The road gets rocky sometimes
This week, Wendell and I told our story to one-hundred and fifty second year medical students as part of a presentation by our state Physician Wellness Program. We sort of gave the Twitter version. Seven years of drama condensed into slightly more than 140 characters each. Okay, quite a few more characters than that on my part.
The experience was both powerful and humbling. Humbling because we could so easily be among the sad statistics of divorce, destruction, and death associated with alcoholism and addiction. Yet powerful, because we saw how our story could give hope and help to others. Maybe some of those students will remember us. And, someday, when an upstanding, honorable, respected member of their community stumbles into the office with an unknown illness, the doctor will decide to run a drug screen. Just in case.
Or maybe some members of the audience will become spouses who finally stop pretending nothing is wrong. Maybe they will get humble enough to repent for their part in the problems and brave enough to speak up for the one they love.
And, maybe, some of those students will look in the mirror tonight and see the signs of addiction staring back at them. Maybe they will ask for help.
Maybe.
Kathy,
Thank you for sharing with those around you, be it med students or people whose life you touch in person or on your blog. Glad you and Doc are not int he divorce statistics. Glad you both submitted to God and walked through the hard process- and now see the rewards of it.
Thank you.
Chels
Ah, Thanks, Chels. You are a treasure.
Oh goodness, this one’s a tear-jerker. I can see why people cried. I’m counting on all those maybe’s coming true.
Kathy, your transparency is a gift from God. My believe is that if we could all be so transparent, there wouldn’t be as many conflicts and problems in the world. All the bravada and insecurities just get in the way.
I’m with Seren, there is a very good chance that all those maybes will come true. I hate that you had to go through all of that but I’m so glad that He gave you both the grace to come out even more beautiful than before.