Optemetrist Melanie Weiss shared her story with students on Thursday, Jan. 17 afternoon and later that day to others in the Ipswich School Theater.

Her mission is to share her vision of hope. Melanie's web site, http://www.myvisionmyhope. com, says her mission is to educate the community as a whole about the firsthand effects and consequences of opioid abuse.

She told her story of addiction and recovery. Melanie "hopes to empower, inspire, and extend a vision of hope to all who hear her message," according to the website.

Sheriff Todd Holtz asked Weiss to come to Ipswich after he heard her story at a meeting in Bowdle.

Weiss said she had a "normal" two-parent home in Watertown. She enjoyed high school activities and she was driven to be a success at what she attempted. She knew then she wanted to be an optemetrist.

After college she returned to Watertown and built her own business. "I was lucky," she said. The business was busy. "I was driven in life to be successful," she said.

She and her husband had three daughters within 18 months of each other, with one set of twins.

She had three surgeries in three years. The first was the removal of her appendix in 2007. She was prescribed medication to stop the pain. Her need for the medication escalated. They made her feel like she could do anything.

After the doctors stopped giving her refills, Weiss found other ways to get the opioids. She turned to family members and friends to get her pills and she also wrote prescriptions for herself.

Her brother-in-law questioned her need for the drugs and turned her in to authorities. She was put on probation with drug tests. "I couldn't stop, even though my license was on the line," she said.

Weiss said she manipulated the system to avoid getting caught. She could not think of anything but taking the pills after a few days off them.

So many times she tried to quit, she said. She made up stories to get pills, eventually turning to stealing. The police were watching her and in September 2016 they arrested her after she had stolen drugs from a home.

Weiss said it was a relief when she was arrested.

Her daughters were in high school at the time of her arrest. She was so ashamed she didn't want to go to a game to watch her daughter cheer. She was surprised when the people in the gym where supportive.

She received a sentence of 180 days in the Coddington County jail. Her 70 days in rehab programs counted toward her sentence, so she served 110 days in jail.

Her optometry license was suspended until January 2019. She is seeing patients again at her clinic in Watertown.

It is tough being sober, she said. She still has to fight the urges.

Sheriff Holtz told the audience Thursday night that the opioid problem could touch any of us.

He introduced Brooke Jung, an Ipswich graduate, to share her story. Brooke tearfully told about her Mom's battle with addiction. "I worried everytime the phone rang," she said. Brooke's mom, Denise Jung died in November of 2017.

Weiss said her family went through treatment with her for three days. Two of her daughters are planning to earn degrees in counseling.

"If you see or suspect something say something," Weiss said. She also urged people to lock up their medications.

Weiss is in a five-year program with random urine and hair testing.

The urge for the drugs is always there, Weiss said. "Addiction is a beast," she said. "I don't wish it on anyone."