OUR TEAM: Robert Storey Wilson, D.O.
Certifications:
- Board certified, American Osteopathic Board Family Practice, 1996
- Additional certification American Society Addiction Medicine, 1997
- Diplomat American Board Addiction Medicine 2009
- Licensed in Texas and Colorado
- Member: American Osteopathic Association, American Medical Association, Texas
- Osteopathic Association, Texas Medical Foundation
- Certified private pilot age 17, briefly youngest pilot in U.S. Served as Aviation Medical Examiner or the FAA for 10 years until 1995.
Summary
With over 35 years of clinical experience, 14 years of personal recovery and over 13 years of full-time work in the field of addiction medicine, Dr. Wilson, a board-certified Addictionologist, provides an immediate connection to our clients at Summer Sky Treatment Center. As Summer Sky’s Medical Director, he manages our 72-Bed, adult and adolescent treatment programs and has treated over 7,000 patients during his tenure at Summer Sky. Dr. Wilson was one of the first physicians to obtain a Diplomat American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM). Currently, he serves as a volunteer on the State-Wide Physicians Health and Rehabilitation Committee from 2004 to the present.
Why We Do What We Do…
A Message from Dr. Robert S. Wilson:
Fifteen years ago my wife of 20 years developed complications of her Multiple Sclerosis. She started having severe pain for the first time. Her neurologist, at the time (incorrectly) said pain is never a part of MS and was unwilling to treat her pain. After many sleepless nights of watching her suffer, I began writing scripts for a potent narcotic pain medication. She was so ill; O was om fear of her dying.
Very soon, I began taking her pain meds and found that they relieved my mental discomfort as well as it relieved her physical pain. Soon, I was taking increasing amounts for the same effect. Her prescriptions were not sufficient to supply both of us, so I began forging prescriptions. Gratefully, because of tolerance, I do not believe my ability to practice was impaired to the point that I harmed anyone. Unlike most of our patients, I was 44 years old before I had my first problem with addiction.
A local pharmacist notified the medical board and my professional association. I was intervened on in my home by a peer and an employee of my professional association 7/15/94. Until that moment I had honestly never thought of myself as an addict, even though I regularly referred sick patients to A.A. and N.A.
I went to a psychiatric hospital for 14 days Detox and then 4 months to half way house living in Atlanta Ga. I had already practiced Family Practice for 20 years. I felt grateful to be able to do a job I mostly enjoyed. My father worked long hours at a job he hated, just to provide for his family. But while in treatment, I fell in love with the practice of Addiction Medicine and I ordered the textbook form the American Society of Addiction Medicine. When I returned back to my partnership, my partner did not want to continue working together. By “coincidence“, at an N.A. meeting , one of the recovering Summer Sky nurses mentioned that they were looking for a medical director. I contacted the administrator and was offered the job, After two years working full time in the field, I was able to sit for the board certification exam in Addiction Medicine, and did so.
Working with fellow suffering addicts and alcoholics made a very difficult first few years easier for me to remain sober. I saw a psychiatrist once a week as past of my medical board order. He was a recovering alcoholic, but had never experienced a craving. One day, in all sincerity, he asked me what a craving felt like. I answered that:” hold your breath for two minutes, the urge you have to breath at that point is similar to the urge I feel to use all the time” If I had relapsed during the 5 years I was monitored by the board and my professional association, I would surely have lost my medical license for good. Twelfth step work (working with fellow suffering addicts and alcoholics) gave me the strength to remain sober as well as provided enormous personal satisfaction.
Since 1995, I have treated 8000 adults and adolescents through 28-42days of treatment. For the last six years, I have served on the same Texas State Physician’s Health and Rehabilitation Committee that intervened on me 15 years ago. I have become board certified in Addiction Medicine and am a Diplomat of the new American Board of Addiction Medicine. I still look forward to coming to work every day, love meeting new patients, and watching them grow spiritually over their time at Summer Sky. I will always be grateful to Al Conlan and Summer Sky for trusting me with the Medical Director Job early in my recovery.
After 34 years of practicing medicine, I think about retirement, but I cannot imagine of anything I would rather do with my time. As long as my health allows, and I feel like I am doing a good job, I would like to continue doing what I do every day. Not everyone who works at Summer Sky is in recovery. We all have our own motivations for working with recovering men and women. But we all work for more than just a paycheck; the work is just too daunting and (rewarding) otherwise.
Pain and Addiction
Very soon, I began taking her pain meds and found that they relieved my mental discomfort as well as it relieved her physical pain. Soon, I was taking increasing amounts for the same effect. Her prescriptions were not sufficient to supply both of us, so I began forging prescriptions. Gratefully, because of tolerance, I do not believe my ability to practice was impaired to the point that I harmed anyone. Unlike most of our patients, I was 44 years old before I had my first problem with addiction.
A local pharmacist notified the medical board and my professional association. I was intervened on in my home by a peer and an employee of my professional association 7/15/94. Until that moment I had honestly never thought of myself as an addict, even though I regularly referred sick patients to A.A. and N.A.
I went to a psychiatric hospital for 14 days Detox and then 4 months to half way house living in Atlanta Ga. I had already practiced Family Practice for 20 years. I felt grateful to be able to do a job I mostly enjoyed. My father worked long hours at a job he hated, just to provide for his family. But while in treatment, I fell in love with the practice of Addiction Medicine and I ordered the textbook form the American Society of Addiction Medicine. When I returned back to my partnership, my partner did not want to continue working together. By “coincidence“, at an N.A. meeting , one of the recovering Summer Sky nurses mentioned that they were looking for a medical director. I contacted the administrator and was offered the job, After two years working full time in the field, I was able to sit for the board certification exam in Addiction Medicine, and did so.
Working with fellow suffering addicts and alcoholics made a very difficult first few years easier for me to remain sober. I saw a psychiatrist once a week as past of my medical board order. He was a recovering alcoholic, but had never experienced a craving. One day, in all sincerity, he asked me what a craving felt like. I answered that:” hold your breath for two minutes, the urge you have to breath at that point is similar to the urge I feel to use all the time” If I had relapsed during the 5 years I was monitored by the board and my professional association, I would surely have lost my medical license for good. Twelfth step work (working with fellow suffering addicts and alcoholics) gave me the strength to remain sober as well as provided enormous personal satisfaction.
Since 1995, I have treated 8000 adults and adolescents through 28-42days of treatment. For the last six years, I have served on the same Texas State Physician’s Health and Rehabilitation Committee that intervened on me 15 years ago. I have become board certified in Addiction Medicine and am a Diplomat of the new American Board of Addiction Medicine. I still look forward to coming to work every day, love meeting new patients, and watching them grow spiritually over their time at Summer Sky. I will always be grateful to Al Conlan and Summer Sky for trusting me with the Medical Director Job early in my recovery.
After 34 years of practicing medicine, I think about retirement, but I cannot imagine of anything I would rather do with my time. As long as my health allows, and I feel like I am doing a good job, I would like to continue doing what I do every day. Not everyone who works at Summer Sky is in recovery. We all have our own motivations for working with recovering men and women. But we all work for more than just a paycheck; the work is just too daunting and (rewarding) otherwise.
