but i woman sponsor will help you in areas a man can not. I am so happpy for you , you are going to do great!!! blessings to you .j34