Our Stories
Shannon’s Story
When I was pregnant with my first child, I was working as a real estate agent and as a property manager and was doing very well. I developed severe Restless Leg Syndrome. My doctor prescribed Vicodin and told me that it wouldn’t hurt me or my baby. When I got pregnant with my second child, the leg pain was even worse and I returned to taking Oxy.
This led to an addiction and a downward spiral that resulted in me losing my real estate broker’s license, being arrested and eventually charged with a felony. I was forced to leave my 4 children, aged 9 mos. to 10 yrs. and spent 5 months in drug treatment in southern California. It took 5 weeks for me just to detox.
When I finished treatment, I still couldn’t live on my own and my mother helped me and my children for the next 1 ½ years. In 2011 I decided to try Suboxone and since there were no doctors at the time in Siskiyou County who were prescribing it, I had to go to Salem, Oregon to start it. Today, I am happy to say there are 16 doctors and nurse practitioners here that can prescribe it. Suboxone has allowed me to be functional and to begin to enjoy life again.
Today, I am a successful business owner. I want everyone to know that you can get past addiction. Don’t buy into people telling you that it is trading one addiction for another. Suboxone has allowed me to live life again.
