Terri S. first overdosed on pain meds when she was only six years old. Living in a Brooklyn apartment with an alcoholic father and chronically ill mother, who suffered from Crohn's disease, Terri had been given a tablet for stomach pain exacerbated by her dysfunctional home life. Reasoning that if one pill eased her pain, the whole bottle would be even better, Terri found and swallowed all her mother’s the pain tablets. She somehow survived, but the die was cast for a life dominated by drugs and alcohol. By 14, she was actively using and drinking to escape the harsh realities of her home life. By her late teens and twenties, she was flaunting an ability to drink and drug more than her peers. Very much the functional alcoholic, Terri continued drinking and using largely without major consequences, but her life was slowly spiraling downward. By her early 40’s, at the point at which her alcoholism and drug addiction were winning the battle, Terri was faced with the cold reality that if she didn’t stop, she was going to lose both her husband and her job. Making the right decision at the right time, Terri finally made it into AA in 2001 and managed to stay sober until a week-long slip on paid meds in 2003. She quickly redoubled her efforts in the Program through intensive work with her sponsor. She also became actively involved in service work for her group, which she credits with helping her stay firmly attached to AA. Over the years, Terri has made regular meetings a mainstay of her recovery. She’s also sponsored many women in the Program as insurance against the next drink.

In the midst of working a good AA program and passing onto to others the many gifts of sobriety she has achieved, Terri has fought her own battle with the same Crohn’s disease that afflicted her mother. Fortunately, she has responsibly handled the medical interventions necessary for living with that disease, while maintaining complete accountability to her sponsor and fellow AA members.

Terri’s ability to stay sober through AA has very much informed her daily battle with Crohn’s disease and vice versa. For those recovering alcoholics who face similar battles, Terri’s experience speaks to the hope for living with whatever health challenges come our way. I’m grateful Terri agreed to share her remarkable story of healing and courage on this episode of AA Recovery Interviews. So please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA sister, Terri S.

[This is an encore of Episode 83 originally released June 22, 2022.]

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

 I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large.