In a perfect world, no one would have addictions to money, sex, or drugs, whatever. You name it, and it would just be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, all too often in today’s society, we hear of another worst-case scenario. Another teenager lost to the dangers of some addiction. A mom who left behind five kids with no dad. Or vice versa.
I have an addictive personality – which I knew about from approximately two years old when I had my first taste of ice cream. Trust me, my waistline knows it well. Then I was introduced to Pepsi, and there went my thighs. My point is, I knew I could easily get addicted; we have some problems with drugs and alcohol in my family’s past, and I didn’t want to go down that road.
So I made a pact with myself at a young age that I wouldn’t. I would never try drugs, or a cigarette, or anything else of that caliber. To this day, I’ve kept that promise to myself, and I will do my best to maintain that for my family and me.
Therefore, when Lindsey with HCI Books reached out to me and offered
Natalie: The journey
Natalie was a bright, fun, strong-willed little girl who had it all; the apple of her momma’s eyes, the baby. By the age of 12, Natalie had a terrible addiction, and no one in her family was the wiser. Unfortunately, this is something that happens quite frequently. An addict will do all they can to hide their addiction, and if you catch them, they will say and do all they can to sweep it under the rug and downplay the problem.
She had no reason to think anything was amiss with her baby girl. She started putting all of the minor signs together and finally realized that Natalie had a horrible problem. That’s when it all became too real.
Christine walks you through all of the joys of parenthood from the beginning at her gynecologist appointment, where she heard, “You’re pregnant!” Then, the terror of discovering needles in her teenager’s bedroom, to her life now; living day to day and hoping against hope that Natalie will survive to the next day.
From a mother’s perspective, you will see how hard it is and how much she and her family struggle daily. Also, how mean and insensitive people can be. Having an addict in your family can make it nearly impossible to have friends or maintain contact with anyone in the “outside world.”
The outside world where drugs and heartache, death, drug overdoses, rehab, and more are just a myth. Those things are in the background of other people’s lives, and if they’re pretty lucky, they’ll never have to deal with them. But Christine knows the difference. She’s led the ordinary life; recitals, dinner parties, friends, nights on the town. Then there’s her other life; phone calls with drug dealers, phone calls in the middle of the night where her daughter has OD’d and is in the hospital, needles in the clean laundry. You name it, and she’s probably been there.
About Natalie is a heart-breaking, true story of a mother who will never give up on her child. Christine is a warrior, and she’s fighting tooth and nail for Natalie and always will. As of right now, Natalie is sober! She’s doing well, and I hope that’s always the case!!
I reached out to Christine for a few follow up questions, and here’s what she had to say:
When did you decide to write this book?? How long did it take? Is Natalie aware her poetry is sprinkled throughout?
- I contemplated writing About Natalie for many years before actually beginning to do so. I just kept thinking that I needed to wait for our happy ending. Then one day, while we were still very much in the midst of Natalie’s addiction, I began to think about all of the people who were living exactly in the middle of it all, just like we were. I thought of how isolated and alone I felt. I realized then that I wanted to reach out to those people to make them feel less alone and to support and comfort them through the struggle. The book took about only one year to write. And yes, Natalie graciously offered her poetry specifically for the book and has been so supportive throughout the entire process. We are passionate together about helping others.
What are your go-to places for reflection when you just need a breather?
- When I need a breather, I do one of a few things. I love quiet churches. So, in the middle of the day, when no one else is there, I find an open church and just sit in the quiet. I also take long walks during which, and I have to admit, I talk to myself. And early in the mornings, I drink cups and cups of tea and just think.
You already have a few other books published – how or why did you decide to write them?
- All of my writing comes from passionate feelings that I have that I just feel the need to express. My feelings roll around in my head and in my heart until I just have to let them out in some way. And that some way that is best for me is through words. I write because I love connecting with people and I really don’t believe that my thoughts are all that original. I know that others must feel that same way too. When I read other people’s thoughts and feelings, and they touch me, I am always so grateful to have company and be understood. I want to do that for someone else.
Did COVID affect your family more negatively due to Natalie’s condition?
- COVID affected our family, for the most, in the same way, that it affected most others. But we stayed healthy and realize that this makes us more blessed than so many. And for that, we are grateful. During COVID, it was unfortunate that some of Natalie’s therapies and support
was not available, and that surely was a worry. But like almost everyone else, we had more time together in our home as a family too. And that is always a good thing.
How are your sons? I hope they know they are their own type of superhero!
- My sons are fine, thank you for asking. And thank you so much for calling them superheroes. Oh, how they truly deserve to hear that.
Looking back and trying to think of what you could have done differently is something everyone struggles with – what, with Natalie, is your biggest thing you wish you could have done?
- Looking back on this journey, there are a few things that I wish that I would have done differently. The biggest of these is that I wished that I would have educated myself about drugs long in advance of needing to know about them. As I explain in the book, I was quite late to the party in regards to knowledge of the warning signs. I also would have spent less time in denial than I had. And I would have trusted what my gut and intuition were saying even if I didn’t like what they were telling me.
Has Natalie gone back to a rehab facility? Will she?
- Natalie did go back to rehab, and as of this, writing has been clean for nearly two years. So, Yay, Natalie! You go, girl!
My final thoughts:
Natalie and her family went through so many things together. I am so happy she’s going on two years of sobriety! How amazing is that! For those of you out there with a child or close family member who is struggling, remember this: there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Your special someone just needs to WANT that light.
A person struggling with any addiction can’t get better until they acknowledge that they have a problem in the first place. Sometimes that’s a hard point to reach. If you are struggling or know someone who is, Christine’s book is a sure-fire way to help you realize you’re not alone. Whether you’re looking at the world like Christine was, or you’re in Natalie’s position, there are other people out there who you can relate to.
Christine also has a website set up, aboutnatalieaddictioncomfort.com, for families of those who struggle with addiction. The site is excellent; a place for you to vent, find comfort and understand that you’re not alone. The book is available at all significant book-sellers!
Do you have anything you want to share? I’m always here to listen. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, as always!
This is the first book I’ve reviewed regarding addiction, but I have read and reviewed multiple other books. You can check out some of those by going to this page.
Love ya,
Kelly Ann
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