My name is Madison K. Baird and this is my story ...
During my senior year in high school, I was injured while cheerleading on our National Champion Squad. I had a hair-line fracture in my leg. The pain was constant. Despite doctors' advice that I rest my leg, I was determined to continue cheering in order that our squad could maintain our National Championship status.
A friend at school offered me morphine to cope with the pain. Thinking that was my answer, I accepted it. I very quickly became dependent upon morphine to get me through each day.
Soon I began to demonstrate bizarre behavior, I would experience huge lapses in my memory, my family could not depend upon me to do things that I said I would do. I felt disgusted with myself.
One day I just walked out of school, went to my mother's office and told her I needed help immediately. Of course, her first response was to suggest this was just a phase. She questioned me extensively, offered suggestions for coping, and completed the tasks that were on her desk. I remained in the chair and again asserted that I needed help!
It quickly occurred to my mom that I in fact needed treatment and she made some calls and took me to a local in-patient treatment center. I spoke privately with counselors there and they quickly determined that I did in fact need to be admitted for in-patient care.
