The Value Of A Friend

I believe this says what friendship is all about. No man is an island and we all need friends. If you are lonely and would like to know what it is like to have others who really care about you and will be there for you...join with us. It will not cost you any money and only a few minutes of your time.

Yes, we want you. If you have a loved one on Suboxone or either you are on Suboxone or Subutex, we want you to join with us. Why? You will need the support and encouragement of people who do understand what you are experiencing.

Your family may be there for you but believe me, they need a rest to gather their strength. They need to be able to refuel. Give them a break and come and talk to others taking Suboxone and see how they are dealing with some of the same problems you are having. Take a leap of faith and become a member. You might like it.

Barbara Rue wrote:

Very well stated, Deborah. From the time we are born, we need human touch and comfort. If I had to go my recovery alone, I believe I would go out of my mind. You are angelic with your words and heart-felt caring. True friends are the most valuable asset a person can have. A person who is there at the moment of a phone call. A person who will tell you the truth when a lie would be more convenient. Thank you for your post on this subject, I think I'll call a friend and invite her over for lunch this next week. Thank you for reminding me the importance of having a friend. Fraternally yours, Barbara

Yes, Barbara and I want to thank you for being there when I needed you. Believe it or not, I need people and help just like all of you. Many people do not realize how important true friends are and how valuable. I know these days how important it is for people to have jobs because they are very hard to find even if you have a college-degree. I can understand it would be very difficult to tell the truth if it came to losing your position and you had a household depending on your paycheck.

It would be very difficult for me but my counselor stood up for me at the risk of losing her job. They wanted her to lie about me and my bottle-checks because the Medical Director at the "Methadone Maintenance Treatment" Program I attended was angry at me because I had gone over his head to the Methadone State Authority and He was determined to obtain his revenge. He had no problem getting the Dosing Nurse to go along with Him because she needed her job and had been there for years and had just made Head Nurse. She was my friend but she stood there and totally lied about me and I knew why she was lying and part of me could understand but I had to think about me.

My Counselor would not lie and she told the truth and let me know they pulled the "Bottle-Checks" out of my Medical Chart. She was able to sneak in and pull the extra copies out from the Nurses Station and they did fire her. I didn't expect her to do it for me but she did and I knew she had a family to support but if it had not been for her I would have had to come every day to dose and it would have certainly affected my integrity. She was what a true friend was and she was my Counselor.

It has meant everything to me for you and Dee to be available for me and to understand what all did transpire and you believed in me. I believe in both of you and I am sorry I wasn't aware of all that was happening and I wish now you would have told me. I am hoping we all would have the same integrity my counselor had when it can to standing up for the truth and I hope we would never allow money to be a factor.

Barbara, I consider my self blessed to have you as my friend and co-worker. I hope we will spend many years working together and I am hoping we will bring many people into our fold and help them maintain their sobriety because you need friends. Thank you for being there. I love you as a sister and I thank you for your respect.

Deborah Shrira

Yes BFye,
There is a link that you can go to and listen to the past broadcasts I believe. The other programs Deborah is on there. If I can't find the link for you then, I know that Deborah will post it when she see this post or mybe Barbara has it as well.
Barbara and I both gave our testimonies. Dean was there and he gave the web address's of both the web site, this forum and also the methadone forum.
I hope that we were able to reach alot of people and they will come here for help, instead of struggling alone by themselves. They need to know that there is someone that cares, and that has been down that same road that their walking down now. We all let them know that we are here to help them.
yours
nannamom

Thanks Nannamom,
I did get the easytalk site location from Barbara as well. You guys (girls) are on top of it!! As usual. It sounds like the radio show was a hit! It's inspiring to me to see the strength & hope that you are spreading to others. I know that I've caught it & refuse to let go.. This is the best I've felt in soo long. I want to encourage others who may be struggling with their early sobriety or Sub dosage to hang in there & stay commited. It really does get better. Sometimes just all of a sudden. This is a wonderful place to be able to come & put out your feelings without fear of judgment because we have all been there. And understand what it entails to be there, lost in the darkness. The journey has many bumps, but its a much smoother ride than it was while I was using. Thanks for being there.
Love,
BFye

Hi, I'm back. It certainly took me long enough, but that's the way that it goes sometimes. Finally, everybody is asleep. But I may have missed you girls to get on the chat line. That's okay- we can catch up at another time.
I have my Doctor's appointment tomorrow. This is the one who is just starting the Suboxone program. I'm trying to get on the Rx Assistance through him. I'm praying that it all works out. I'll definitely keep you posted as to what happens. It has to work out. It will, one way or the other, it will work out.
I guess that I'm going to go to bed. Try to go to sleep..
Good Night Ladies & Sweet Dreams,
Love,
BFye

