Teanna's Story

Early Struggles

Like many people in the early stages of recovery, Teanna had some struggles. She spent four years in active use and found it impossible to stop. Teanna described her recent past as “horrible and chaotic.” This carried over when she first arrived at Madonna House earlier this year. “I wanted to leave” she said. She found the transition difficult in the beginning and didn’t want to be there.

Thankfully, though, Teanna stuck around and started engaging. She opened up to staff, and she began to immerse herself in what the program had to offer. “I started participating in groups and putting my all into it” she said. “In the end, I benefited from it.”

A New Arrival

Teanna was pregnant when she arrived, and she gave birth to her daughter Mia’Dior only a few short weeks ago. Her experience in the hospital really showed her just how much the staff at Madonna House truly cared. Carolyn Kirkwood, Madonna House’s Program Manager, stayed with Teanna while she was in labor. “It was the best thing ever,” Teanna said. “I never had that kind of support. It made me feel special.” After Teanna gave birth, Carolyn went home for a few hours to sleep but went right back to the hospital to make sure Teanna and her new baby were okay.

Mia’Dior arrived a month early, which understandably caught Teanna by surprise. Madonna House helped Teanna with baby supplies to ensure that Mia’Dior had everything she needed. Teanna is very grateful for the support she’s received thus far. She’s also grateful that her one-year-old son, Ja’King, is able to reside with her at Madonna House.

While welcoming a new addition to her family is exciting, newborns are of course a lot of work. Teanna knows life would be much harder if she weren’t at Madonna House today. “It definitely wouldn’t have been easy,” she said. “It would’ve been really hard and overwhelming.”

Teanna’s Second Chance

Now that she and her two kids have settled in at Madonna House, Teanna’s focusing on continuing her recovery progress. “I’ve learned a lot,” she said. Thus far, the program has taught her coping skills, time management, parenting skills, and much more. It’s also helped her to find her motivation. “I wanted to get better for my kids and for myself,” she said. Teanna wants others who might be struggling to reach out and get help. “You don’t need to be scared or nervous,” Teanna said. “I got a second chance, and I feel amazing.”