When Christina gave birth at the hospital, she didn’t feel the joy most new mothers do. Instead, she prepared herself for the painful reality she had experienced before — having her baby taken away.
“I just didn’t know how much I should bond with my baby, only to have them taken away,” Christina reflects.
The milestones that many mothers get to witness in the growth and development of their children, Christina devastatingly missed out on due to her addiction.
Christina’s Earlier Years
Christina’s struggle with substance abuse started early. She grew up in a home where addiction was present, and eventually found herself surrounded by people who were also using. The environment she was in made it easy to fall into the same pattern.
The emotional toll of losing her children and the weight of addiction led Christina into a deep depression. When she found out she was pregnant once more, she fought hard to get clean, but the lingering presence of the drug in the placenta meant that, according to CPS guidelines, her baby would still be taken away.
“After that, I knew it was time for a change because my kids don’t deserve that,” Christina said.
“There’s this feeling of ‘I’m not in control,’” Christina expressed. The defeat of knowing she couldn’t pull herself out of this cycle alone became a turning point in her life, “You have to really be ready to recover,” she added.
Finding Support At 70×7 Life Recovery
When Christina finally came to 70×7 Life Recovery, she was met with support and stability.
“Christina’s recovery has been about keeping her in a safe place out of the environment that she was in. Helping her have a place to heal was very important because she was in a state of mind where she just didn’t have any reason to want to live anymore.” Wendy Dreese, the Women’s Housing Coordinator at 70×7 Life Recovery, shared.
A key part of her recovery was having her mother, Jane, by her side.
Jane, herself a former addict who found healing through 70×7 Life Recovery, is now the House Manager at Bernice’s House, one of 70×7’s residential homes for women in recovery. She was Christina’s anchor. “Jane really offered the support Christina needed,” said Dreese. “She took her to all her meetings and walked beside her through the pain. It was exactly what Christina needed to get back on her feet.”
Through the 70×7 program and her stay at Bernice’s House, Christina has now been clean for over 17 months. She’s gained unsupervised visits with her children and is working with her CPS caseworkers toward full custody. She has been extremely dedicated to getting treatment and attending parenting classes, and counseling. She has put in the hard work and is now planning to move into her own apartment, along with her mother, to live closer to her children.
“Her CPS caseworkers absolutely love her,” Dreese said with a smile. “She’s like their poster child.”
Hope For The Future
Jane is also looking ahead with hope as she plans to care for Christina’s two children while she is away at work. “I’m really just looking forward to being grandma,” Jane said emotionally.
Opening up and sharing her story—even agreeing to be photographed—wasn’t easy. But Christina was courageous enough to speak up, knowing that her experience could encourage other women who may be in the same place she once was. She hopes her story can be a reminder that recovery is possible and help is available.
“I am clean. I don’t have any temptations or a desire for that life anymore,” Christina states. “I’m just looking forward to being with my family.”
Christina is also learning more about herself and is working hard to rediscover who she is clean. In her free time, she enjoys reflecting on the future and doing diamond art to calm her mind.
She is determined to stay the course and build a future for her and her young children. “I just want to give my kids the unconditional love that they deserve,” Christina says.
Christina’s story is one of heartbreak and healing. Through the support of 70×7 Life Recovery, the love of her mother, and her own drive to reclaim her life, Christina is a powerful testament to what’s possible through recovery support, dedication, and hope.
