“Once we got married, he started abusing me pretty badly,” she said. Not only that, but, like so many young couples, they were trying to start a family. “I’ve always — always — wanted to be a mother from as young as I can remember,” she said. Unfortunately, at the age of 22, Angela was diagnosed with endometriosis. Because of it, she was having surgery roughly every six months. Doctors suggested that conceiving and having a baby would help, so she began the rollercoaster of infertility treatment.
“I did three rounds of infertility meds,” she said. “In those three months, I had 21 eggs in me. Not one of them took. So the doctor said the next step was in vitro. My ex-husband did not feel comfortable with that because he said it was going to cost us another 15 grand on top of the 15 grand we’d already put out, and there was only a 50 percent chance that it would work. So we both decided that that was it.”
Rather than continue to go through the stress and pain of incessant surgeries, Angela had a hysterectomy. But, those years of infertility that culminated with that hysterectomy took their toll. “That caused even more strife in my marriage because in many people’s eyes, I was damaged goods because I can’t have children,” she said. Within months, she was divorced and spiraling out of control.
“Most people will probably tell you they started doing drugs at 13, 15 to 18. I’m the exception to the rule,” she said. “I actually didn’t start using drugs until I was 27 years old.” Not surprisingly, Angela’s addiction led her into some dangerous and traumatic experiences. Involvement with the justice system followed. While Angela was in county jail awaiting her fate, she says she found out that her mother called her attorney to beg him to make sure she got prison time. She felt betrayed at the time, but her time in prison changed her mind.
“As soon as we exited the gates, I lost control,” she said. “I bawled hysterically. Prison was an eye-opener for me. I feel like God put me there for a reason. It saved my life. So to let all that out once I got out of prison was huge. I spent the day with my parents, and then they took me to the house.”
Angela spent six months at Peace House between June 22 and December 18, 2020. When she describes her time at Peace House, it’s hard to miss the gratitude she feels for the impact it has had on her.
When I’d go home to Peace House, I was comfortable. I knew I was safe. I knew everything was OK. That was a big deal.
— Angela LeBee
According to Angela, without Peace House and Journey to New Life, she would not have accomplished as much as she has.
“I actually paid for everything I own right now. It’s legitimately mine,” she said. “I worked hard for it. It’s sad to be happy over that, but I’m happy about that. It’s all mine. It may not be the best, but I worked hard for it. It’s bought and paid for.”
Though she still struggles knowing she can’t have children, she says she’s at least accepted it. “It’s just difficult when I hear other people talk about getting pregnant and what they’re going through,” she said. “I would love to go through that. I want the stretch marks. I want the swollen feet. I want the hormonal moodiness. But I just had to come to terms with it.”
Today, she’s still taking things one day at a time, but she’s working at a job she says she loves. She has her own apartment. She’s mending broken relationships, and she’s starting to think about her future. “I’ve actually started talking about wanting to buy a house. I’ve never wanted to buy a house in my life,” she said. “This is the most normal my life has ever been. At this point, I just want to continue that path.”
