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Here is a raw and honest look into the sober journey of our clients. We have chosen to honor and respect their anonymity throughout this learning process. We thank them for being willing to share the highs and lows of working this 12-step, adventurous program known as Back2Basics. Let their stories take you away…
Family Ties
I am on the drive home from our Moab trip. Overall it was a great trip. The drive to the campsite was very hectic. It took us six and a half hours to arrive and we were all starving when we arrived there. Right when we arrived we made some Ramen noodles and decided to take a swim in the river. We ran into a group of young boys who were swimming and swinging from a rope into the river, it looked so fun so we had to try it. I usually hate swimming, but I actually had a very good time and it was a lot of fun. While swimming and swinging we were caught up in a mud fight which turned into a three on three mud throwing battle. My team was doing very well and I was having a good sober time, which is very rare for me. Normally to have a good time I abused alcohol and a combination of drugs like Opana, Oxycontin, Heroin, Marijuana, LSD, PCP, Ecstasy — pretty much anything that I could get my hands on.
After the mud fight we shook hands and told each other good game. Even though a few minutes earlier we were hitting each other with mud in the eyes and the face and it really hurt. The bond between the guys in the house is very strong; we all get along so well and are kind of like a family in a very strange way. The hikes on the trip were challenging and a lot of the guys were having a very hard time, but with the motivation and support between staff and clients we were all able to do it, just like getting sober.
Getting Ahead as a Wilderness First Responder
Last weekend three other clients and I got the chance to start our Wilderness First Responder class. The class teaches you how to help people who are injured when you’re in the wilderness. Wilderness in the class is described as outside of the “golden hour,” which is being within an hour of help. They teach us how to take care of someone for days on end only with the things you have at your disposal, like tents, sleeping pads, sticks, etc. It really helps you to think on your feet. It is also pretty much a requirement to work in the outdoor field of work, which I might want to do because I love the outdoors. I also love to do most outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, snowmobiling/dirt biking, hiking, mountain biking, etc. So it will come in handy knowing what to do during an emergency situation.
Some things they teach us are how to set dislocations and broken bones, and then splint them. For example, if someone has a sprained or broken ankle, you can splint it with your sleeping pad by wrapping it and folding it up around the front of it then using a shirt or some other cord or cloth to tighten it up, immobilizing it. They also get us CPR certified which doesn’t only come in handy in the wilderness, but in life, in general. If I don’t get an outdoors job I want to try to get a union job. With a union job you need to know and be CPR certified in case anything happens on the job site. The class also benefits me because with that on my resume, it shows that I can think on my feet and am prepared for worst case scenarios. If the job comes down to just me and another candidate and I have a certificate saying I am able to get jobs done with the limited things I have on hand, they may pick me.
“Groovers” and “Wet Exits”
The river trip with Back2Basics was awesome. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was by far the best trip in my five months of being with this program. At first I didn’t want to participate in the trip because I was scared that I might get tossed around by the rapids. This did happen, but with the support of my fellow house mates it was an awesome experience.
During the trip we ate like kings. The first lunch was some sort of pasta, which I can’t remember the name of, and the first dinner we ate beef burritos, that had been marinating for 30 hours. I couldn’t believe the food we could make on a river trip in wilderness. All we had to do was prepare a day in advance. The second day we ate turkey sandwiches for lunch, and for dinner we ate lasagna cooked in a Dutch oven. The best part about the food was the dessert. All I can say is, wow! We had a giant cookie for the first night and for the second night we had double dark chocolate brownies.
The trip progressed smoothly with the transition of the river’s difficulty. The first day we encountered difficult rapids. The first day the instructor was working with those who wanted to improve their rolling. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of those people because I was still scared of not popping out of the water. Thankfully, the guides were super experienced in kayaking and were there if the house guys couldn’t get there. My favorite part about the first day was the “surf wave.” The wave was caused by a rock in the middle of the river with water passing over it and causing a small current in the river behind the rock. How we did it was we would paddle up stream and move into the current and try to stay in one spot. It was pretty cool. The campsite was awesome too. It was big and roomy There were different sections for certain stations, such as the kitchen, dish washing, and the amazing “groover.” The “groover” is the restroom.
The second day was even better, with more challenging rapids and lots of support from the group and staff and guides. I tried rolling this time and got it my first try! I was really excited because I had gotten over my fear and did it.
The third and final day was exhausting and kind of painful. We went down some tough rapids. The first set of rapids was awesome, but difficult. The second big rapid though was harder and narrower. I flipped upside down right in the beginning and rode down all the way to the bottom and had to do what is called a “wet exit.”
Overall the trip was awesome and I want to do it in the future because it was one of the best healing and motivating experiences I’ve ever had. All of this is thanks to Back2Basics.