Savannah overcomes trauma to reach recovery and strengthen connection with her son
Overcoming obstacles is something Savannah is familiar with. As she works toward recovery in Avivo’s treatment programs and spends more time with her son, she can reflect on all she’s overcome to reach this point.
Savannah lost her parents at a young age. Her father was deported, and when she was only 11 her mother was murdered, leaving her in the care of her grandparents.
She dove into athletics: gymnastics, swimming, karate, softball. “All the sports I could get into,” she shares.
At 12, Savannah broke her leg, and due to complications from a spinal disorder she’d suffered from birth, that led to amputation at 15. At 17, Savannah found employment to support herself and her grandparents, as well as her younger sisters. After helping take care of her family, she returned to high school to earn her diploma, and completed an associate’s degree in cosmetology.
Then, she met the father of her daughter, who introduced her to drugs. After her daughter was born, Savannah developed a seemingly untreatable infection – given a 25 percent chance to live. She entered hospice and gave up her daughter to adoption in the process.
“I’d never been alone before, so I fell into my addiction hard,” shares Savannah. “I was a true addict at that point, and I lost everything. I was homeless, I didn’t have anywhere to go. I didn’t have food, I had nothing to my name.”
“I’d never been alone before, so I fell into my addiction hard … I was a true addict at that point, and I lost everything. I was homeless, I didn’t have anywhere to go. I didn’t have food, I had nothing to my name.”
After that, Savannah entered treatment and started seeing enough success to meet someone new, with whom she had a son.
“I’d never really dealt with my addiction,” she shares. “I had no reason to use… I was happy, getting healthier, and I had someone there with me to stand by my side.”
Her addiction came roaring back, which was “the biggest wake-up call.” She refused to lose the opportunity to be a parent again and wanted to make a permanent, positive change in her life. Her first step was a treatment center in northwestern Minnesota, where she started seeing success.
Then, she came to Avivo. When she first arrived, she shares that she started falling into old habits again, and realized she needed to start taking her treatment plan seriously. She needed to hold herself accountable, so she reached out to staff for help.
“I got a huge response from Avivo staff. Between Damon in housing and peer support specialists, my case manager, my counselor, and going to meetings – not to mention my fellow peers … I realized how much support I have, and how great it is to wake up and not be sick or crave anything.”
“I got a huge response from Avivo staff. Between Damon in housing and peer support specialists, my case manager, my counselor, and going to meetings – not to mention my fellow peers,” shares Savannah. “I shaped up quick… I realized how much support I have, and how great it is to wake up and not be sick or crave anything … I can choose to be a better person. I can be whoever I want to be.”
Since then, Savannah says her life has done “a complete 180” degree swing. She’s working with Avivo’s career counselors to get her license in cosmetology, and is building her relationship with her son.
“Avivo is not what I expected at all,” she shares. “I was expecting people to judge me – but people embraced me.”
“This place reminds me that sobriety is exciting – a new life, a new start. I wake up and I’m genuinely happy, looking forward to my day.”
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