Stranger Than Fiction
As you can imagine we get all sorts of calls here at the centre; people who are drunk or high and looking for someone to talk to; desperate for treatment; in crisis, sometimes suicidal. I've fielded a couple of late night calls this week that caught me off guard and had me at a loss for words. That doesn't happen very often.
The first was a 31 year old woman, coke addicted, who works as a stripper and was calling to enquire about treatment. We wound up talking about various things, mainly treatment, program and addiction topics for over an hour. At the end of the conversation she told me that I sounded like the nicest man she'd ever spoken to and would I sponsor her in her recovery? Hmmm....very tempting......but entirely inappropriate. Men sponsor men; women sponsor women - it keeps things much less complicated.
The other was a man who had a very feminine voice; also inquiring about treatment. After I had explained the parameters of our program he asked if we had a program tailored to people like him. 'What do you mean by that exactly?' Turns out he's half way through the transgendering process; he's on hormone therapy, had breast implants, some electrolysis but hasn't had the genital surgery as yet. I had to refer him to a couple of other larger, more specialized centres. At the end of the conversation he insisted that I take his phone number, thanked me for my understanding and help and then told me I was free to call him anytime; that I sounded like a very nice man.......very long pause.....uh, thanks...I think. I'm still not sure if it was a legit call or if I was being pranked. I think it was the real thing but.....
I just never know what a night of work is going to involve. It sure keeps life interesting.
The first was a 31 year old woman, coke addicted, who works as a stripper and was calling to enquire about treatment. We wound up talking about various things, mainly treatment, program and addiction topics for over an hour. At the end of the conversation she told me that I sounded like the nicest man she'd ever spoken to and would I sponsor her in her recovery? Hmmm....very tempting......but entirely inappropriate. Men sponsor men; women sponsor women - it keeps things much less complicated.
The other was a man who had a very feminine voice; also inquiring about treatment. After I had explained the parameters of our program he asked if we had a program tailored to people like him. 'What do you mean by that exactly?' Turns out he's half way through the transgendering process; he's on hormone therapy, had breast implants, some electrolysis but hasn't had the genital surgery as yet. I had to refer him to a couple of other larger, more specialized centres. At the end of the conversation he insisted that I take his phone number, thanked me for my understanding and help and then told me I was free to call him anytime; that I sounded like a very nice man.......very long pause.....uh, thanks...I think. I'm still not sure if it was a legit call or if I was being pranked. I think it was the real thing but.....
I just never know what a night of work is going to involve. It sure keeps life interesting.
posted by Norm at 3/08/2007 02:54:00 AM
2 Comments:
Sounds like very interesting work. I would imagine it can be heartbreaking at times, too.
Now your next post (transgender) makes a bit more sense to me.
How would you work out sponsorship with someone in the midst of transitioning from male to female (or the other way around)? I ask because you mentioned men sponsor men, women sponsor women (which makes a lot of sense to me).
It's a terrific mix of work. At times heartbreaking or frustrating but on the plus side incredibly rewarding when you see someone start to get it. Also seeing them out doing the 'do' things a year later and hearing about how their lives have come together again. Goosebump moments.
Re: T/G sponsorship. There are exceptions to every rule and would likely be looking for someone from the T/G community (very small) who is in recovery(1% of society) or one of their prof caregivers who is in the program. The person would have to be completely up on T/G, addiction, identity issues and the psychology involved, have long term sobriety/clean time. A tall order.
The same sex sponsor helps keep the whole sex issue out of the equation especially for people new in recovery. A very vulnerable time and sometimes confusing. Our judgment is off. We have a tendency to try and save each other thereby taking the focus off us and our recovery.
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