Handling the crisis
Left the bottle behind 4/16/2015
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,416
Handling the crisis
I've been away for a bit. I've had my children for the week and we went to the beach for a couple days. Two days after returning, yesterday morning, all of my toilets were suddenly clogged and backing up into my bathtubs! 
I called a plumber and when he arrived he couldn't find something called a "cleanout valve" that is usually located outside. He informed me that it would require some digging and could cost me anywhere from $600 - $1200!! As anyone who has been following any of my threads knows, I have been suffering from some pretty intense anxiety lately. Just as I had been getting back to normal, this hits! Fortunately, the plumber was able to trace the plumbing from underneath the house and found the cleanout valve buried nearby. It only ended up costing ~$200.
At one point, I did remember what it was like to drink during times like this. I would care, but not care at the same time. I remembered how it felt to be numb to whatever was going on. I also remembered how irritated I would be because I couldn't think clearly and would make rash, impulsive decisions. Then I remembered how I would feel once I inevitably started sobering up. The full impact of what just happened and what it cost me would settle in and then I'd feel panicked. So, I would respond by drinking more, and the cycle continues. Instead, I handled the situation rationally. Can't say I was totally calm, but I kept things under control. I awoke this morning feeling relaxed and actually slept through the night for the first time in weeks!
I called a plumber and when he arrived he couldn't find something called a "cleanout valve" that is usually located outside. He informed me that it would require some digging and could cost me anywhere from $600 - $1200!! As anyone who has been following any of my threads knows, I have been suffering from some pretty intense anxiety lately. Just as I had been getting back to normal, this hits! Fortunately, the plumber was able to trace the plumbing from underneath the house and found the cleanout valve buried nearby. It only ended up costing ~$200. At one point, I did remember what it was like to drink during times like this. I would care, but not care at the same time. I remembered how it felt to be numb to whatever was going on. I also remembered how irritated I would be because I couldn't think clearly and would make rash, impulsive decisions. Then I remembered how I would feel once I inevitably started sobering up. The full impact of what just happened and what it cost me would settle in and then I'd feel panicked. So, I would respond by drinking more, and the cycle continues. Instead, I handled the situation rationally. Can't say I was totally calm, but I kept things under control. I awoke this morning feeling relaxed and actually slept through the night for the first time in weeks!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: mountains of BC, Canada
Posts: 246
way to go - adversity in sobriety - what an interesting challenge huh? I'm happy it was on the lower side of the cost expected and very happy that you navigated the day with a clear and present self - GREAT work!!!!
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
This reminds me of just before I got sober I had a annual gas boiler safety check
They done their check and assured me everything was fine
I went to put hot water on at 4pm to have a bath and found the boiler that was working fine before had suddenly stopped working
18 days passed and in that hellish time that it already was it became a lot more stressful
It was just before I got sober I was ringing them daily and they actually said I was lucky it was only 18 days they didn't ask did I have children which I do not
Point is sober or not they took the absolute ****
When they finally fixed it (and it wasn't fixed but was sort of working)
I needed to give a signature but by that time I had a blackout was Ko and never saw him again
Nowadays that story reminds me of how far I've come and I have sorted out so many stressful things and situations through staying sober since July 2013
Well done on handling a very stressful situation you rock !
They done their check and assured me everything was fine
I went to put hot water on at 4pm to have a bath and found the boiler that was working fine before had suddenly stopped working
18 days passed and in that hellish time that it already was it became a lot more stressful
It was just before I got sober I was ringing them daily and they actually said I was lucky it was only 18 days they didn't ask did I have children which I do not
Point is sober or not they took the absolute ****
When they finally fixed it (and it wasn't fixed but was sort of working)
I needed to give a signature but by that time I had a blackout was Ko and never saw him again
Nowadays that story reminds me of how far I've come and I have sorted out so many stressful things and situations through staying sober since July 2013
Well done on handling a very stressful situation you rock !
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