Hey there Miss Barbara!
I'm glad to see that your around tonight & glad to hear from you. You said you've scheduled your foot surgery for the 24th, as in Christmas eve? Or January 24th? How are you going to manage Christmas if it is this month? I know that you said it's you, your Mom & brother. Will they be around & will they be able to help you when you get home from the hospital? Will they feed the animals & be able to take care of things around there for awhile? Geez, no wonder you don't want to put a tree up! I don't want to and I'm well. (at least physically- haha) You have a lot on your plate girl. How is your apprehension level? Are you scared? Maybe not so much scared as nervous? I will certainly be keeping you in my prayers. I also believe in karma & you treat others so well, "you will reap what you sow." I'm happy that your able to get it taken care of & get it corrected so that you can feel good again!! I don't know what or how, but if there's anything I can ever do, all you need to do is say the word. We'd figure out a way. Lord knows that as an addict I spent many brain cells on "trying to figure out a way" to keep using. I can certainly put that brain power to good use. So you let me know. I am here for you. You & Dee have been here for me & I'd just met you guys. Thank you. I also wanted to ask you if you'd spoken to your surgeon about your being on Suboxone? I know that you said you were going to stay on it & not take the narcotic pain meds, which I understand (and respect) completely, but does your doctor advise this? Will the level of pain be tolerable not taking the pain meds? Or could you possibly get a prescription in case you need it? You wouldn't even necessarily even have to fill it, but you'd have it if you do need it. I don't know. I know that you know what your doing. I just don't want you to hurt. Yet, we know that opiates equal hurt. (somewhere in there) I've recently brought up this same type of situation because I also need to have a couple of surgeries & am extremely apprehensive about the pain & how to manage it. I appreciate any feedback on how you handle it. With or without the meds? And if it's without, how? I do know that Deborah had mentioned if you do have to take the meds, make sure to not take it with the Subs as it can cause "precipated withdrawl" Yuck! I'm sure that you probably already know these things. I'm like your friendly Post-It note that pops up to remind you, just in case. Seriously, though, please keep me informed.
I thought about what you said regarding doing something nice for someone or a good deed & not saying a word about it. Doesn't that feel so nice, especially when your able to see the persons reaction & smile, without them even knowing that it was you. You know they say how it's better to give than to receive. It does spread love & joy. Smiles are contagious- we all need more happiness! And as people, we remember those type of things. Like your boss still waving to you. It made a "good connection" for when/if you see that person again- spreads warmth! That's a neat idea about the toll booth too. I just never seem to drive them. Not out here where I am. Mainly, small town America, the Suburbs. I enjoy doing things like baking an extra plate of cookies & sending them to the bus driver or the "recess monitor" or the school secretary. Someone not used to getting them.
About my doctor, I really don't know what type, if any, mental or emotional support will be offered. He hasn't started the program yet & I don't know what it entails. The way that I'm looking at it is to get my Rx from him so that I can participate in the patient assistance program. If he doesn't offer me the mental or emotional help I need, I can get more counseling where I'm already going. If I bring it up to my counselor, she'll make sure I get the proper therapy, but she is not able to write the Rx for Subs. I also imagine that this doctor may have counseling of his own. I just don't know, as he hasn't started treating me yet. I will definitely be paying attention for drug interactions as well. I always talk with our local pharmicist regarding any new meds versus what I am currently taking. Interactions can be very dangerous. I know that certain benzos can actually cause death when taken with the Subs. I always make sure to ask!! I am so very happy that this doctor is willing to participate in the program. That will make a huge difference for us!! The local pharmacy does price matching & I am getting the Subs for 6.84 per tab. That's the cheapest I could find them at any pharmacy in the area. It's still costing around $600.00 a month and that's just the medication itself. So, this is a huge factor, having this doctor agree to participate. Thank you God!
I have to get going here. Need to get the household ready for bed. Ni-night time! These kiddos had to go to the appointment with me today & that makes a long, hard day for them. They don't like leaving in the first place, much less go somewhere that they have to sit down & be quiet.. Yeah, right! No fun!
Talk to you soon.
Love,
BFye

Hello! If you have any trouble I can always help if you want to send me your e-mail address with your phone number and we will personally talk you through to the recording. I had to take a few days off to get some rest because I was over-worked and completely wore myself to a frazzle.

I am praying it all works out for you and if it doesn't then God will open another Door. We just don't want you to give up at all and I love having you with us and it is a pleasure to know you.

I don't think any of us have a lot of money to spend this Christmas if we are on medication, either Suboxone or Methadone. I don't have any insurance at all and I have to pay cash for all of my visits and my medication but still I get a small discount for buying at the CVS Pharmacy. I have stopped doing any business with Walgreen's because they didn't even want to fill the prescriptions from our Dentist at the University of Alabama. They wanted me to wait until the next day when they had to time to call and verify the prescriptions and it was only Lortab ES 10mg. It was not like they didn't know me because I had a file but we had been doing business with CVS because many times they were just too busy.

After that night I made it the last visit to Walgreen's. I recommend all of you stop using Walgreens unless they are doing a super job for you. It is just my opinion. We drove over to CVS and the pharmacist had no problem filling my prescription.

Beth, about the radio show do you have a Media Player downloaded when you try and listen to the recordings? You need to have either a Media Player 10 or 11 downloaded to listen to the recordings and it is why they were probably asking you for a license number.

Do you know whether you have a Media Player downloaded? I asked this because Dean brought it up. I couldn't figure out why you were asking about a license number and it is the reason because you didn't have a Media Player downloaded. I must go but I wish you the best.

Deborah