Life on Life’s Terms

After four very full-on months at Blossom Place Recovery House, I recently moved back home to Edmonton. I didn’t plan to be home so soon, but sometimes life happens and you just have to roll with it.

Deanna Sullivan is the owner and operator of Blossom, and there is truly no one like her. She is incredibly fierce, exceptionally honest, and pours her heart and soul into Blossom. I mean, you need to be pretty hardcore to tackle a houseful of people with varying illnesses and addictions. What I love most, is that Deanna doesn’t just treat the disease. She takes care of the whole person and truly loves each and every one of us.

Three weeks ago, Deanna was in a serious motorcycle accident that severed her right foot and left her with a very long road of recovery. As the sole operator of Blossom, it meant that the house had to close temporarily and all of us living there had to go home. No one was prepared for such an outcome, but unfortunately it was the only option.

With so much change and uncertainty, our last week together was filled with a whole lot of emotions. We were sad to be leaving each other so soon, scared for Deanna, and of course, nervous for our recovery. One of the most important parts of recovering from an eating disorder (or any addiction for that matter), is having accountability. At the house, we had support and accountability 24/7. I was very aware that within a few days I would be back to full freedom, and my ED thoughts were going rampant. My first reaction was, “Well…this isn’t going to go very well.”

Thankfully, I was wrong. It turns out that four months gave me a greater foundation than I expected. It’s a little rickety at times, but holding steady nonetheless. As they say…progress not perfection. I haven’t been perfect, but when I fall I’ve been getting right back up and doing everything I can for my recovery.

So what happens now? In some ways, living at Blossom was like having training wheels and now I’m on my very own bicycle. This is the critical point at which I take full responsibility for my recovery. I know that if I give my ED an inch, it’ll take a mile. For the next few months I’ll be doing IOP (Intensive Outpatient), which means that my life in recovery is still in full swing!

And just like that, I’m onto the next…