here we go....

[harshreality]

Okay, so I've decided that today is day one. My husband is out of town and I have decided not to spend the money he left me on beer but on taking my daughtrr out after her cheerleading practice. I'm thinking cracker barrel. No alcohol.There is no beer in the frige. So why not start now. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

[rod44]

"In God's economy, nothing is wasted. Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility which is probably needed, painful though it is."     -Bill Wilson Co-founder of AA.

[rpooo]

That is so exciting, isn't it! The thought of starting a brand new life, a better life for your daughter and you and your husband! Think about all the extra money and all those times you didnt go anywhere because you didnt want to because you were drinking. All those mornings feeling like part of you was already dead.

Yesterday made it exactly 11 months since i took my last drink, i'm so proud of me and so is everyone else that knows how i used to be. I might have cirrhosis now but I feel more alive than I have in 15 years. So hang in there and take your life back from the fool (alcohol) thats trying to ruin it. That fool tried to kill me and I will never let it have a shot at me again! Your Husband is a great man to be so supportive! God bless YOU! :)

[harshreality]

I talked to my husband last night and told him i wanted to stop drinking and   he agreed that we need to " cut back". I told him it wasnt that simple for me and that i was considering AA. He was more understanding than i thought he would be.

[dominosarah]

You know what you need to do so get a plan in place and dig in.  Using is just a symptom of what is going on inside of you.  We bury many demons during this time.  Time to deal with those and lay them to rest.  You can do this!!          sara

[ibizan]

i hear u got some fine AA meetings down there...got a client up here who has gone to a lot of em down there!sure wish i lived close to u...we could go out for a sober supper......probably each gain 5 lbs!:)

[harshreality]

I was in counseling years ago, but not to address alcohol. Im starting to realize i need AA and counseling.

[narla]

Those days of trying to control my drinking are over for me now,thank goodness,it took me over 30 years to realise I couldn't control it,it controlled me.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel,you can do this,are you getting any help with your addiction,ie:counselling or AA

Keep posting and let us know how you are going

Take Care

Denise

[ibizan]

oh yeah i remember that well.....i dubbed that the emotional hangover that hangs on.....not worth the short buzz!like a caterpillar..u r inching towards sobriety!:)

[harshreality]

Thank-you for all your kind words of wisdom. Yes, i drank last night. And,Yes u are right. Today is another day. I learned that I dont really like who i am when drinking . And that i didnt enjoy the feeling it gave me. Not to mention, the guilt..

[Punkinhead75]

Get up, dust off and take another shot.  Look at what happened and learn something from it.  That is how bad things turn into Good things.  Baby steps.....left foot right foot repeat as needed.  You can do this!!!

[ibizan]

what happened?did u drink?well ok...what did u learn from it?c'mon today  is another day...try again....i knew in my head i was an alcoholic/addict at 19...but it didn't travel to my heart then my gut until i was 28...i tried zillions of time to control it and didn't succeed.....it is this way w/many of us....we try repeatedly to control what we cannot......then we make the committment to total abstinence.....and nothing and no one will stop us!

[rpooo]

Awe dont feel like a loser. you made a mistake today but what about tomorrow? Never quit, quitting! Lets think about how much it meant to your daughter. Something so simple probably turned into a memory she will have for the rest of her life! I bet she doesnt think your a loser at all!

Listen to this, I am 39 and living with cirrhosis for the past year. So i was 38 when diagnosed. I would give anything to change the way I did things but I passed on my chance, Will you pass on yours too? Be smart and think about all the people that love you and need you. How would they feel. Good luck and never stop trying. Maybe you and your husband can be a team and try together even. good luck and God bless you!

Randy

[harshreality]

Well, it didnt go so good   today. I feel like a loser...

[ibizan]

i'll bet theres a LOT of recovering alcoholics and plenty of AA in Nawlins!u can have soft drinks minus the alcohol for mardi gras......the ppl in the quarter asked me what i did for a living and i told them...they chuckled and said ya'll should move down here we got PLENTY of folks 4 u 2 work with!there is a thread here in the forum.....non-alcoholic holiday drinks that i started in december......there were some very good recipes!glad u had a good time w/ur kids..yes our brains get hardwired to the drink...and when the drink is missing the brain is asking hey where'd it go?keeping the brain occupied w/other things and not drink is all one can do...keeping it simple....my mom always tells me how proud she and my dad were of me for each year gone by in sobriety---she said and i know it wasn't an easy road......i replied so right....but a worthwhile one!now u got me thinking of hushpuppies crabcakes.....gumbo........mmmmmmmmm!

[harshreality]

Yes, Ralph and kacoos is still there,and very yummy. I like our food too. Thought about getting some crawfish  today, but that goes with beer,so nevermind. And Mardi gras is coming up, so...great. I don't know how I'm gonna handle that.

[harshreality]

Man, y'all are so wonderful for asking. Well,yesterday was great. We had a nice time, when we got home, I played with my two young sons outside and we topped the night off with a movie and homemade smoothies. Now its day two and its hard but I think its just the habit  that's getting me.

[ibizan]

I was in Nawlins in 1993......I LOVE your states cookin!had fried alligator at Ralph and Caccos in the french quarter.......is it still there?did u have a nice time w/ur daughter?

[Punkinhead75]

How'd it go?

[Jacker]

Okay, how did it go?

I love the Cracker Barrel!