Mom in Drug Rehab Sends Letter to Daughter

Sarah, a fictitious 9 year old girl, gets a letter from her mom who’s in drug rehab for prescription drug addiction after an accident.  Sarah is excited and sad as she reads the letter. 

Letter From Mom in Drug Rehab

(Smiling) My mom wrote sent me a letter and it came today!  I’m so excited!  She’s still up in her drug rehab place that’s really far away, and she’s been there for almost a month now.  I was thinking it might be forever before she could write to me so I can’t wait to get it open.

“Dear Sarah-bear,

Hi sweet pea, it’s Mommy.  How are you?  I miss you so much you couldn’t even imagine it.  I think about you and daddy every day I’m here.  I am lonely for you, but I am with some very nice people here and that helps. 

I wish I could have written to you a little sooner.  I wasn’t feeling very good when I first got here.  I had to stop taking the medicine that was hurting my body.  I felt like a had a bad cold with a headache, cough, achy muscles, even an upset stomach sometimes.  I did a lot of resting and wishing that I felt better.  Finally last week I was able to stay out of bed most of the day, and feel good walking around and doing things. 

Peaceful Surroundings of Drug Rehab

This drug rehab place is like a big beautiful house.  It’s not like I’m on a vacation, but the inside and outside are peaceful and nice to be in.  Being in a beautiful place has helped me when my body and feelings felt so bad.

I want you to know, Sarah, that you are such a great kid.  I’m so sorry about everything that happened with me and the medicine.  I know you’ve missed me a lot – nothing’s been the same since my car accident.  You’ve had to be such a big kid, even though you didn’t really understand what was happening. 

I’m sorry I was not there for you.  I was there in the house, but I didn’t let you be with me much.  I didn’t let Daddy talk to me much either.  I didn’t know the medicine was doing such bad things to me until I went here to drug rehab.  Please know that I love you so much and I never meant to make you feel so lonely.

Kind People Helping Each Other in Drug Rehab

There are other people like me staying at drug rehab with the same kinds of problems.  Some of them have kids and families, some don’t.  All of them feel sad about how things went before they got here.  I can talk to them about my feelings and how I’m going to be better when I come back home.  I can’t promise that things will be perfect when I come back, but they will be much better.  I want that very much.

I am going to exercise outside today next to the ocean.  It helps me to feel relaxed, and I can also think about you when I’m out there.  I can’t wait to come home to you, but I’m not quite done here yet.  I will write to you again.  I have a picture of you and I tell you goodnight every time I go to bed.  I’ll be saving up some hugs for you.

Love always,
Mommy