Life After Losing My Voice to Thyroid Cancer, Using a Karaoke Microphone To Speak for a Year, and Drinking During Drug Interdiction Missions

Ted was sent to military school, later joined the Navy, and served during the Gulf War, stationed in Jacksonville and working drug interdiction missions off the coast of Venezuela. During his Navy service, he developed alcohol addiction, a habit he continued for years in New Orleans while working in the oil and gas industry, as drinking was embedded in the local social culture.After several failed recovery attempts, Ted achieved sobriety in March 2017 and launched Bodine Recovery, an addiction recovery community. The program started with an empty house and no clients for eight months, but through persistence and a focus on structure, fitness, and accountability, it grew into a successful sober living community.In 2018, just two years after losing his mother to cancer, Ted was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Complications from surgery left him with a paralyzed vocal cord and unable to speak for nearly a year. Using a karaoke microphone, he continued running meetings and leading residents until a second surgery restored his voice instantly.Today, Ted leads Bodine Recovery full-time, blending recovery coaching, personal training, and mentorship. He continues to advocate for stronger aftercare systems, especially better case management and supportive housing for people leaving treatment.GUESTTed BroomesTed is the founder and owner of Bodine Recovery Homes in Houston, Texas, where he has been creating supportive sober living environments since 2017. Drawing on his experiences in recovery and the military, Ted is passionate about individualized care and empowering men to rebuild their lives with accountability, community, and personal growth.Connect with Ted on LinkedInLearn more about Bodine Recovery HomesMatt Handy is the founder of Harmony Grove Behavioral Health in Houston, Texas, where their mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-based care for anyone facing addiction, mental health challenges, and co-occurring disorders.Find out more at harmonygrovebh.com  My Last Relapse explores what everyone is thinking but no one is saying about addiction and recovery through conversations with those whose lives have changed.For anyone disillusioned with traditional recovery and feeling left out, misunderstood, or weighed down by unrealistic expectations, this podcast looks ahead—rejecting the lies and dogma that keep people from imagining life without using.Got a question for us? Leave us a message or voicemail at mylastrelapse.comFind us on YouTube @MyLastRelapse and follow Matt on Instagram @matthew.handy.17About Harmony Grove Behavioral Health Harmony Grove delivers outpatient addiction and mental health treatment focused on wellness, creativity, and authentic human connection—providing a supportive space for healing that extends beyond traditional clinical care.Harmony Grove’s IOP in Houston, Texas, is more than a program; it’s a lifeline for those ready to take the next step in their recovery. We are ready to meet you where you are and find your unique path to change. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, and help is always available. If you or anyone you know needs help, give us a call 24 hours a day at 844-430-3060.Host: Matthew HandyProducer: Eva SheieAssistant Producers: Mary Ellen Clarkson & Hannah BurkhartEngineering: Voltage FM, Spencer ClarksonTheme music: Survive The Tide, Machina AeonCover Art:  DMARKMy Last Relapse is a production of Kind Creative: kindcreative.comQuestions this episode answers:Why does the real work of recovery happen in sober living — not in the 28 days of treatment?What happens to clients the day they walk out of treatment with nowhere structured to go?Why do treatment centers coast on old reputations while their product quietly deteriorates?How does high staff turnover destroy the relationships that actually keep people sober?What would it take for insurance companies to start funding aftercare the same way they fund residential?