Tracy's Story

I dropped out of high school my senior year because all I wanted to do was smoke pot. I was addicted to oxycontin by age 17. I had a child that I wasn't taking care of and my parents had to step in and take care of her. From age 17 to 21 I didn't work and became an addict. I had a couple run ins with the law, a couple drunk in publics. At the age of 22 I decided to go into a treatment center called New Life for Youth. It was a faith based treatment program that I did for 12 months. After I got clean, I went into the Military. I was in the army from 2005-2012. During this time I got married and had two kids. It was great. I got an honorable discharge, due to medical reasons. I was medically retired from the military. Along the same time I got divorced. Thats when I picked up and moved to Denver Colorado. At the age of 30 I started using meth and shooting meth. During that time I was homeless. I lived on the streets of Colorado for a year. Shooting meth and heroine, and started selling drugs at one point. The guy I was dating at the time, got stabbed in the neck. I called my parents immediately after and they put me on a bus back to New Life for Youth. I did 6 months there. Then they moved me to a house called Mercy Mom's and I got my daughter back. I got money through the military and was able to get my life back together. I got my own place and my car back. I ended up hanging out with the wrong people and started using again. I was using everyday. I overdosed with my 8 year old daughter at the house. I had legal charges such as child endangerment and possession of heroine charge. I was arrested and went jail. I spent 50 days in jail. While I was in jail my sister arranged for me to go to McShin. She called everyday and talked to someone in the office to make sure I would be ready to go once released from jail. Once I got out of jail I was sent here to the McShin Foundation. I'm now 60+ days sober, and loving life.