Sign of the Times
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Wilmington, DE
Posts: 393
Sign of the Times
A few weeks ago I went to a marina on the Chesapeake Bay to help my brother in law with some engine work on his sailboat auxiliary Diesel engine. The job went very well and we finished the job in just a few hours.
The drive to the marina is scenic and pleasant. Essentally you drive to Elkton and then turn off of the main roads and travel through farm country along the Eastern Shore of the Bay. The farmers are all busy with spring planting preparations, tractors are in every field pulling discs or seed drills. The farmers tend their fields like homeowners tend their lawns.
We entered Chestertown, MD, the last town of any size before the marina, population about 5200. Historic, quiet and idyllic come to mind for adjectives. We were stopped by the traffic light at the busiest intersection in town.........KENT COUNTY HEROIN OVERDOSE AWARENESS screamed the scoreboard-like sign from across the street.
The sign had slots for moveable numbers for overdoses and deaths, disheartening was the fact that there were three digits available for overdoses, slightly more encouraging was that the deaths slot only had space for two digits.
[/I]WHAT?! THIS IS CHESTERTOWN!.......where local law enforcement deals with Sam who shot a deer out of season, Fred who kept some undersized crabs, Mary who shoplifted a lipstick form Walgreens or Ed and Betty who got in an arguement which spilled out into the street and woke up the nieghbors (they have since kissed and made up).
Then my reality check arrived IT. IS. EVERWHERE.
I am tempted to call the phone number on the sign just to see what sort of recovery help is offered.
So grateful that my daughter is in Florida with her huge support group and has passed the two years clean mark.
Keep coming back,
Jim
I tried to attach a photo of the scoreboard, but it was too large of a file, but I think you get the idea.
The drive to the marina is scenic and pleasant. Essentally you drive to Elkton and then turn off of the main roads and travel through farm country along the Eastern Shore of the Bay. The farmers are all busy with spring planting preparations, tractors are in every field pulling discs or seed drills. The farmers tend their fields like homeowners tend their lawns.
We entered Chestertown, MD, the last town of any size before the marina, population about 5200. Historic, quiet and idyllic come to mind for adjectives. We were stopped by the traffic light at the busiest intersection in town.........KENT COUNTY HEROIN OVERDOSE AWARENESS screamed the scoreboard-like sign from across the street.
The sign had slots for moveable numbers for overdoses and deaths, disheartening was the fact that there were three digits available for overdoses, slightly more encouraging was that the deaths slot only had space for two digits.
[/I]WHAT?! THIS IS CHESTERTOWN!.......where local law enforcement deals with Sam who shot a deer out of season, Fred who kept some undersized crabs, Mary who shoplifted a lipstick form Walgreens or Ed and Betty who got in an arguement which spilled out into the street and woke up the nieghbors (they have since kissed and made up).
Then my reality check arrived IT. IS. EVERWHERE.
I am tempted to call the phone number on the sign just to see what sort of recovery help is offered.
So grateful that my daughter is in Florida with her huge support group and has passed the two years clean mark.
Keep coming back,
Jim
I tried to attach a photo of the scoreboard, but it was too large of a file, but I think you get the idea.
Nature Girl
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: By The Lake
Posts: 60,328
Jim, I hope you do inquire as to resources available. Sometimes people in small towns avoid reaching out because people know them and "anonymous" just isn't possible. The thing is, the town usually "knows" anyway and God bless those who do something about their problems instead of hiding in the darkness.
We moved last summer to a lovely small city, a Normal Rockwell kind of place if ever there was one, where neighbours all help each other and people say "good morning" to perfect strangers and there are free concerts in the park each Saturday and a free zoo so families can make a family day of it all and pay nothing, except for a hot dog and soda maybe.
There is no "bad area of town" except perhaps for a couple of bars downtown where things can get noisy after midnight.
BUT...it is here too. The warnings and overdose kits. Good people gone wrong who can't find their way back. There are meetings here, lots, and a rehab at the edge of the city that is at full capacity most of the time.
It is people like you, that carry the message, who are the biggest hope for those lost in the darkness, who by example show that life can be fun and enjoyed and beautiful without drugs. You, and others here are beacons of hope that shine through the light of possibility.
Never stop, Jim, let your recovery shine. And thank you for sharing it here.
