One of Sixteen

Born in a small railroad city in the far corner of Northern Vermont on a bitter cold January day, Cora and her twin sister were births number twelve and thirteen to an already over populated family that was suffering from poverty, mental, verbal, manipulation and incest abuse.At a very young age Cora learned how to become extremely loyal to disloyalpeople in herlife. Feeling like she was always a shadow behind her twin sister, Cora grew up feeling like she did not exist even though she knew she was very much alive. Even when she had doubt, she knew she was alive by placing her hand on her chest to feel her heart beat just to reassure herself.After years of humilation Cora decides to head into Canada to escape,only to find herself so conditioned to a disloyal and abusivelife that she returns back to Vermont and marries right into the life she struggled so hard to get away from. After thirty years of living with a replica of her father, Cora finally with the help of Alanon and several counselors learns that she has been addicted to addicts her whole entire life. finally breaking free she removes herself from the only life she ever knew. Today Cora still lives in that small railroad city that is once again in ression and isin a shockingly state of prescription drugabuseand is still home to some families who suffer from the same unfortunate fate as she did.Even though she does not feel like a shadow any longer, she struggles every day to stay focused in her own recovery while she fights anexity and heart ache over watching her own sibblings and loved ones who struggle tofight their own addictions and recovery.