As the mother of a sober addict teen, I want to thank Betty Ford ..

[elehhhhna]

for making detox and rehab okay to talk about in public, in polite company.

My kid's on a wilderness trip with some members of her recovery group, but we still hosted girls night lastnight anyway , so there are about 7 sober addict babies aged 14-18 sleeping allover the place downstairs. These kids are good kids who want to be good, who thank god have parents with insurance that afforded them the opportunity for rehab, and who are very open about their struggles, victories, and are working their 12 steps HARD.

I never thought this would be a part of my life but in reality it is a blessing and an opportunity to be part of many small miracles.

Thank You Betty for bringing rehab out of the closet. You have, and continue to, save many broken lives.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Betty Ford represented more women than commonly acknowledged.

My mother was about 10 years younger than BF and had an alcohol problem. Opened her first beer of the day at 10 a.m. to start cleaning the house. Scotch by the 5:00 News. More than middle class cocktails. Dependence.

She would have continued drinking but for cancer.

Betty Ford kept me from totally condemning my mother with understanding the problems that impelled her to drink. I learned not to judge but to be more compassionate.

[SharonAnn]

9. As a recovering alcoholic woman, I thank Betty Ford for letting me know it

could happen to us, that it wasn't a "moral failing", and that our alcoholism was treatable.

And I thank my employer for proving an EAP program and insurance so that I could get affordable treatment.

But most especially, I thank my family and friends who, with their love and understanding, supported me and helped me through the initial stages and the subsequent years.

Without Betty Ford's willingness to go public, to talk about it and to explain it, neither I nore my supporters would have understood what I was dealing with and might not have known how to deal with it.

I've been sober for 26 years and have had a wonderful 26 years, instead of what the alternative would probably have been.

Thank you, Betty Ford!

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Your strength is inspiring. Thank you for sharing your story.

[elehhhhna]

12. recovery rocks, Sharon Ann. xox

[pipoman]

2. Too bad we,

as a nation, didn't grab Betty's model of dealing with addiction and substance abuse instead of Raygun's..perhaps the violence in Mexico wouldn't be happening and the violent crime rate here at home would be lower...not to mention the costs of incarceration..

[elehhhhna]

3. + 1,000,000

[etherealtruth]

4. She was a strong courageous woman

She not only made addiction something that could be talked about ...she let us know addiction crosses all social and economic groups .... can happen to either gender.

I am sorry for what your child and family have gone through ... I know it is a very difficult road.

My oldest child was in a terrible car accident ~10 years ago ... it left him physically disabled and depressed ... it also opened the doors to narcotic addiction. Its not easy.

[Greybnk48]

5. I think she prolonged my mother's life in the 70's.

My mom would not dare seek help for her alcoholism or even admit to it because it was considered "trashy" or "low class." Ridiculous, I know. When Betty Ford came forward and got the ball rolling it made treatment almost trendy, certainly not "low class." My mom had brain damage from her drinking (Korsikoff's) but she had 8 or 9 good years sober (and a couple more with dementia, but comfortable).

PSA: What happened to my mom is more common than people think (dementia from alcohol). If the Brewers and Distillers would fortify their product with B vitamins, it's thought that brain damage would no longer occur. At the time of her death, it would have raised the price of a 5th of liquor by 5 cents. : (

[XanaDUer]

6. I posted this in another thread...

My mother probably would have died in the mid-1970s if not for Betty Ford. For those who can remember, women getting annual screenings for cancer, etc were not the norm. When Mrs. Ford came out with her breast cancer, my mom went in for a screening and had an in situ cancer that was caught early enough to cure at that time.

She ended up dying 21 years later, but that was 21 years my mother and I were given together that may not have happened if not for Betty Ford.

I will always have a special place in my heart for Mrs. Ford, and not just b/c she reminds me of a time Republicans were sane(r).

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[etherealtruth]

8. It's unfortunate that you find the phrases a mother uses ...

... to describe her pain and perceptions as stupid.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. I wish I could rec this again

for missing the point so obtusely.