Topic : 03/22 Living on the Edge

Hi Crissy,  

At this point your husband needs tough love. I think you should stay seperated from him but stay commited to him and be supportive of him. Allow him to see the kids under supervision. You married him for better or for worse. Alcoholism is one of the hardest if not the hardest addiction to overcome. It is going to take alot of work but he can't do it alone. 

I went to a rehab facility that made accomodations for income level by either waiving the fee altogether or reducing the cost significantly and giving payment plans.  Talk to them and ask them about how to get some assistance.  Don't take no for an answer--it's too important. 

Good Luck. 

Lisa- 

If you read this,  

I just want you to know that your life, as horrible and hopeless as it may seem now, WILL get better. I worry that you will hold on to the hurts from your mother. I saw the faint glimmer of hope in your eyes. When Dr Phil was telling you that you are worth something, I also saw you telling yoursef, "yeah right. If only he knew. I don't believe a word of it, because it;s just not true. I must have pulled something out of my sleeve to make him believe that."  

I am an alcoholic. I have gone to AA meetings drunk, I have been in rehab twice (through the courts). When I saw you, I was looking in the mirror. My last drink was a short 3 months ago. I don't tremble any longer. . I heard you say you didn't want to think about alcohol every day. I am getting to the point where I can think about alcohol, and not feel scared or angry or yearning. I saw you puking as I have done so many days. It sucks. It's like, okay, I want to drink so I can puke and cry, want to die, puke and cry, want to die. Getting that poisen out of your system does give you a new perspective!! 

When I got resentful and decided I was tired of talking, living, eating, reading, sociallizing and studying sobriety, I started drinking. Make no mistake, it is hard work. As is anything worthwhile. But it's also a heck of a lot more fun! 

Now I think in terms of who I want to be, how I want to feel, what I want to do, and what I need to live a happy and fullfilling life. I hope that you will find that. You are not alone. Thank you for reminding me that I am not alone.  Sounds weird from a stranger, but I do live your struggles.. Thank you 

       First of all, it takes a lot of courage to talk openly about your problems; whats more, to be on tv while discussing them. She has already taken a skip forward. I cannot judge her, because i've made many mistakes because i was drinking. I think many people have. Her mistakes were extreme, but  can be rectified. She is going in the right direction, if that is her path of choice. She can change. She can be better, and she will. After all she has already taken a skip. 

My husband was not drinking anymore when he decided to go to that party and I believe he also got in there with others drinking and in that type of situation if someone asked if he wanted another beer he would say sure. I was and still am totally baffled by how he went to that party. I thought he was working and then I found out he wasn't so then I was even more baffled by it. As I said the person that through the party knew from other co-workers that I was searching for an answer as to where he was at that time of the early morning.  I'm not totally sure what if he could have been labeled an alcoholic and that is only because when he was home he didn't drink he used to get four weeks vacation and he never drank during his time off. It was never in my house because of my kids. I didn't even buy it for the kids birthday parties. I remember telling my mom that if my one brother had ideas that he was gonna come to a birthday party for my daughter that he think again about trying to bring alcohol into my home. My mom said you have to have some there for the adults if they want it. I told her if they cannot come to my childs birthday party and drink soda or coffee then they didn't need to come at all. My mom used to get a case of beer for our parties when we were kids but she never really drank it was her brothers. I'm a very firm believer that alcohol has no business being served at a childs party. I have to say that my husband made a fatal judgement call and alcohol does kill. I'm baffled by how the government can make such a strong stance against the tobacco companies because they claim cigarettes kill you. They made the tobacco companies drop there sponsership of sports events and advertising. If you smoke a cigarette yes you may eventually die from cancer however why leave the breweries advertise beer an item that when a person gets behind the wheel of a vehicle after having drank slightly more than they should that vehicle is turned into a weapon and kills or severely injures people right away. What are they thinking?  I mean they want to complain about the kids getting a hold of alcohol underage and they want to put all kinds of restrictions on them if they get caught  but yet they leave these companies advertise and make it look so great and so good when its not. I think alcohol should be pulled from sponsoring sports ,concerts anything because all its doing is sensationalizing it for the kids out there and re-enforcing the thought that hey its cool to drink.  TO THE KIDS OUT THERE NO IT'S NOT COOL TO DRINK, ITS NOT COOL TO GO AND HAVE SOMEONE ELSE BUY YOU BEER AND THEN YOU GET BEHIND THE WHEEL. IT'S A FAST WAY TO HEAVEN AND THATS ALL IT IS.