I thought I would take a few moments to write to express my thanks to the staff of Seaside Executive Rehab for the changes they have helped my husband make. I tend to reflect on life events when the New Year rolls around, and this year in particular I am learning how important-and different–it feels to be grateful for the good things in life. A clear thinking husband who is more available to me and the kids is making all the difference.
This time a year ago, Rob had just gotten his second DUI and was facing probable jail time. He had gotten pulled over after running through the tail end of a yellow light, as he called it. The police noticed his impairment, and Rob’s usual smooth talking ability and the new Mercedes he was driving didn’t make any difference to the cops. I received a call from the local police station around midnight, informing me he’d be spending at least the rest of the night there.
Rob is a partner in a large accounting firm. He became professionally successful at a relatively young age, and had always shown the ability to grow the business, adding prestigious clients to the firm and never missing an opportunity to network. This often required business dinners and attendance at assorted recreational events, where alcohol was always present. During the last five years or so it had gotten to the point where he was out at least three or four nights during the week, arriving home intoxicated. Never sloppy drunk, but certainly not the man I married 18 years ago.
My husband’s first DUI occurred about 2 years earlier than the above incident. Because it had happened on a weekend he didn’t have to miss time at work and for somehow it was not listed in the local newspaper. But this time was different-he had to miss a longstanding important meeting the next day and, yes, when the local weekly paper came out the following Wednesday, there was his name under “crime count”. As painful as this was-our children are high school age and of course became aware of it–this may have been the impetus for Rob to finally seek out a real treatment program for the first time. His brother had heard that Seaside of the Palm Beaches had an excellent reputation and even had a specialized program for executives. After Rob discussed his situation with your staff, he felt that your facility might be the best match for his needs, and it appears that he was right.
Through your groups, counseling and interactions with the other residents, Rob came to understand so much more about the nature of addiction than in his earlier attempt at the local outpatient treatment rehab. As the days passed at your Seaside Executive Rehab, it was obvious to me that Rob was becoming more honest about himself, expressing genuineness and a humility that I had not seen for years. These changes paved the way for improved communication between us-in some ways, I think your program helped me as much as it helped my husband.
I am pleased to say that Rob has been sober for eight months at this point. He is on probation now, another thing to be grateful, for given the alternative, and he is so thankful that his drinking did not cause tragedy for another family. Of course we still have some healing to do, especially with our kids, but now we all have an awareness of this awful disease-we are able to speak openly about it and be on guard so we maintain a safe and healthy environment. So again, please accept my heartfelt thanks for putting my family’s life back on track.
