Two Big Thanks

Author © Scott D. Zachary

       My reservoir of hope was empty. I didn’t have a friend left in the world. My dysfunctional behavior had destroyed my marriage. I was bankrupt emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and financially. After many half-hearted attempts to get sober throughout my life, I was finally ready to do whatever it took to achieve lasting sobriety—to replace the chaos in my life with serenity. On September 28, 2009, I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at 320 Crittenden Street in Owensboro, Kentucky. A gracious man at that meeting agreed to be my AA sponsor. For the sake of anonymity, I’ll refer to him by his first name, Jerry.

       My first big “Thank you!” goes to Jerry, who thoroughly guided me through the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. He and I worked through all of my resentments, and I made amends to those people I had wronged. I followed Jerry’s instructions precisely, including going to an AA meeting every day for the first six months and calling him daily. He coached me as I cleaned up the complete wreck I’d made of my life. I began the emotional healing process by helping others, and Jerry encouraged me as I mentored fellow alcoholics and volunteered at Hospice and at St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter for men.

       That was the beginning of my recovery. I would learn that alcoholism had masked a bipolar disorder I didn’t know I had. For most of my adult life, I had experienced manic behavior. My nightly drinking binges had hammered the tops off my mania, preventing me from completing the bipolar cycle into depression. In fact, I never experienced severe depression until after I quit drinking, and then I descended into suicidal depression. All I wanted to do was die.

       I called many of the emergency numbers in the phone book and greeted them with “Help me, please!” They all referred me to someone else who handed me off to yet another. I called Jerry in desperation, and he assisted in getting me admitted into RiverValley Behavioral Health’s Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU). It’s hard to imagine a lower bottom. I recall trudging down the hallway toward group therapy. Along the way, I peered through a window into Z’s Restaurant. Seeing the white linen table cloth and crystal glasses dressing an unoccupied table, I despaired that I would certainly never be able to eat in a nice restaurant like that again. No hope. No dreams. So lethargic, I was drooling on myself because I couldn’t be bothered to keep my mouth in order. My life was over.

       Dr. Vance, the CSU psychiatrist, displayed compassion as he adroitly diagnosed my bipolar disorder. The first two medications that he prescribed caused severe side effects. Then we tried lithium. Since that day in January 2010, my life has become better and better.

       My second big “Thank you!” goes to the psychiatrists at RiverValley Behavioral Health in Owensboro, Kentucky, especially Dr. Vance who saved my life and Drs. Basit, Harmon, and Perry, whose inspirational counseling gave me wings to succeed in life beyond my wildest dreams (beyond their wildest dreams, too).

       RiverValley Behavioral Health’s “six-month plan” (as Dr. Perry called it) for continued treatment of my bipolar disorder paid big dividends over the past nine and a half years. Because my AA sponsor Jerry and the staff at RiverValley were there for me when I was on the very bottom and no one else stood in my corner, I wanted to be there for others who have no one to give them hope. The doctors at RiverValley cheered me on in these efforts.

       I prepared an “Achievements and Plans” document before each six-month appointment with my psychiatrist, describing my accomplishments during the previous six months and my goals for the next six months. I would like to highlight a few of those achievements that I listed.

       Dr. Basit at RiverValley inspired me as I graduated top of the class in Emergency Medical Technician and Nurse Aide schools while working full-time as a systems analyst/programmer and attended optometry training in preparation for going on Christian medical missions. Her inspiration elicited my going to Nicaragua and Honduras on nine medical missions where I performed as a dental assistant and veterinary assistant on the first mission and Team Lead for the Optical Clinic on the other eight missions. The teams I served with gave away thousands of prescription eyeglasses to people who could never afford them. Dr. Basit was delighted to hear that my wife Bobbie and I sorted, repaired, cleaned, and measured the prescriptions of 2,737 pairs of eyeglasses and shipped them to optical mission teams around the world. Dr. Basit’s uplifting words still echo in my mind: “I’d be proud if I accomplished all of that!”

       Dr. Harmon continued to spark my enthusiasm as I sponsored three children through ChildFund in Ecuador. I’ve been assisting one of the girls, Maria Fernanda Andrade Cuero, with her college costs since 2017. She is studying to become an architect, and her goal is to design low-cost housing for the poor of Ecuador. Dr. Harmon applauded me for having taught myself Spanish and then leading seven Nicaraguans to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior in their language. I set my sights on the stars when Dr. Harmon read my short-story memoirs and exclaimed, “Wow, this is really cool!”

       Dr. Perry was my cheerleader as I sponsored strabismus surgery for an eight-year-old boy and a ten-year-old girl in Nicaragua (their eyes were crossed all the time), helped young girls in Thailand escape human trafficking, and sponsored the drilling of four complete water wells, two in India through Alpha Ministries and two more in Africa through Life Outreach—all while maintaining zero debt. Her inspiration filled my sails as I attended water treatment technology training at WaterStep in Louisville, Kentucky, and donated nine M-100 Chlorine Generators for our water treatment missions to Costa Rica and Ethiopia. Each generator chlorinates at least 10,000 gallons of contaminated water per day using only a cup of table salt and a 12-volt battery. Now, the parents in thirteen villages won’t have to give their children worm- and disease-infested water to drink. At our last goodbye, Dr. Perry’s words infused my spirit with joy when she said, “You really are an amazing person, Scott!”

       My last appointment with Dr. Vance was clearly an exceptional time for both of us. I hadn’t talked to him since he rescued me from my disabling hopeless depression in the CSU many years earlier. Dr. Vance was thrilled that I’d been running half marathons and skydiving. He was ecstatic when I told him how I had been helping people all around the world. Dr. Vance’s happy glow mirrored mine as he congratulated me for having remarried the love of my life on San Pablo Island, Lake Nicaragua, in the presence of forty fellow missionaries. I’ll never forget Dr. Vance’s summation: “I love seeing someone who turns the world upside down like you’re doing, Scott! Lord knows it needs it.”

       Today, at 62 years old, I am filled with hope, and I’m having more fun than ever! Thanks to Jerry, I will soon celebrate ten years of sobriety. And thanks to RiverValley, my virtual F-16 has flown smoothly and swiftly for nearly a decade.

       I wish to emphasize that it’s highly unlikely I would’ve accomplished any of those goodwill efforts if it weren’t for my AA sponsor Jerry and the staff at RiverValley Behavioral Health. Both of you made it all possible. Thank you!!!

       I would be terribly remiss if I didn’t include one more special person who I owe tremendously for my remarkable recovery. This morning, I shared an article with my wife, Bobbie, who deserves a third big “Thank you!” for her infinite coddling inspiration. I read the article’s summary to her as follows: “Neuroscientist Tara Swart argues that snacking and comparing yourself to someone else can lessen your cognitive functions.” I then asked Bobbie, “Do I ever compare myself to someone else?”

       She matter-of-factly said, “Superman.”

       If that wouldn’t fire up your plutonium reactor, nothing will. I love you, Honey Bunny!

       And praise be to the Lord above for making ALL things possible.