Hugs
We moved last summer to a lovely small city, a Normal Rockwell kind of place if ever there was one, where neighbours all help each other and people say "good morning" to perfect strangers and there are free concerts in the park each Saturday and a free zoo so families can make a family day of it all and pay nothing, except for a hot dog and soda maybe.
There is no "bad area of town" except perhaps for a couple of bars downtown where things can get noisy after midnight.
BUT...it is here too. The warnings and overdose kits. Good people gone wrong who can't find their way back. There are meetings here, lots, and a rehab at the edge of the city that is at full capacity most of the time.
It is people like you, that carry the message, who are the biggest hope for those lost in the darkness, who by example show that life can be fun and enjoyed and beautiful without drugs. You, and others here are beacons of hope that shine through the light of possibility.
Never stop, Jim, let your recovery shine. And thank you for sharing it here.
Hugs
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NE Wisconsin USA
Posts: 6,223
Thank you both so much, JimC60, Ann for your posts. Yes here in Wisconsin, the county of all places, not Milwaukee nor Dane (Madison), but a sparsely populated Vilas County on the northern border, has had the most opioid deaths per 1,000 ppl. Drugs easily obtained through relatives, friends, or scripts, and mostly not through a dealer.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Faith~Hope~Love
Posts: 963
Sad but true, Jim, Maryland has been hit hard by the opioid crisis. Cecil County has gained quite a reputation, scenic towns in Kent County are affected - Galena, Chestertown, Rock Hall. Beautiful, idyllic small towns on the water. It really is everywhere and disheartening that there seems no end in sight. There is one rehab in Chestertown that I know of ... the one rehab my son went to as an indigent addict almost 20 years ago. Rated well and they had the best family program I've experienced. Still. there is a greater need and I really don't know where the answers lie. Happy to hear of your daughter's clean time 
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 83
My 28-year-old son got into the heroin scene right here in Elkton, Cecil County, MD about 8 years ago. The close proximity to Philly is an issue for easy drug runs.
Nearly 6 years ago, my son attended a detox in Lancaster PA. Lancaster has a huge recovery population. After detox, 30 days at rehab, 6 months in a sober house, then 1 year on his own, all in Lancaster, he fulfilled his dream of returning to Elkton to open a men’s recovery house. He pitched his idea to 2 businessmen who believed in him and helped him with start up money. Fast forward nearly 4 years - he and his new wife (also in sobriety for 8 years) now have 5 sober living houses in Cecil County, MD. He works daily with the health departments and courts for all the surrounding areas and small towns to help others achieve sobriety. Not sure I’m allowed to say his company name, but I’m so proud of what they are doing and touched by the stories of those he and his wife are helping, I wish I could direct you to his website because the stories from those in recovery are so promising. Both my son and DIL are forever grateful to God for the opportunity to be there for others - they totally get it, having been addicts, and they are reaching others in their quest for sobriety. Of the 5 houses, 3 are men’s houses and 2 are for women. He says he could open another SLE every 3-6 months and it will be full in no time. The need is so great.
Just wanted to share a happy ending. I know the struggle that mothers (and all loved ones) are going through with active addiction in the family. It’s a horrible hell to live through, but there are some happy stories that need to be told. There is always hope.
Nearly 6 years ago, my son attended a detox in Lancaster PA. Lancaster has a huge recovery population. After detox, 30 days at rehab, 6 months in a sober house, then 1 year on his own, all in Lancaster, he fulfilled his dream of returning to Elkton to open a men’s recovery house. He pitched his idea to 2 businessmen who believed in him and helped him with start up money. Fast forward nearly 4 years - he and his new wife (also in sobriety for 8 years) now have 5 sober living houses in Cecil County, MD. He works daily with the health departments and courts for all the surrounding areas and small towns to help others achieve sobriety. Not sure I’m allowed to say his company name, but I’m so proud of what they are doing and touched by the stories of those he and his wife are helping, I wish I could direct you to his website because the stories from those in recovery are so promising. Both my son and DIL are forever grateful to God for the opportunity to be there for others - they totally get it, having been addicts, and they are reaching others in their quest for sobriety. Of the 5 houses, 3 are men’s houses and 2 are for women. He says he could open another SLE every 3-6 months and it will be full in no time. The need is so great.
Just wanted to share a happy ending. I know the struggle that mothers (and all loved ones) are going through with active addiction in the family. It’s a horrible hell to live through, but there are some happy stories that need to be told. There is always hope.
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