3 Days That Changed My Life: Detox to Recovery
3-Day Commitment
“I can do anything for 3 days,” was the feeling that convinced Brandon to appease his little brother who begged him to get clean. Little did he realize that this time, a 3-day detox program known as the Recovery and Addiction Medicine Program (RAMP), established by Wooster Community Hospital in conjunction with OneEighty, would turn out to be a much different experience than anything he had experienced before.
It’s a Family Affair
“At 17 years of age, I was living a life of ‘running and gunning.’ I was an adrenaline junky who ran with a tough crowd and wanted to live life on the edge,” Brandon said. “I came from a normal family that didn’t have issues with drugs or alcohol, but I would do anything and everything to run wild in the streets.”
At the age of 17, he left his own family and morphed into a buddy’s family because their lifestyle was more his style. It was during this time that he became involved with his friend’s relative who was 31 years old. When she became pregnant, Brandon dropped out of school, and for 4 years they lived together trying to make a go of things. Their child was born addicted, and Children’s Services became involved from the get-go.
“She was on a Suboxone rehabilitation program, but when she fell off, I was doing well and was able to get custody of our son. My aunt and cousins offered to help me sustain a normal home for him, and I was working as a groundskeeper at a cemetery,” Brandon said. “But my son got lice at his daycare center, and I freaked out and reached out to his mother who was not permitted to be part of his life.”
All three lives became entangled in addiction. Their son went into foster care and each parent got involved in the criminal justice system as they continued their lives of drug addiction.
“With both of us in prison, it became clear to me that neither of us would be able to take care of our child. The foster family that had been nurturing him wanted to adopt him, and I knew it was the very best chance he had for a quality life,” Brandon said.
For the next two years, Brandon lived with a buddy and sold drugs to maintain his habit. But it was his little brother who finally got him to take stock of his life.
A Brother’s Plea
“He came to me and asked, ‘Aren’t you done with this life yet? You are either going to be locked up or dead if you don’t do something different.’” Brandon said.
He was allowed to live with his brother as long as he stayed clean. But staying clean didn’t happen. He hid his use until, one day, he stole a pair of his brother’s good shoes to sell for drugs. His brother came to him and said, “you have 10 hours to get them back.”
“I had hurt my brother and broken his trust,” Brandon says with tears in his eyes.
But his brother didn’t give up on him. While Brandon insisted he didn’t need to go into a program, his brother kept on him.
“I know of a 3-day detox program that’s at the Wooster Community Hospital. Let me take you there,” he pleaded.
“I can do that. What’s 3 days? Then I’ll come back home,” Brandon thought.
RAMP. It Up
So, Brandon checked into the RAMP program at Wooster Community Hospital. The protocol is that when someone who is actively using arrives, the hospital calls a dedicated hotline that is staffed 24/7 by OneEighty. OneEighty then sends a clinician to meet with the patient within 24-48 hours.
“Ms. Erin came to the hospital and told me about some options I had for treatment. I told her no at first, but she didn’t give up. She shared with me that she had traveled the same road I was on and was now living a very different life. By the third day I was there, she had a bed for me at Pathway, OneEighty’s men’s residential treatment house. She picked me up and delivered me to the house,” Brandon recalled. “When I got to the house, everyone was cooking, and they stopped to welcome me into the program.”
Still in withdrawal, the first 30 days were rough for him. He readily admits he messed up a lot during this time.
“I was half in / half out. I left the property to go get drugs, but during this time, they never made me feel anything but respected. They understood my struggle and didn’t give up trying to help me turn my life around. They realized that I needed mental health treatment as well and connected me with Dr. Helmuth, Psychiatrist and Addiction Specialist, who helped me work to get my head in order,” Brandon said.
Judge Free Zone
“I never imagined I would be here,” Brandon said tearfully. “There are so many resources available for me and anyone struggling with addiction. I can’t believe it. But most importantly, the people I have worked with have treated me with the utmost respect. I have never felt judged or looked down upon! And most importantly, they never give up on us.”
Waiting to go into the transition phase of his recovery, Brandon knows he still needs the accountability and support provided through OneEighty. He’s working on setting personal goals, engaging in mindful behaviors, and learning to let go of some of his past mistakes.
“I am so grateful to be where I am in my life right now,” Brandon says. “My brother encourages me and tells me how proud he is of my successes. So much so, that during his last call, he told me I inspired him to enroll back in school to explore working in this field where he can help others. I am blessed my son’s adoptive family realizes I am not a bad guy, just one who has made some mistakes. They have allowed me to be a part of his life as well. Now I have to stay focused on working towards my new future. My inspiration equates to my brother, OneEighty, and me.”
OneEighty partnered with Wooster Community Hospital to create a medical withdrawal management program called RAMP (Recovery and Addiction Medicine Program). When a patient, who is actively using, arrives at the hospital, a OneEighty clinician is contacted and meets with the patient quickly. Over the coming days, this clinician completes assessment services and provides this information to the hospital as well as providing support, linkage to external resources, and linkage to IOP, Residential treatment, or Outpatient treatment, as appropriate. A Recovery Coach also visits the patient at the hospital and provides recovery information, and case management, offers a recovery-based group session, and supportive service resources. Continued follow-up beyond initial hospital contacts is also given.
This year there were 402 Wooster Community Hospital patient visits through the program, 256 males and 146 females. Last year there were 355 visits; in FY 2021, 401 visits; and in FY 2020, 55 visits (the program started in February of 2020). “Visits” can include the same patient seen during separate detox admissions.
Of these 402 patients, 169 received services elsewhere, and 1 is deceased. Of the 232 remaining clients:
- 92 (40%) followed up with clinical treatment at OneEighty within 30 days
- Of these 92, 50 (54%) attended 4 or more sessions
- 29 (13%) followed up with peer recovery services
We’re Here to Support You.
We help people change direction with programs for addiction, domestic violence, rape crisis, mental health, housing, and prevention and education. At OneEighty, we actively support an evidence-based approach to sustainable recovery from trauma and addiction – restoring dignity and purpose, reimagining potential, and rebuilding lives. OneEighty offers counseling programs, intensive addiction treatment programs, group addiction treatment, residential services, victim services, recovery housing, and peer recovery.
OneEighty Resources
For those encountering a substance use crisis please call OneEighty’s Substance Use Crisis hotline available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year at 330.466.0678. For other resources, click the links below: