In Episode 42, Nicole talks about being a young mother in recovery and how her son (who she calls her “sobriety baby”) has helped keep her sober every day.

American Addiction Centers (AAC) presents “Far From Finished,” a weekly podcast that shares the real-life stories of people who survived substance use to thrive in recovery. In Episode 42, Nicole talks about how growing up she was a straight-A student and was featured on the front pages of the New Jersey Herald for writing an essay about her family being her anti-drug. Eventually, separation/loss of those close to her made Nicole seek out where the “in” crowd was, and that crowd was around alcohol and drugs. Nicole’s abandonment issues and alcoholism progressed to the point where, while working at a liquor store, she stole alcohol to fuel her addiction. Even though she blamed her troubles on everyone but herself, those who knew her wanted her to get the help that she needed. Nicole eventually realized that she was done and that if she was going to die from her addiction, she was going to at least die to fight. Her mother gave her the option of going to rehab or attending a meeting. Nicole chose the latter. From those meetings, Nicole came to the realization that she was finally surrounded by people that got her. They could just look at her and they knew. She now works in the recovery field and is very active within the community. She’s seen the highest of highs (giving birth to a son who she regards as the greatest person in her life) to the lowest of lows (being brought back to life from cardiac arrest), but she’s survived because of her fighting spirit. This road of recovery has been a painful process but she wouldn’t change her life even if you paid her.

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