September 7th, 2011
Since my son was 15 years old, drugs ruled his life. After attending multiple rehabs where they glossed over the intrinsic pathology of a drug addict, multiple relapses followed. At 28 years old, my son continued to spiral down a dark, deep tunnel where death’s hands were holding on tightly. He brought addiction to heights I never imagined possible. After open heart surgery, he still hadn’t reached rock bottom. Certain I would be planning his funeral, he lie hooked up to a respirator in the Neuro ICU of Delray Beach Hospital. Suddenly, April 8th, 2011, fate intervened in the names of Sherief and Robin of Florida House Experience who opened their arms, hearts and treatment facility to my son. For the first time in 13 years, my son was clean for 5 months. It was only then that I saw a glimmer of the man he could become.
Unlike any other treatment facility where false promises are made and the inadequacies become abundantly obvious , Florida House Experience shines with an expertly executed in depth program which addresses all facets of the addict’s life and his/her family. A major component is Family Week which focuses on honesty, repairing relationships and setting up healthy boundaries. But, more importantly it provides a safe forum for family healing. As luck would have it, Robin was my son’s therapist. Her wisdom, guidance and extraordinary no nonsense perception week after week created an environment where my son thrived. Robin’s words were able to penetrate ears that before heard nothing. How do I thank her for giving my son back his life with the necessary tools to choose to succeed as a responsible and drug free adult? How do I thank Robin for her weekly calls to help me? What words can adequately be used to express the gratitude I have for the “miracle” Robin and her hand picked staff performed? Florida House Experience is held in the utmost highest esteem for helping my son when no other place or person could. My debt to Florida House Experience and to the expertise of the “wonderful and miraculous” Robin can never be repaid in a thousand life times.
PS, My son learned integrity, the importance of having a conscience and facing the consequences of his drug addicted choices like a mature adult. Learning a warrant was out for his arrest, he made the decision to turn himself in, rather than procrastinate, and is now in jail awaiting the results of his mistakes. He hopes to return to Florida House Experience to enter phase two once he “pays” for the err of his ways. For the first time in his life, again thanks to “my” special Robin, my son is handling his own wrongdoings with courage.
Gale