Hi Swanky,
Just wanted to add that another bonus about having a mom who has been through it is that she wants the best for me. When I see my husband in her eyes I try to imagine if my daughter were dating him and how I would feel. My mom told me that my life has been ravaged by alcoholism and she truly wants me to overcome it rather than continue the next 26 years of my life trying to fix yet another alcoholic in my life. I have determined that I am going to leave my husband. I know he is not good for me and although I love him to death and want to make him happy, I have also learned from people who were and are in my situation, that its a myth. Everyone has told me that we are suckered into believing that if we just try harder and are the perfect loving companion, then we can change our loved ones. We can't! But you have to decide on when to give up. Good Luck.