Carly’s Story
Four of Carly’s five children play together by the ocean this past summer.
My name is Carly.
I’ve lived with addiction for a long time. Both my parents were addicts, and I grew up in a very unstable home.
After my parents divorced, my mom was depressed and I only saw my dad when he was in jail or rehab. I used to wish we had rules like other kids my age, which could give a sense of normalcy and stability.
I had only casually tried drugs as a teen, but when I was 18, I got colitis and was put on prescription medication. I went from that to heroin. I did my first treatment when I was 20, and stayed clean for a couple of years.
After I had my first son in 2005, I relapsed, which led to the worst of my addiction. I ended up in Victoria, homeless and in really bad shape.
From there, I went to recovery and came home to be with my son. I married my husband, and we built a life together.
We bought a house and had four more kids. Throughout it all, I was very close to my sister, Casey, who had also struggled with addiction. After her baby son, Trae, died, she was broken by grief—my heart was broken too. She relapsed and became suicidal.
For the past 20 years, I’ve had more clean time than not. But in helping Casey, I lost sight of my recovery and also relapsed. She eventually died by suicide in 2021, after her second child became ill. It was one of so many losses we experienced in the past seven years, including the death of my father, my father-in-law, and my grandparents.
My world was falling apart.
In December, my house got raided, and I got arrested and charged with the raid. I felt hopeless and alone being in jail over Christmas. Knowing I might not see my five kids and husband for 7 years was enough for me to ask for help. So I called Glory house.
Getting arrested actually helped save my life, and without Glory House, I’d still be in jail.
When I came to Glory House, I felt ready. During a group on anger management, we talked about how our heads and our hearts needed to match. That clicked for me—it helped me see why I was struggling to get better: my head and heart were not on the same page. Since then, the difference in my life has been night and day.
Now I have a better outlook on things, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
I’m working as a house monitor and chore monitor, building relationships with other women, and going to groups and classes. Going to church and Bible study has helped me, along with the incredible care from the staff here. They go above and beyond, and it’s nice to know how much they care. I would be lost without their support.
Recovery is important to me because I want to be the best me I can be and live my life to the fullest with the people I love. I will do anything and everything I need to do achieve that!
I look forward to celebrating Christmas with my children this year. Thank you for those who have supported me on this journey, I am grateful for you.