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    Unavailable
    Heroin's Puppet: The Rehab Journals of Amelia F. W. Caruso 1989-2009
    Unavailable
    Heroin's Puppet: The Rehab Journals of Amelia F. W. Caruso 1989-2009
    Unavailable
    Heroin's Puppet: The Rehab Journals of Amelia F. W. Caruso 1989-2009
    Audiobook9 hours

    Heroin's Puppet: The Rehab Journals of Amelia F. W. Caruso 1989-2009

    Written by Melissa M. Weiksnar

    Narrated by Melissa M. Weiksnar

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Amy Caruso was a junior in the nursing program at Boston College and seemed to have everything going for her--brains, beauty, athleticism, career goals, a loving family, and many wonderful friends. But in November 2009, she admitted she was a heroin addict and voluntarily entered treatment. Five weeks later she died from an overdose at the treatment facility on the day after Christmas, weeks shy of her twenty-first birthday.

    "Melissa Weiksnar's detailed and bravely honest account of the years leading up to her daughter's tragic death brings true insight into the challenges and angst of parenting a child suffering from addiction. Amy's words and spirit can be felt through her journal entries and allow readers to immerse themselves within the mind of a person struggling to get sober. This story is ammunition towards fighting the stereotype of the 'typical' addict and is evidence that neither a loving family, education nor socioeconomic status can save a person from the powerful grip of addiction. May this book help others to find meaning in their losses and increase awareness about the most effective ways to support a loved one with an addiction." -- Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., LMHC, therapist and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic.

    Melissa Weiksnar attended Wellesley College and is a graduate of MIT, Harvard Business School, and the University of Houston. After twenty years in the high-technology industry, she changed careers to high-school teaching. Since Amy died, Melissa has been telling Amy's story to school, college, community, and religious groups to help others understand how addiction is an equal opportunity disease. She and her husband have two older children and live in Massachusetts.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAmelibro Press Audio
    Release dateJan 25, 2013
    ISBN9780985478728
    Unavailable
    Heroin's Puppet: The Rehab Journals of Amelia F. W. Caruso 1989-2009

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    Reviews for Heroin's Puppet

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      This was a raw, but amazing story. Add this to your read list! Top 5 for sure.
    • 5/5
      Kids don't come with instructions. I used to agree with the saying " what kind of parents does this kid have?"
      You can be the best parents and a child can slip up. You can give your kid anything in the world if they get in trouble and you discipline them they come up with any excuse in the end you get is ' I hate you" they twist things around to make you feel bad. Times are different ,I'm 50 but if I ever brought drugs or disrespected my Mom my Dad my Dad would go ballistic. I think mom wanted to narrate the story cuz she said when she journals it relaxes her.
      I think in these days parents want to be FRIENDS with their kids. I don't believe in that I want my kids to know if they have a problem they can talk to us but I'm not going to be your friend and let you get away without being disciplined .
      These parents today have these kids do a zillion activities on top of school. I'd never force my child into a club or sport unless they wanted it. This world and kids today getting bullied for not having brand new designer clothes, cars cellphones.
      They got her a phone cause of 9/11 they don't even live here in NYC. You want a phone get a job after school and buy it yourself and pay the bill.
      You can't blame this Mom. She has gone threw enough and I'm sure she blames herself that she was a bad Mom.
      You have to level it off . I won't smoother you or force u to do something but if you cross that line there's consequences.
    • 3/5
      It just feels "cold", in my opinion. The death of a child is monumental and this person seems to be taking it too lightly.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Seriously difficult to enjoy, and I feel bad saying that because the author is narrating and after-all- she lost her daughter. But she shouldn’t have narrated this for multiple reasons.
      1. She has a very noticeable lisp.
      2. Flat defect, monotone
      3.It comes across less “If by doing this I can help just one person” and more “See? It’s not my fault! Here’s my very detailed manuscript proving my case!”

      Now, more on that last point. This made me uncomfortable to listen to. The extreme control she put on her daughter may even be considered emotional abuse by some. The entire book reads like a police report. It left me thinking that I can’t blame Amy for doing drugs, you can feel the pressure she must have been under just by the tone of the book! Which is not to say it was the mothers fault. More saying, she seems extremely controlling and everything has to be just so.

      Examples- (not verbatim as I’m going off memory here and being a bit facetious- tho I’m not far off! It’s seriously over the top!)

      Tuesday August 6th: Amy had a bagel for breakfast with no cream cheese, she went to school did her course work and then went to bed at 6pm. She awoke 2x to use the restroom, I listened outside the door, it sounds as if both incidences were urination. In the morning she seemed tired despite going to sleep at 6pm. She left for school and I inspected her trash for any incriminating notes from her friends, called the cell phone company (something she did daily, apparently) to get detailed information on exactly who she called and when.

      Even when all “evidence” proved her innocence she didn’t believe it and would put pressure on her for being dishonest. She called the psychiatrist and Dr every 5 seconds to complain… usually about how everything was just too much for HER.

      The other thing that baffled me was how quick she was to call the cops! She finds a baggy in her backpack with a tiny scrap of weed and immediately takes it to the police and asks them to test it. Something she does often. She’s very quick to turn her in for any infraction, even before talking to her.

      Another thing that made me uncomfortable- she reads a note Amy wrote to her which seems to plead for some privacy. “I understand there must be consequences for my behavior but I ask that you please do not read my diary, or else I will stop writing in it.”

      Mother- publishes diary into a book after her death and reads it to the world. She claims she didn’t read it when she was alive but given the extreme/obsessive controlling behavior she engaged in, it seems unlikely that this is true.

      I think this doesn’t cast the Mother in a good light. I’m sure she was expecting the opposite. It’s painfully uncomfortable to listen to. I had to stop 1/2 way through.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 1/5
      why do authors think they can narrate? This is SUCH painful narration. I tried so hard to listen, because it seemed like a wonderful book, but couldn’t.

      2 people found this helpful