I've been following the topics for quite some time....yes, I'm still kicking :) I've had my 'rounds' with the drinking but have stayed stopped. Not getting complacent, in fact I'm attending a professional services group.
The reason for my post is to share a story....a close friend of mine's ex-husband is(was) what we would describe as an advanced alcoholic. We talking over a 26'er per day. A short time back was their daughter's birthday and he was on his way over to see her. Well, he never made it. They found him in his car that morning in a Walmart parking lot not far from her place dead. He had decided not to drink that day while he attended the party but because he drank so profusely and consistently that he went into withdrawals that morning and was in very bad shape. The autopsy results came back and the doctors determined it was the absolute shock of the withdrawals that ended things for him.
I've had some bad hangover withdrawals myself so I can only imagine how extreme it must have been for this poor fellow. I've read here and online withdrawals when quitting is to be taken SO seriously and one should seek medical intervention to get through it and now I've seen it first hand the ultimate impact of it.
It's really changed my perspective on drinking and hanging preciously to my sobriety.
Such a timely post and response to a share I made during my morning AA home group the "AA by the bay AA group". I am a long time daily program walker and still fit within the share of another member that he is alcoholic; drinking or not. I agree totally and while being fully resistant to recovery and anything/one AA at the start I "came to understand" thru surrender mind, body, spirit and emotions and turning control over to HPs in my life including the fellowship much more sober than myself for a longer period of time.
Having said that I am also college educated about the chemicals I use to use often because I just could. Have I fully gotten it? Do I fully understand how this cunning, powerful and baffling disease works and feel totally relieved of the threat?
I have been in recovery since 2/8/79 and my last struggle with this disease on the mental, emotional and spiritual basis was at around 2AM when I was awaken because the drinkers of my past who still reside in my memory wanted to discuss the importance of the numbers 151 and should I be able to solve it regain balance with drinking. 151? I am a former practicing member of the Ron Rico 151 club a membership which was so very supportive of my alcoholic ego. I considered the jabbering in my head for a minute or so while knowing that I was just being alerted that my disease is alive and well and I will not drink to it.
I got back to sleep for a while, got up and got to my meeting, shared on it as Dave S has just done, taken some criticism that maybe it wasn't as important as any unrelated share and came home to this affirmation.
Mahalo DaveS and Akua (my HP) RonRico151 isn't a math problem. (((hugs)))
