My Story

[Chy]

This may be a repeat for some but I wanted to write my story and have given it much thought the past several weeks. I couldn't find anything different in my story as I thought it should be presented so here it is again. My progression into sobriety.

September 12, 2003
(4 months sober)

I was raised an army brat traveling all over the country and Europe before I was two, I had my first taste of alcohol at six months old as my mom would rub it on my gums when I was teething. As I grew up I was always surrounded by the military and my father an officer was always entertaining, as I became a toddler I would sip the left over fruity drinks after parties and eat the fruit from the punch bowls.

As I grew into pre-teen and my teen years I became the typical Colonels daughter always fun loving easily making friends but never keeping them as we moved every 2-4 years. My party days started when I was 15 and I would go to the Officers club for Mod night (disco era the 70's), as the Colonels daughter I was freely given Vodka collins and this was the norm for my "click". Shortly after the same year I met my husband. Yet again, we had to move from Ft. Bliss to Germany this time where the real party started. I was a Junior in High School. We lived in a community in Germany that supported troops from all over, more predominantly the British, Irish, and Scottish troops. Dad was commander of the American troops. Boy do those Brits know how to party. At 17 I was partying with the best of them, most kids my age drank regularly and we loved the GI's.

Well the Colonel did not like his precious daughter partying with the GI's and I was attending a British school which I was flunking because I had already taken all those classes so I ditched class, hung out in the "common room" and went drinking with my new best friends at the local pub at lunch.

I was shipped off to boarding school my Senior year and the party continued in full swing without my parents making demands of me to act like the Colonels daughter. There is were I learned about hash, pills, and German beer. After barely graduating I was then sent to the party capital of the world to attend college... yea right... Munich, Germany! I loved Munich !! Who wouldn't at 18? I became a regular in all the pubs and couldn't wait for Octoberfest! Whoopee!

I was easily drinking 4 liters plus of German beer nightly. My husband found me in Munich partying like a wild child and proposed knowing the lifestyle I was living, ohh... I did attend a few classes so Dad would keep sending the checks. Once I flunked out of college Dad sent the chauffeur to pack and pick me up to my horror! Was I pissed !

The only good thing about me leaving was I got married to my husband at 19 and we moved to another little town where my husband was a musician. I was in my glory, night after night of partying, often staying after my husband was done playing the gig. That's when he first "mentioned" he'd think it be a good idea to slow down on the drinking. I was only 21, what the hell was he thinking!

After that we came back to the states where I currently live in El Paso. It's been down hill since. I had my daughter at 22 (which was the first time I quit drinking, just because I was pregnant) continued progressing in my drinking until I was 30 (which was the second time I quit drinking because I was pregnant wit my son) and continued to spiral downhill. Right after my son was born I went back to college to obtain my second degree, ... oh yea.. I did go to college eventually and this degree I was proud of my BA in Mathematics. Seemed like I was back in my 20's partying with all the college kids 10 years younger then me! I figured I'd finally got my act together, yet barely remember some of those study groups. How I got this degree still baffles me. I remained sober long enough to study and take exams I suppose. This was when I knew I had a problem. I never really tried to quit again until 13 years later. My husband left me for almost two years and when he came back I was still drinking , breaking the promise to quit 2 days after he came home.

Then 4 months ago I woke up with yet another hangover. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was disgusted with what happened to the "foxy Colonels daughter", was alone, miserable, hateful, always sick with a hangover, always planning each hangover, avoiding family, I had no friends, blaming, blaming, blaming everybody and everything for my misery. I was done.

May 7, 2003 I found SR, which gave me hope. A week later I went to my first AA meeting and there's no looking back. I love being reconnected with my HP, I love, loving my husband and children, I enjoy hearing laughter come out of my mouth, I enjoy all the friends I have made here and in the rooms, I love my job and have a new passion for teaching and most importantly I love life again.

Though the Colonel passed away 20 years ago and mom is still around up the street, I know now I am making him proud.