Nancy Kitka / LaRose

At nineteen, I was a drug addict and alcoholic when I nearly died in a car bombing. My book is called “It cost me an arm and a leg”. I'll let you guess why. This is the true story of how I found m...view moreAt nineteen, I was a drug addict and alcoholic when I nearly died in a car bombing. My book is called “It cost me an arm and a leg”. I'll let you guess why. This is the true story of how I found my way into addiction, violence and crime from a middle class upbringing. I got mixed up with motorcycle gangs, criminals and almost died more times than I can remember. In 1987, at thirty years old, a culmination of events brought me to recovery. CA, NA, and AA meetings were my salvation those first few years clean. It is not your typical AA story because I stopped going to meetings after five years. I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C when I was five years clean. Years later, I was successfully treated for it but became acutely depressed while taking Rebetron. Under any other circumstances, I would have refused anti-depressants but this was different. The hepatitis is "cured" and I stayed on Paxil for years. I started doing drugs at such a young age, I didn't have the chance to learn life skills. This is probably true for many addicts. For twenty four years, I developed coping skills. I finally grew up, took responsibility for my life and entered therapy whenever I felt stuck. I made new friends, got married and I learned to sing. I talk about what I learned and how I learned it with the hope it will help others. I am widowed, have two dogs and a cat and live in suburbia. Life is good. Read about how I did it and what I learned along the way. Note: Some names have been changed.view less