WEBSTER N.Y. -- One mother fighting to save her two kids has been nothing more than what she considers a constant struggle.

“People act different when they find out, 'oh, you’re a heroin addict.' They think it’s a choice, it’s not a choice,” said Stephanie Mastrella, a Webster mother whose son and daughter are recovering from drug addiction.

“I always knew it was a disease, I never knew how hard it was for them; I used to blame them,” Stephanie said.

Mastrella said blamed them for once again going back to the drugs, but she lives in fear that her son and daughters’ lives could be cut short. Yearning to help, she says eight years of her life was taken from her and throughout the situation, it went from bad to worse.

“I can’t keep them in the house; they would take the car, even though they didn’t have a license. Money would be missing,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie’s daughter, Alexandria Mastrella, a 27-year-old mother of two young daughters tells us that they’ve been through the storm.

“My drug of choice would be Xanax and Oxy’s (OxyContin), the heroine; I liked, the cocaine; I loved," Alexandria said. “Every child deserves a sober parent, and that is what I’m trying to give to them.”

Alexandria adds there will be a time when her children will be old enough to understand, but for now she is working towards staying clean, while reconnecting with her brother.

“When we're both using? It’s terrible,” says Alexandria.

“I’ve wanted to turn my life around numerous times,” said 28-year-old Rocco Mastrella, Alexandria's brother and Stephanie's son.

Rocco is having a difficult time in his recovery; he says circumstances forced him on a different path.

“It’s easy when there are consequences like that when having to go to jail, and sometimes that hasn’t even been enough,” Rocco said.

In and out of inpatient care, the family says it is difficult to get a bed at a treatment center, so the journey has not been so easy.

On the brighter side, the Mastrella’s discovered support within and after almost a decade they will once again celebrate the holidays as a family.

The family also tells us they are planning their own support group to educate the public and help those who can’t help themselves.

“There are a lot of kids waiting and even adults waiting for a bed,” added Stephanie.