I've Seen The Damage First Hand
Oct 11 '00
Alcohol..I've seen it destroy marriages, friendships and people's health. It would be OK with me if we went back to Prohibition. Only problem is we'd also be going back to boot-legging. Alcoholism runs in my family. My father was an alcoholic. He quit in his late 30's and never touched a drop again but it caused my mother to divorce him. There is a good side to this story, because eleven years after the divorce they remarried and remained together til his death 20 years ago. He didn't die of liver problems, he died of colon cancer. (NOTE: I use WebTV and cannot paragraph so I use dots.) .........................................................................................................................I am the oldest of five siblings. At one time or another all of us were guilty of too much imbibing. During college and early marriage days, it was beer, the only thing we could afford. I didn't have the good sense to say no thank you, that wouldn't have been the "cool" thing to do. So beer drinking was something I did more days than not. I continued drinking beer until I was in my late 40's when all of a sudden it started tasting like soap. I haven't had a beer since. I was one of the lucky ones. Alcohol just quit tasting good to me. My Internist says I should have a glass of red wine every day to help with high triglycerides, but I can't even handle that. It doesn't taste good at home. I do have an occasional glass when out to dinner with friends. ..........................................................................................................................My two younger brothers (by two and three years) are complete opposites. One is very health conscious and doesn't drink. He gets his highs from running and working out...a much better solution. My other brother is an alcoholic and has been since he was in his early 30's. He lost a darling wife and three adorable children due to his drinking. Fortunately his children still stay in touch. He was a time bomb waiting to go off. He would judge how long it took him to drive some place by the number of beers he would drink along the way. For example he would say things like "that's about a six-pack away" or "that's about a case away." And he wasn't kidding. For years I only saw him drunk. It got to where I wouldn't talk to him if he had been drinking. Is there anything worse than being sober and talking to a drunk? He married again years later and the poor young bride thought a gold band would change him. That marriage only lasted one year. He now lives alone in a remote part of Washington where he is content to watch the deer and eagles and other animals of nature. It's a beautiful setting, but he lives in a small trailer instead of the beautiful homes he once owned. Not that the homes brought him any happiness...it just shows how his style of living changed due to booze. We had him committed twice and he always joked about how he beat the system. The joke was on him. I love him dearly and talk to him often now that he is drinking less. Due to severe health problems if he were to resume his former drinking habits it would surely kill him. It was sad to watch a former successful businessman lose everything, including self esteem. .........................................................................................................................My two daughters and one of my sons also had drinking problems. One ended up with a DUI and I ended up writing the Judge and telling him thanks for being so hard on her in the courtroom. My other daughter was beaten badly by her boyfriend, all due to the influence of alcohol. I'm happy to say they moved on to greener pastures. Both are very happily married to two wonderful sons-in-law and have families of their own. Alcohol is never consumed in one household and only a frequent beer is taken by the other. My youngest son had a terrible drinking problem, that coupled with drugs caused him to try to commit suicide twice in his 20's. It was the worst thing I have ever been through in my entire life. I had to commit him to get help. Luckily he is now a successful businessman with a family of his own. ..........................................................................................................................I also have a dear friend who drank so much with her husband during the child-rearing days that three of her four daughters no longer have anything to do with her. This is so sad because she doesn't know what she did to deserve this treatment. She no longer drinks due to a long bout with lung cancer, but at a time when she needs her children at her side, only the youngest one is there for her. .........................................................................................................................I hope sharing some of my personal experiences with alcohol point out the dangers of alcohol abuse. I wouldn't trade my siblings or children or friends for anyone else in the world. By the grace of God they overcame their addictions and are wonderful people. However, when drinking was the most important thing in their lives it sure made mine miserable. That could be seen as "the pot calling the kettle black" because I did my share of drinking once upon a time. I admit it and also know it did me no good. Alcohol immediately lifts you up and then lets you down with a bang. I was always there for my family and friends if they needed my help and luckily things turned out OK. I don't know if I could have been there forever.
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Epinions.com ID:
disaggau
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Member: Di Saggau
Location: Fort Myers FL
Reviews written: 86
Trusted by: 11 members
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