Michael's Story
My name is Michael Nuesca. I started coming to the Clubhouse in September of 2008.
Before I began attending Clubhouse I was homeless and on drugs. While I was on the streets I noticed I was getting sick often, my body was slowly deteriorating. I knew the drugs were affecting me in a bad way. Because of my substance abuse combined with my diabetes I lost a lot of weight. I am normally 180 pounds but I shrunk down to 78 pounds. At this point I admitted myself to the hospital. I don’t remember how long I was in the hospital because of my mind state. The doctors helped me regain my health and got me in a foster care home.
I also got a case manager who recommended I attend the Clubhouse.
The moment I entered the Clubhouse I knew it was for me. The people around me were in the same or similar situation, we all have a mental illness.
While at the Clubhouse I heard from friends that there was a job opening at Geo Tech solutions as a sand bag filler. I was interested so I spoke to staff in charge of the job. The placement manager, John Henry, referred me and I got the job. I have been working there since November 2009.
At GeoTech I work with 3 other co workers and we fill sandbags to stop floods and to control the overflow of water on the roads during storms. Because of my diabetes the staff insisted that I work at my own pace and rest when I need to and drink water when I need to. In the beginning I got tired quickly because I had not worked in a long time. As I got used to the job I got less tired and was able to make more sandbags.
My goal is to finish the job I am working on, I have till November 2010. After I completed my current job placement I plan to find another job. I hope to find a job with outdoor work. If you know of any employers with a job that fits this description I’m here to let you know I am interested.
Even though I am unsure of what the future has in store for me, I do know I’ll always have a home at the Waipahu Aloha Clubhouse and I’ll always be a member.