Feb 17, 2022
This week, Jason and Hilary conclude their interview with Annie and Kevin Blake. We left off last week with Kevin discussing the depths of his addiction and how he finally got to a place in which he could change, all with Annie sticking by his side and helping him every step of the way. Kevin had finally gotten to a place in which he was doing well and their marriage had healed but the tables began to turn. Annie began feeling ill and could not figure out what was happening to her body until she was eventually diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Kevin became her caretaker as her disease progressed and the doctor began throwing every kind of medicine her way to help with the pain. What she didn’t expect, however, were the side effects that would come with the drugs. She began developing an addiction for the medications, resulting in severe depression, and progressing into suicidal ideations in which she attempted to end her life over six different times. After her last unsuccessful suicide attempt, she knew her only option was to absolve herself from all prescription medication even if this meant having to live with the pain from her disease. Kevin talks about how important Annie was to him in some of his worst moments so he knew it was his duty to do whatever he could to help her during her own struggles. He retired early, having to accept a reduced pension plan, to take care of Annie and all that comes with the disease. Today, Annie and Kevin’s relationship has rebuilt itself on the ideals of communication and understanding and the two of them have never been closer. They have since opened their home to others struggling with addiction and use their own experiences and hardships to provide hope. Annie and Kevin’s relationship is a true example of life coming full circle and they stress the importance of reaching out for help, no matter what the struggle.
You can connect with Annie and Kevin at:
Email: imdoublegood@yahoo.co.uk
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