My girls as I knew them, are gone, never to come back...new girls, stronger, sober girls have emerged. Addiction is a disease, like diabetes, always there, but under control.
Well said and very true. I am a breast cancer survivor, had a double mastectomy and 6 rounds of chemo, as well as about 6 other surgeries. The disease of cancer, and the treatments, have changed me forever. Some of my family & friends can not accept this fact, the change, and can't understand why I'm not just "back to normal" or back to the "old me". That person is forever gone and I , as well as everyone in my life, have had to adjust & essentially get to know the "new me". It's been over 3 years and the "getting to know the new me" process is still ongoing. Addiction is a disease like cancer is, and on overcoming a disease it CAN and WILL change a person. Even though I am in remission, declared "No Evidence of Disease" by my doctors, I still struggle, as do the loved ones in my life. Very similar to an addict in recovery - their loved ones, family & friends will also have to adjust to the "new person" and realize although they ARE different, the "new" person also has many positive traits and gifts.
Sorry to get a bit off topic, I just wanted to share my personal experience of how a potentially deadly disease, such as cancer AND such as addiction, changes a person.
-heather