The sobriety club

[John Beef]

I'm 42 and basically since I was 17 I've been drinking regularly, often to excess. It hasn't been all bad. I've worked the same place 19 years and people there like me enough. I've been raising my kids, I don't miss appointments because of alcohol, never day drank unless I was in Vegas or something.

Drinking just seemed to hand in hand with band activities, though.

Anyway, over the weekend I was at my wife's friend's house (all her A) for A's 40th Birthday party. They have a gorgeous house in Paradise Valley which is where the lawyers and professional sports guys live. I had given a "power red" on Thursday, which is where they take the double the red blood cells and pump the plasma and such back into you. You can only do it a couple times per year. I have O Negative so I'm a universal donor and feel a sense of responsibility to give regularly.

However, that really screwed up my drinking. After what I thought was pacing myself, I stumbled over a short retailing wall about a foot high and fell five feet right onto a concrete pad. Got knocked out, fractured my skull, A couple of my vertebrae were damaged but not broken. I had to go to the hospital for two days. My headaches are constant and nausea is random.

Anyway, just kinda thinking about not drinking again, ever.

Anyone else sober?

 

[John Beef]

Sorry to be a debbie downer. It's just kind of one of those life events.

 

[veinbuster]

Damn. That sucks.
Heal well and quickly.

 

[Black Plaid]

Sometimes a thing happens, and it makes you re-evaluate your choices.

Nothing wrong with that.

Do what feels right to you, other paths lead to regret.

 

[dmatthews]

Dayum... You are doing the right thing right now.
See how it goes... your body will tell you what to do (or not to do).
All the best!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Ouch! Sorry, buddy.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Really sorry to hear this. But you have to decide what is right for you. One thing I’ve learned about alcohol is, some can control it, some can’t. I have friends who have drank for years and never been drunk. But like all of us, I’m sure, I had friends that as soon as they started drinking, they couldn’t stop. Guys who drink a few beers every day, vs. guys who drank only on weekends but wouldn’t stop until they didn’t know where they were or what they had done.

This is serious. If this is your true realization of where YOU are on that scale, then do what is right for you and your family.
Be well!

 

[Shreve]

Years of hard drinking finally caught up to me. I knew what I was doing would eventually do me in. Without going into boring detail, I quit, saw doctors, and now doing much better. Taking meds, all the rest, etc. etc.

Funny thing is, had to pretty much re-learn how to play guitar sober. Mind knows what to do, but physically doing it takes a lot of concentration.

Good luck on ya!

 

[AP515]

My mom was O neg. She was asked to give

constantly​

. She considered it a gift.

You asked if I'm sober. Yep. 100%. I commend you for considering quitting. I believe life is better without it. Good luck.

 

[Boogie]

Sorry about the accident. Heal quickly, bud.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Best of luck and hope for a speedy recovery to you.
I barely drink - maybe about 10 drinks a year if that, it just doesn't do much for me.
I certainly drank my share in my teens and twenties though, but I just stopped enjoying it, and I watched too many friends' and family's lives screwed up or ended by drinking.

 

[gush]

Oh man that sounds quite painful. I hope the healing process goes well for you.

Please take care of yourself. Do what ya gotta do!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Damn dude, I hope you mend quickly!

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Dang, buddy...sounds like a rough fall. I can easily see how something like this would make somebody want to make some changes. Echoing what everybody else is saying here, you're just gonna have to feel it out and do what's best for you.

Since you posed the question, I've been sober for a little over a year. Like you, my drinking was never out of control or caused any major damages or conflicts other than an over-heated argument here or there. However, I saw myself developing unhealthy habits regarding my drinking and when my wife got pregnant with our second kid, I decided to give it up. I never said "I quit" per se, I just stopped. While I still get "thirsty" from time to time, it was ultimately the healthiest decision "for me" and for my family.

Good luck on your mend and whatever decision you come to regarding your drinking!

 

[pjdude]

Sorry for your injuries, and wishing you a quick heal time. I don't drink much at gigs or anywhere else much these days. I've just kinda found in my later years I don't need the liability of a single bad mistake (injury/fight/DUI). I'm kind of a klutz anyway, so why tempt fate?

 

[bodia]

Dude, that sucks. Hope you mend on the quick.

 

[toothace]

Here's to a speedy recovery.

 

[WA Paul]

Sorry to hear about the nasty accident - wishing you a quick and full recovery!

 

[markie]

I will have 18 years on February 22 of next year. I suppose there is some benefit to being a functioning alcoholic. I certainly was proof of that. It also was a handy excuse

Anyway, Sobriety is tough. It gradually gets easier. The best thing that ever happened to me. Prolly would be dead by now without it. Feel free to PM me.

There are more of us out there than you could possibly imagine. It's not something that most care to share publicly, but I personally do not mind to do so.

Good luck my friend........... Bill has a lot to say

 

[Huggy Love]

Sorry to hear, wishing you a speedy 100% recovery.

The fall and injury itself might make you reevaluate more than just drinking, maybe everything down to where you walk, stand, and how you do general tasks. I dodged the bullet on a scary fall recently from a 4ft counter and if I hadn't had a flashback to white belt class (2 weeks of "learning how to fall") in mid flight, it could have tuned out badly. Bruised and shook up, though not injured like you, since then I have been really careful about what I do and how I do it.

As for liquor ... quit that about 10years ago, just got bored with it, was easy. If it was a habit, just replace it with a nasty habit of tearing it up on your PRSi.

Again, wishing you the best in snapping back from this.