Documentary / Just keep swimming!

It’s been just over two years since our family was in the struggle for our kids lives. For over six years with our two kids in active addiction, there were over twenty treatment stints, relapses, ER visits, car accidents, overdoses and even periods of homelessness. So much of that time was gnarly.

But there were also times where we could see a glimmer of hope - sobriety, clarity - but then, hope would slip away as quickly as it appeared. The journey was exhausting, discouraging, terrifying. And our health insurance was almost as confounding as the disease. They denied, or cut short treatment, always pushing a lower level of care - as hard as we fought to save our kids lives, they were fighting to save their money and playing by a different set of rules. We had the luxury of credit cards and managed to keep trying, but in truth, we could not afford treatment without insurance - we could barely afford it WITH insurance. I felt like a failure and so alone losing battle after battle - the whole time running from an unthinkable thought - that I might lose the war. I can barely write those words let alone think them. 

Hope was what kept me going. Hope wasn’t easy  - I mean, even the experts couldn’t tell me exactly what would work. I didn’t have the answers, but I chose to hope because I felt their lives depended on it. Because I couldn’t bear it any other way.  This is why we landed on our name “Choosing Hope”. Not because hope is easy - but because I don’t see a better way. 

My kids are both in recovery today and doing well - thank god - and I’m working on my film. The documentary is really taking shape and I am honored to be sharing these stories. These people are courageously talking about the hardest times in their lives. They do it because they want their story to make a difference. To say that I relate to the families is an understatement. I am these moms and dads. I have been lucky. Many of them are not. That is the only difference.

I am so grateful to all of you for all of the support - financial, emotional and the support of your talents. I could not do this without you - so please please don’t stop! I am still very much in “the middle”, but just a bit further along, and I can see the faint lines of the finish - at least for the film.

Here is the update on our progress:

Sarah Laurel of Savage Sisters

1. The Event / Fundraiser was amazing and it provided enough money to get us to New York (New Jersey and Philadelphia) in September. While there, we did 9 interviews, shot lots of B-roll. We went on an intense night shoot with Savage Sisters who were doing outreach in Kensington (an open air drug market in Philly).  We interviewed two families who were den

ied insurance for their kids addiction treatment to tragic results (one couple has spoken before the United States Senate and Congress). We interviewed people from Partnership to End Addiction, a former health insurance executive turned whistleblower/ reform advocate, Harm Reduction workers and lead counsel for a landmark case against United Healthcare for denying addiction treatment that should have been covered.  Our trip was so worth your support!  We could never have done it without your help!

We have lined up our next trip to Washington, D.C. where I have commitments from Dr. Stephen Lloyd, an Internist / Addiction Medicine Physician who is in recovery himself and was the inspiration for Michael Keaton's character in the Netflix Series, DopeSick,  Robert Kent who was formerly General Counsel for the ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) and Stephanie Campbell who is in recovery and a tireless advocate / lobbyist.

Lisa with Maureen at her son's gravesite

After that, we have many more interviews to do both locally and on location.  

As I work on this film, I am getting ideas about all the other ways we can be of service to the families. I'd love to hear any ideas you may have on that ... but for now, I will follow (Finding Nemo) Dory’s advice - Just keep swimming!   

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