I grew up in Coastal North Carolina on our family farm. We raised pigs, cattle, chickens, and a few horses. I often went off exploring all day on my horse.
I joined the Coast Guard after high school and learned to work on navigation and avionics equipment for helicopters and airplanes used in fulfilling our mission to save lives. After my Coast Guard enlistment was over, I went to UC Davis and earned my BS in Mechanical Engineering. I married my first wife after college and we had a beautiful daughter together. My daughter is married now, with three boys of her own!
After school, I went to work in the Medical Device design and manufacturing industry. My joy is being able to develop medical devices and treatments that save lives. It’s such a blessing to serve humanity throughout my career. I have a few hobbies—photography, I’m a licensed private pilot, I play guitar and sing a little, and I care for a colony of stray cats.
Injury and a toxic relationship contributed to my addiction
After a back injury, I was prescribed hydrocodone to treat the symptoms. I developed a dependency and when my doctor no longer provided a prescription, my ex-wife, a Registered Nurse, was able to find a supply on the secondary market. My ex-wife has a severe case of narcissistic personality disorder that has destroyed her relationships with all her family members. Rather than help me get clean, she used the opiates to control me, get me to do what she wanted, and drain our finances. After we divorced, I continued to spiral out of control, selling my belongings and depleting all of my savings.
I hated the control that opiates had over me. I was borrowing money, missing work, and just feeling awful all the time. Everything in my life revolved around my next dose. I tried many times to quit cold turkey, but each time I tried, I became horribly sick. Finally, I started researching outpatient treatment options and found Workit Health.
Workit Health helped me into recovery
What would I tell someone considering Workit Health? Do it right now! I’ll help you! You need a phone? Here, take mine! … Seriously though, the best decision you will make is making this call. Your future self is awesome and waiting to see you succeed!
I do my Workit Health program everywhere. It’s integrated into my life both at work and at home. I usually do my video appointments from a conference room at work, but I reserve drug testing for the privacy of home.
In recovery, I started helping cats
When I started work at my present company, there was an old, beat up, black male cat with striking green eyes that hung out in our parking lot all day. He wouldn’t let anyone near him at all. Our FedEx driver brought food with him every day and left it for the black cat we called affectionally “Scruffy.” I started buying treats and tuna to supplement our FedEx driver’s kindness. Each day, I was working my way closer to Scruffy with tuna. I eventually won him over and he started eating from my hand.
Scruffy was joined by a young, tortoiseshell calico female a few months later, and they became best friends. We called her Sweet Pea. Sweet Pea had a litter of 2 kittens and that started our colony. Other street cats have shown up, and we do our best to provide them with food, shelter, and any medication or vet services they might need. We have built three cat condos with the support of our company, who even helps pay for the cats’ food. Our main goal is to socialize them so they are suitable for adoption. So far, we have gotten 9 cats/kittens adopted (three went home with me!).
The rescue has grown into a full-fledged cat colony
A typical day with the cat colony starts with my arrival at work. Spot Girl, a 13-year-old spayed female striped tabby, will be sitting patiently in my assigned parking place. She walks around to my car door to greet me with a raspy, quiet, “Meooooow,” or, “Good morning Grand-Paw.” (They call me Grand-Paw, lol ). I stop and give pets to any of the cats that come to the car. Then I go inside and prepare their breakfast. One of my coworkers shares the passion and chores with me. We feed a mixture of dry food and canned food so they get a balanced and healthy diet. Feeding is done mostly together, but a couple of the more territorial cats get fed off to the side of the rest.
We have built them cat “condos” where they can get out of the weather. We keep the condos clean and wash their bedding frequently. We take the cats treats at break time and at lunch (they like “Temptations” brand treats and tuna from a can or pouch). Then they all get dinner before we end the day. On the weekends, they only get fed once a day (until I can find a helper who lives closer). We have had some injuries and illnesses but have been fortunate to procure needed medications and treatments to keep everyone healthy.
The cats give me so much, including a reason to stay in recovery
The cats, both at home and in the colony, all depend on me for food and shelter. But on the other hand, they provide me with love, companionship, joy, laughter, and a sense of calmness out of my life of chaos. If I were messed up, I couldn’t drive to care for them … or even afford to. I have a strong sense of responsibility to these fur babies who can’t grocery shop on their own!
The cats “fill my emotional cup” and help me to feel loved, needed, and most importantly wanted. I can relate to them because, at times, I have felt like a stray. Cast aside by society and an abusive relationship. I know that they are grateful for every bit of attention we give them. It’s all about reciprocity. They give back so much more than I provide: healthy, symbiotic love and respect!
