TODAY IS GRADUATION DAY! Jamaal made it through the eleven step recovery process. I feel like a father watching his son walk across the stage to get his high school diploma. Jamaal was awarded his certificate of completion and free drug counseling sessions. After the ceremony, he surfed the crowd to find me. He gave me the most heartfelt hug, thanking me for having faith in him when everyone else left. Then in typical Jamaal fashion, asked me for a cigarette. Wiping tears from my eyes, I laughed and offered to give him one. Little did he know, I had a surprise in store for him.
During his stay at our clinic, I was in touch with his family, keeping them informed of his progress. I baited Jamaal into the community room, saying that I had left my cigarettes in my lab coat and that he should take a walk with me. Once in the room, he noticed something wasn't was up and started to get a little nervous. But once he saw his family there waiting for him with a whole carton of cigarettes, he couldn't help but to break down and cry. The love felt in the room was overwhelming. I left to themselves to catch up, assuming his family was discharging him in their care.
Realistically, we can't save everyone, but it feels good to make a difference. I will make a follow up appointment with Jamaal, scheduled for two weeks to monitor him through the final recovery process.
...with addiction, you're never really "cured".
2:38 a.m. - 2010-07-16
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