My dear Benzo Buddies,
I am waiting for Connie at the Mercy Center to return to her office on March 18th to confirm a date for the summit. I assume we are looking at sometime in the summer. I will let you know as soon as I find out.
One of our blog readers is in the hospital. Please pray for Pam. It’s frustrating because the doctors are telling her she isn’t in benzo withdrawal. I did my best to educate a nurse on staff and I am calling her doctor this morning to attempt an educational phone call. I can’t tell you how deeply disturbing it is to watch the medical community practice such bad medicine due to ignorance. I drove home last night with a heavy heart. How do we reach the doctors who are prescribing these poisons and get them to stop? How do we educate the doctors who are having to deal with those coming off? It feels like a gargantuan task. But it needs to be done if others are to avoid the nightmare of benzo dependency and withdrawal.
The hospital my friend is in is the same one I stayed in for a week when Dr. Glatt, the “addiction specialist” yanked me off my 18 year use of Klonopin cold turkey. It is a wonderful feeling to know I have healed from that horrific insult to my brain.
I do have good news to share. My non-profit, Innova Gardens, is coming together. I may have a garden site soon. We will be of service to people who are recovering from trauma, loss, illness, alcohol or addiction through love, listening, education and therapeutic gardening. I am over the moon to be able to do work that nourishes my soul.
My own personal healing garden is breaking out in color. I will upload pictures and a video soon.
As soon we get dates for the summit, I want to appoint a few people, (Adam, Ruth, Michelle, etc…) to help me with details. Perhaps we can form a Summit Committee? I am so busy I don’t want to miss any details. I feel recovered enough to have a wonderful life these days, but my memory is still dicey. 🙂
Remember to please add Pam to your prayers. Thank you.
Warmly,
Jennifer
Dear Jenn,
I just cannot articulate how badly I feel for Pam, to be suffering from w/d and in a hospital where no one believes her. I have been struggling with the medical community my self these last 21/2 months. It is crazy making to know what is going on in ones body yet the professionals won’t listen. I was so depressed this fall I neglected myself and let my diabetes get out of control. My dr just decided all my sxs. were due to high blood sugars. Well they are down from 532 to 106 and I feel worse than ever. On top of that I developed a blood clot in my leg. The strain of the anxiety from w/d and the clot has just about done me in. I take strength from your blog and the knowledge that I must accept this. It does feel as though it will last permanently. I so hope you are right Jenn and that I have not damaged my brain irrevocably.
All good healing thoughts to Pam.
I am praying for Pam.! We need to pray that God will open the doctors’ eyes to this phenomenon. Thank you Jenn for all you are doing!
You are such an inspiration. Reaching out to so many others and specifically to Pam right now. She does need our prayers for God’s peace and comfort as well as healing.I know that is what has brought me so along. I still have a long way to go but the road is going up. It helps so much to be in touch with others that are also on the road to recovery. It sure does make it harder though when doctors look at you as though you are a bit whacky or not trying hard enough. You all know what I mean. We have to remind ourselves that we are courageous and most people would never be able to do what we are doing on a daily basis. The goal is not just to survive but to thrive.
It helps so much to have a lifeline and we need to be there for each other. I was excited to hear about Innova Gardens as I love to garden myself. Sadly though I wasn’t able to do much of that last year but hopefully this year I will be stronger. Anxious to see pictures of your lovely garden, Dr. Jenn.
Jenn, I sure will pray for Pam! What does the Drs. say that is wrong with her?
Jenn….I am sorry to say I will not be able to participate in the summit. I am not as strong as I thought I was …. Hoping it all goes well. I apologize….wanted so badly to be a part of it…. Ruth
Sent from my iPad
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They are dx her as many things, but of course telling her its not wd. Which it is ONLY wd.