Patient Stories | Victor S.
Victor is a lover of his family, his drums, and the Red Rooster Restaurant in Harlem, NY. 3-years ago, Victor came to the Living Room/Safe Haven Shelter in the Bronx, looking to put an end to his 25-year heroin addiction. Since then, he has been drug free.
Music is Victor S’ life. Heโs partial to jazz, jump blues, R&B, and classic soul, but is up for any style as long as he can play the drums. As a successful freelancer, Victor has shared his talents with a number of different groups at a number of different venues.
However, he has played consistently at the famous Red Rooster Restaurant in Harlem, NY for the past three years.
Coincidentally, it was also three years ago that Victor first visited Care For the Homelessโ (CFH) Health Center at the Living Room/Safe Haven Shelter in the Bronx, NY.
It Started Out as Fun
โI was on heroin for 25-years before I came to the Living Room,โ said Victor. โSince then Iโve been on Suboxone, which I take three times a day.โ
Victorโs condition began all those years ago while he was out on tour. He recalled, โIt was the 80s and I was on tour with a major artist at the time. Whether we were all just hanging out or travelling on the tour bus, there were always drugs around. Crack-cocaine, heroin, and a bunch of others were easily accessible.โ
โIt started out as fun,โ Victor continued, โjust something to do with friends, and then it turned into a big monster. It became a part of me, a part of my everyday life.โ
As his condition ramped up in severity, Victor took note of how it affected his music career, commenting, โIt made it so that every time I went on tour, I would have to have some heroin. So, I took a lot of risks just to make sure I wouldnโt get sick while I was out playing.โ
โAnd I was always a functioning addict,โ Victor continued. โMost addicts start out that way. Itโs their income that determines whether they stay functioning or hit that rock bottom. My addiction was easy to deal with because I was making money. Thereโs a lot of artists out there who do the same thing, and are able to buy what they need, so that they can maintain their lifestyle and perform.โ
Time for a Change
Eventually, it came to a point where Victor decided he needed to make a change. โEven though I was functioning, my family and close friends knew. Plus, when youโre on drugs you just want to die. I had become so addicted that it took a lot for me to even get high. I was tired of using just so that I could feel normal, tired of spending money, tired, tired, tired.โ
Via a friendโs suggestion, Victor began seeking out suboxone programs. His search brought him to the Living Room/Safe Haven Shelter in the Bronx, NY. Health care is provided there by CFH.
The Living Room/Safe Haven is an open access, drop-in shelter, meaning all people experiencing homelessness are welcome to come in, spend time off the street, and receive essential services.
โI didnโt find out about suboxone until after I found [the CFH health center at] the Living Room,โ he recalled. โI had been on Methadone programs before, but they never worked out. I left one back in 2006 without knowing how severe the consequences would be. I didnโt know about the withdrawals and I went through some very serious pain. I didnโt sleep for a month and ended up going back to using.โ
The Living Room
โWhen I stumbled upon the Living Room they started me on suboxone,โ Victor continued. โIt curbs your cravings without any of the withdrawal symptoms. At first it was difficult for me. I was still getting high, so I wasnโt really giving it a chance. But, once I started seeing changes, like waking up feeling normal and not having any cravings for heroin, I realized it was something I wanted to do because Iโd finally be able to live a normal life.โ
While things havenโt been perfect for Victor, he is excited about the progress heโs made. โThereโs good points and bad points. It hasnโt all been peaches nโ cream,โ he commented. โBut I get a lot more done now. I have goals and Iโm working towards doing things that I wanted to get done 30 years ago. Iโm closer to my family, my kids, and my lady. This process has changed a lot for me.โ
Victor always knew he had his providers and loved ones to support him through his journey. โI have a good support system,โ he said. โDr. [Andrea] Littleton, my family, my lady, and Luis Fernandez, CASAC-2 (Certified Alcohol & Substance Abuse Counselor), have all worked hard to help get me to this point.โ
A Culture of Cooperation
The collaborative element of Victorโs journey illustrates what sets CFHโs health care model apart. Doctors, nurse practitioners, and all other providers address every aspect of the person theyโre working with. The culture of cooperation fostered by CFH providers garners trust, respect, and breaks down barriers that would otherwise prevent people from accessing care.
On this, Victor commented, โIf youโre not at a level where you want to be or think you should be, the doctors here will work with you and make sure you get to point where you have stability. I would suggest the services at the Living Room [health center] to anybody thatโs going through addiction. It would do a lot of good in communities if there was increased access to it.โ
Victor S.
As far as the future goes, Victor plans (literally) on following the music. He plays shows multiple times a week at the Red Rooster. He also said, โMoving forward, Iโm looking into getting a stable home because Iโm currently homeless and Iโd also like to spend more time with my kids.โ
Victorโs case is illustrative of the immeasurable impact social medicine can have. CFH addresses the whole person. Culture, socioeconomic background, and political environment, significantly affect their health and are built into the delivery of the health care services they receive.
Thank you for believing in CFH and helping Victor return to and enjoy what he truly loves: his music and his family.
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