Stories of Success
from the road to recovery
Our clients experience successes everyday. We celebrate all of those accomplishments - large or small. Here are just a few to serve as inspiration.
Monica's Story
Monica was introduced to painkillers by her grandmother and mother when she was in middle school. At that time, her mother, grandmother, and brother were already addicted to pills. Monica had difficult menstruation cycles and so they gave her Vicodin and they kept supplying her all the way through school. Eventually, she graduated to norcos and oxycontin and began buying her pills on the street... always fearful that she might accidentally encounter counterfeit pills laced with Fentanyl. Her sister was on a similar path. At one point, her sister actually broke into a doctor’s office to steal medication and ended up in jail.
But for the most part, the family kept their drug use hidden, never used with friends, regularly attended church, and held down jobs. Monica even managed to hide it from her husband. Through several years of marriage, Monica suffered multiple miscarriages. While she tried to stay clean during those pregnancies, she feels that her continued drug use likely played a role in those losses. ​Monica finally confessed her addiction to her husband after falling asleep in the middle of a dinner out. He was supportive of her seeking treatment and has been by her side throughout. Monica chose Valley Health Associates for treatment so she could continue to work.“I thought our family would be like this forever,” she said, “until my brother started with VHA.” Now, Monica has two years of sobriety along side her sister and brother. “It feels like we are true siblings now,’” she says.​​Monica and her siblings understand how lucky they were to go into treatment when they did. In her first bloodwork findings, Fentanyl was found in her system. She encourages anyone struggling with substance use to seek treatment before an accidental overdose occurs.
Mary's Story
Mary Lopez, 70, is a client of Valley Health Associates (VHA), which provides substance use disorder services in Monterey and San Benito Counties. Born and raised in Salinas, California, Mary’s struggle with addiction began after she was prescribed pain medication for a work-related injury. Mary didn’t know how addictive pain medication was, so after taking the medication for about 10 years, she became dependent on it to function and work.
Doctors stopped prescribing Mary the medication and she began buying painkillers on the street. That is when someone introduced Mary to Heroin, which she started using to manage the extreme pain she was in. Wanting to break free from her addiction, Mary met a volunteer at Dorothy’s Place in Salinas who connected her with VHA. VHA helped Mary quit her addiction by providing her with peer support and medication-assisted treatment (Methadone) that helped take away her withdrawal symptoms. Mary said the support and treatment from VHA helped her be able to function, work, and live her normal life again without being controlled by an addiction. Now, Mary continues to stay sober with the support of her family, friends, and her VHA community. “Stay away from drugs is the most important advice I can give - one step into the realm of drugs, and it becomes extremely hard to get out,” said Mary. Mary is a retired courthouse worker and now spends her time helping at her local church and enjoying moments with her family. She has two adult children, 45 and 47, and several grandchildren and nieces. Looking forward to the future, Mary stays positive, grateful for her journey, and ready to spend more time with her loved ones.
Kelly's Story
Kelly Carter, 48, is a client of Valley Health Associates (VHA), which provides substance use disorder services in Monterey and San Benito Counties. Kelly has spent most of her life in Monterey County, where she grew up. She graduated from Carmel High School and earned an associate degree in Human Services from Monterey Peninsula College. Five years ago, Kelly reached out to VHA for help after her sister encouraged her to seek their support. Kelly’s struggle with addiction, which lasted about 15 years, began when a former boyfriend introduced her to heroin.With the support of VHA, Kelly has worked hard to overcome her addiction. She meets regularly with her counselor at VHA, Larticia, who challenges her to stay focused, set goals, and maintain sobriety.
Methadone treatment has played a key role in managing her withdrawal symptoms. Kelly has faced major challenges like homelessness, isolation, strained family ties, and the heartbreaking loss of her 15-year-old daughter to fentanyl. Despite all of this, Kelly is determined to share her daughter’s story to raise awareness and prevent others from experiencing similar tragedies.“VHA is a wonderful place - they teach you how to live again,” said Kelly.Today, Kelly finds strength from her faith and stays busy by attending church and volunteering at her church’s food pantry. She also receives ongoing support from her In-Home Support Services worker, Laura, who helps her maintain a stable routine. In her free time, Kelly enjoys learning to cook and working on Diamond Dotz art projects. Looking ahead, Kelly’s main goals are to get her driver’s license and a car, as she continues her journey toward a better future.