help scare me/us straight

[Tulipe]

help scare me/us straight

Golfpro, thank you for sharing your story. That should be enough to scare us all. Thank goodness you didn't get into an accident. Here is a story which just makes me SICK! A friend of my dad's is the ex-district attorney for his district. He blew a stopsign when totally smashed and hit another car putting two young people in the hospital. He went through rehab, and came home, and started drinking again. WORST of it is, there were no charges, nothing went on his record, and he's still driving. All because of his political connections. Makes me want to puke. This same guy, a few years ago, had just had a near-death experience caused by AL poisoning. At a dinner at my parents house, he said to me, "I stopped drinking, but in honor of your visit, I salute you," as he drank his vodka. What a loser.

Tulipe

[tiptronic_ct]

help scare me/us straight

Hi, All

I can SO identify with what the others, and especially cat has posted.

A big wake-up call for me was attending the funeral of a cousin two weeks ago. He was only 52, and died from organ failure as a result of his alcoholism. It was so sad: his daughter and other family members had so much difficulty finding anything positive to say about him. I do NOT want that to happen to me.

It reminded me of something I read a few years ago, but chose to ignore at the time: in Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he poses the question: imagine you're attending your own funeral - what would you like hear being said about yourself? That question is haunting me - day and night, at the moment.

I want my children to remember me as the father I know I can be, my wife as the husband I used to be, my mom as the caring son I once was. I also don't want to end up like my dad (also an alcoholic) - a sad, depressed old man, alienated from his family, whose grandchildren won't even speak to him on his birthday, who sits on the couch all day long, only interested in having his glass replenished.

Oi, let me stop here... can go on and on!

Tip

[42cat]

help scare me/us straight

This is a really interesting thread. I didn't start it, but I do want to thank everyone who shared their thoughts and stories -- they really make you think, a lot, and help to put things into perspective.

[Cinders]

help scare me/us straight

I wanted to add one story.

We had a member here called Bear. It took him many, many tries to get sober but finally with the help of MWO and AA, he did.

He was the kindest, gentlest soul.

One night, on his motorcycle coming home from an AA meeting, a young mother with children in the car, driving drunk hit Bear. He was killed instantly. She went on down the road and ended up hitting someone else and finally was stopped.

Bear's family sometimes drops in to check on us and let us know how they are doing.

We miss our Bear.

The amazing thing is, his family kept reminding us that for the Grace of God, Bear could have done the same thing in his drunken days and not to hate this woman but have pity.

She took from this planet a truly beautiful soul. I cannot imagine the horror and guilt she lives with day to day in prison now.

Cindi

[OverIt2007]

help scare me/us straight

Hey PuddyTat,

You said you wanted pain and consequence? This is a story from my town, one that touched my heart deeply because I am a single Mom as well.

I have driven drunk many times! I am not passing judgement, but this story DID make me stop and think about things!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fSzQ2QRyAM[/video]]YouTube - Summer Moll's Christmas

[gyco]

help scare me/us straight

hi cat ,wait till you hit your 1st human you did ask for this,you realise you mt Harv a problem , as far as the laws in your state,do they care when you commit the crime,lock up ,i do cre gyco

[gyco]

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dam my writing sucks have a great day

[42cat]

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Me?

[cacky]

help scare me/us straight

Cat, no i think Gyco was referring to Puddytat.

Anyway, we had a thread going last week..does anyone remember

It had a clip on it about people dying in DUI accidents but than had that woman (early 20s) who appeared on Oprah and it said not everyone dies. Watching her would convince anyone not to drink and drive.

i will try and find it

[cacky]

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i couldnt get the link to post as a link. but try to watch this if you can

YouTube - Jacqueline Saburido: The Whole Story

[startingover]

help scare me/us straight

Has anyone heard from Puddytat?
Is she OK?

[CS04]

help scare me/us straight

Cacky, yesterday I tried to find the original episode with Jacqui on Oprah's website -- I went thru all the pages but couldn't find it. I know the original episode was titled "Burned Alive by a Drunk Driver." It scared the bejeezus out of me.

[Eve11]

help scare me/us straight

Read the book "Face to Face" co-authored by the woman who started Moderation Management (she was in an abstinence program at the time as moderation didn't work for her but unfortunately abstinence didn't either) and the woman whose 12 year old dtr and exhusband she killed. Hit them head on while driving on the wrong side of the freeway.

The tragedy of taking two innocent lives and her horrendous stories about jail WILL scare you straight.

Hugs,
Eve11

[spedteach]

help scare me/us straight

For me, once I drink, really any amount, my judgement goes out the window. I become incredibly impulsive, incredibly selfish.
I can sit here stone cold sober on a summer afternoon and say I'll never drink and drive again. But if I were to take a drink or two right now and say I happened to run out of wine, I know I wouldn't hesitate to get behind the wheel of a car. That's what drinking alcohol does to me. The only solution for me is to not drink at all, and if right now that means loading up on antabuse, so be it.
Three years ago, I got a DWI that got dismissed on a technicality. Was I relieved; you bet. But I also believe I deserved consequences for all the times I've driven drunk.
Sober today and that's the best I can do right now. This is a scary, depressing, eye opening thread!

[jessie]

help scare me/us straight

Hi to all,
Everyone of the posts could be directed to me as well. Like spedteach I simply have no judgement after drinking. I owe Puddytat for her honest post - your responses hammered the consequences of drinking into me. I actually made a summary of it and will stick it on my door. I felt chilled to the bone.