Improving Health,

Gaining Confidence

My name is Treva Hauser. I’m 45 years old and graduated from the Positive Directions program in September 2010.  I now live in my own apartment near Grand Avenue in south St. Louis.

 

I was born and lived my first 17 years on a farm with my seven brothers near Winston-Salem North Carolina.  I am the only girl, the baby of the family.  My father passed when I was 2. Our family moved to the city, Winston-Salem North Carolina where I graduated from high school. 

 

I had my first child when I was 18.  I moved to Atlanta where I attended a Job Corps program.  My daughter Nikita (now 27 years old) stayed with my mother until I completed school.  The Job Corps was a training program where I received nursing assistant and janitorial training.  I lived there for 4 years. 

 

I came back to Winston-Salem where I worked as a nurse’s assistant for 8 years. I had my own place.  I also had 2 more girls, Latreva and Lenithia.  I’ve never been married.  During those years I took care of my uncle, grandfather and grandmother. 

 

My mom passed December 23, 2009.  She was a special woman.  She helped me raise my kids.  She was a nurse by profession.  Toward the end of her life she suffered from back trouble.  When she received medicine for the problem she suffered a heart attack and died.  She was 63.  Looking back, I’m amazed she raised all my brothers and me, not to mention my own kids when I was going through my addiction to drugs.

 

At the age of 37 I got involved in a relationship that was very negative.  I started using crack cocaine.  Thankfully, I admitted myself to a two year drug rehab program.  I graduated from that program drug free in February of 2009.  Shortly after, I had a minor stroke. 

 

When I was discharged from the hospital, I met a man who was advertising a Christian women’s home in St. Louis called the “Power House.”  Because of my former drug use I knew I had to make radical changes in my life if I was going to survive.  So I left home for St. Louis and lived at the Power House in early 2009.  Not long after I got sick and ended up at the hospital again.  I thought I had pneumonia or the flu but as it turns out, I was diagnosed with HIV. 

 

When you’re diagnosed with HIV you’re assigned a case manager.  My case manager helped me find Positive Directions.  I entered the program in May of 2009.

 

My girls never knew about my drug use until I entered rehab.  I’ve not told them about my illness.

 

Today Nikita is 27.  She’s a nurse with 3 children.  Letriva has 2 children.  Letreva works for Dell Computers.  My youngest Lenethia is getting ready to graduate from college and plans to work as a translator. 

 

I talk to my girls everyday.  They’ve been supportive of my move to St. Louis given my relationship and drug use.  They know now that I had to leave.

 

Because of Positive Directions I’ve graduated from a culinary school at St. Louis University.  I also received a Certificate of Achievement from Positive Directions for Most Improved Resident. 

 

I continue to be a part of Positive Directions even though I’ve graduated from the program.  When I first entered I barely spoke.  I used to listen to the PD nurse, Darlene, in group and knew that one day I would speak about my life.  Eventually I did.  Now they can’t shut me up.  I want to be on hand let others know that they can make it.  I want to be a support to anyone in the program.  I’m known as “little mamma” at PD.  The men in the program tell me they like having a woman around to look after them.

 

I would tell anybody that if you’re serious about improving your life, Positive Directions is the place.  You don’t need to worry about anything except taking the right steps to improve your health.

 

My plan is to return home to North Carolina for a visit.  I need to tell my family and friends about my illness.  I feel confident now that I can do that.  Positive Directions has helped me accept the fact that I have HIV, and that I can still have a good life. 

 

I’m also closer to God than I’ve ever been.  I know that He can make all good things happen.

 

 

 

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