Saving Jenny

This is a scary but true memoir that shows the personal cost of the opioid addiction epidemic. It is powerfully written and shows how anyone could get addicted from legitimate and necessary prescribed painkiller use.

What a journey into the toll PTSD, addiction, and the various "treatments" offered to the youth of today. Throughout this book, what stands out to me is the unconditional love Vivian gave to her daughter, both fighting their way through what passes for a medical system in the United States. This is an eyeopener! Definitely worth reading.

I enjoy reading memoirs of all types and I really enjoyed reading this one because it's a subject that needs to be discussed and not hidden. It shouldn't be something that we turn away from because pre conceived notions. I admire their honesty in the telling of their story and I really think it's something that you would too. This is a subject that I am not familiar with but I love to read and learn about things that are not within my realm. Well told story that should definitely be picked up.

Loneliness is one of the main reasons someone may turn to drugs. The feeling of being accepted and loved is the greatest gift that a person can receive.
This story is about a mother's willingness to do anything to get her daughter, Jenny sober. Jenny was severely traumatized at the death of her father at an early age. She has PTSD. After being hit by a speeding taxi, she is than diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury. Having a single mother that has to work made her feel alone and unloved. This created the perfect storm for her becoming addicted to drugs. Her mother literally sells everything to be able to send her daughter to rehab. Unfortunately these institutions are all about the money, and not about the care of the individual. I believe this mother literally loved her daughter to become sober. She went to extreme lengths to rescue her daughter from wherever she was and from whoever was indulging her addiction. The mother finding her faith and love from a higher power is what gave her the strength to continue to do what needed to be done. This is truly and extraordinary story of live, strength, faith, and the determination to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was given an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was very excited to win this one because I love books about addiction/alcoholism/mental health. I am also 7 years in recovery myself so I can always relate to these books in that manner.
The beginning of this book focuses on how addiction and mental illness affect the life of both the author and her daughter Jenny who is in active addiction. It goes through all of the stages of Jenny's life from childhood and her young adulthood. Some people who read some of the things that go on might think to themselves, "Isn't this a little dramatic? Is this REALLY what goes on with drug addicts?" The answer is yes. It is unfortunately. We all have different stories about our active addiction but this one is not so far from some that I have heard from friends in recovery. My own bottom was "higher" as some people say but I know what is waiting for me if I choose to go back to that lifestyle. I was intrigued by the stories of Jenny's treatment center experiences. Wow. Hearing about some of her experiences makes me even more grateful for the treatment center that I was blessed to go to in 2011. I can honestly say that nearly everything that was missing from the places in this story, my treatment center had and I am so grateful for my experience. I definitely can't imagine being in treatment and not having a high value placed on spirituality and a relationship with a Higher Power.
The second half of the book delves into ways in which the author thinks that spirituality should be applied to everything in our lives to make them better basically. I agree 100% with that. Not until recovery did I have any sort of spirituality in my life and what a difference in makes in all areas. I have to say, as I was reading the second half I was thinking to myself, basically the author feels that if everyone worked a 12 step program then our world would be a better place - and I say this all of the time! HA! But really the principles discussed line up exactly with the 12 steps. Without them my life wouldn't be where it is today.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is in recovery or knows someone in recovery. It is a very honest account of things that went on and I appreciate the honesty.

A gripping look at an American epidemic. The story of how a person falls into this type of situation, and the struggle to climb out it at once heartbreaking and enthralling.