A split second can change your life
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 4
A split second can change your life
Hi.
I am new to this forum as I happen to stumble upon this site while doing some research. So you will have to forgive me as I have no fancy avatars or quotes.
I am an alcoholic who had six years of recovery under my belt up until about a year ago when a multitude of stressors made me pick up again. I am a 49 year old male in Northern Maine whose life has changed because of an accident that occurred in my house.
I have a wife, 3 step kids (all girls), six grand kids and 3 more girls ages 9 and 3 (Twins) my wife and I adopted, own 2 homes and a job I have been at for 6 years making a fair amount of money for this area.
This has all changed because of the accident that happened in a split second while I was under the influence.
On the 23rd of September this year while I was doing some construction at my home while under the influence and using a Brad Nailer I accidentally impaled my wife with a 1 inch brad nail. This lead to her going to the emergency room where the nail was removed and it collapsed her lung. 2 inches to the right and it would of penetrated her Aorta and possibly killed her. To this second I still shake and my heart breaks just thinking about it.
Although my wife knows that this was an accident one of my step daughters later that evening called the local law enforcement on me and I was taken away from my house and later charged with Elevated Aggravated Assault and am now facing up to 10 years in prison.
I posted a 15,000 dollar bail and am currently staying with a friend but have no contact with my family. I have been sober again since that incident but still have a long road ahead of me. I have been going to a therapist and have requested I go back into a 28 day treatment program to find the tools I misplaced from my years of sobriety. No matter what happens from this point on I will remain sober. I will never forgive myself for what happened and if I end up going to prison then so be it as I will be doing Life anyway
I am posting this message for those who read it to let you know that if you are an alcoholic in recovery (or any other addictive disease that you suffer from) that you will Always be an alcoholic and there is no going back. My life changed in that split second that nail gun discharged and now I have to face a different future than spending time with my family into my old age because I picked up the drink.
We can never go back and change the things we did but we can go forward and change who we are and remember that your life can change in a split second for better or for worse.
I am new to this forum as I happen to stumble upon this site while doing some research. So you will have to forgive me as I have no fancy avatars or quotes.
I am an alcoholic who had six years of recovery under my belt up until about a year ago when a multitude of stressors made me pick up again. I am a 49 year old male in Northern Maine whose life has changed because of an accident that occurred in my house.
I have a wife, 3 step kids (all girls), six grand kids and 3 more girls ages 9 and 3 (Twins) my wife and I adopted, own 2 homes and a job I have been at for 6 years making a fair amount of money for this area.
This has all changed because of the accident that happened in a split second while I was under the influence.
On the 23rd of September this year while I was doing some construction at my home while under the influence and using a Brad Nailer I accidentally impaled my wife with a 1 inch brad nail. This lead to her going to the emergency room where the nail was removed and it collapsed her lung. 2 inches to the right and it would of penetrated her Aorta and possibly killed her. To this second I still shake and my heart breaks just thinking about it.
Although my wife knows that this was an accident one of my step daughters later that evening called the local law enforcement on me and I was taken away from my house and later charged with Elevated Aggravated Assault and am now facing up to 10 years in prison.
I posted a 15,000 dollar bail and am currently staying with a friend but have no contact with my family. I have been sober again since that incident but still have a long road ahead of me. I have been going to a therapist and have requested I go back into a 28 day treatment program to find the tools I misplaced from my years of sobriety. No matter what happens from this point on I will remain sober. I will never forgive myself for what happened and if I end up going to prison then so be it as I will be doing Life anyway
I am posting this message for those who read it to let you know that if you are an alcoholic in recovery (or any other addictive disease that you suffer from) that you will Always be an alcoholic and there is no going back. My life changed in that split second that nail gun discharged and now I have to face a different future than spending time with my family into my old age because I picked up the drink.
We can never go back and change the things we did but we can go forward and change who we are and remember that your life can change in a split second for better or for worse.
Coffee Drinker
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lobstah Land
Posts: 1,122
This disease is nasty.
It not only wants us dead, it wants us and those around us to suffer and be miserable.
I too had a 5 year sobriety, looking back, the happiest 5 years of my life.
It's been about 15 years since I picked up and life has only got worse.
I am now in a sober house in Maine and it's only by the grace of God that I did not kill or injure anyone under the influence.
Are you in AA?
Take care,
Ted
It not only wants us dead, it wants us and those around us to suffer and be miserable.
I too had a 5 year sobriety, looking back, the happiest 5 years of my life.
It's been about 15 years since I picked up and life has only got worse.
I am now in a sober house in Maine and it's only by the grace of God that I did not kill or injure anyone under the influence.
Are you in AA?
Take care,
Ted
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Lancaster Ohio
Posts: 81
Pretzel, your story brught tears to my eyes. I can only imagine in a very vague way how you must be feeling. I have had so many close calls. Even though hearing stories like this before. For some reason yours had an impact on me today. This is something i have been thinking about for the past couple of weeks. How lucky i am to not be locked up for the rest of my life. This still didnt keep me from getting sober. Until the day before yesterday i lost yet another good job in emberassment. I took your words to heart when you said "We can never go back and change things we did but we can go forward and change who we are and remember that your life can change in a split second for better or worse". My prayers are out to you. Please keep posting. Im know you can help alot of people in these forums.
smileyologist and lord of bees
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: mourning smileys near you
Posts: 2,508
I've made load of stupid mistakes whilst under the influence of alchol and drugs. When I was 18 a freind and I got high on pot and drink and went out on the rampage pretending to be in the SAS. 
I set fire to a public bench and an abandoned caravan and damaged some public signs and ended up got caught and got 250 hours community service.
:
You'd think I'd learn my lesson after that but I never. Hopefully I can break the cycle today, still feel ok.
I set fire to a public bench and an abandoned caravan and damaged some public signs and ended up got caught and got 250 hours community service.
:You'd think I'd learn my lesson after that but I never. Hopefully I can break the cycle today, still feel ok.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Thanks for sharing that Brad, it has helped me to stay sober today, you will be in my prayers.
You brought out something that every one of us needs to be ever vigalante about our recovery, we are not cured, we have a daily reprieve dependant upon our spiritual condition and that is it.
You brought out something that every one of us needs to be ever vigalante about our recovery, we are not cured, we have a daily reprieve dependant upon our spiritual condition and that is it.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: on the moon
Posts: 944
Hi Pretzel!
Welcome aboard. The people here are really great and they often have really good advice to share.
I'm 3 and half weeks sober now and I don't think I could have done it, and felt so good about doing it, if it wasn't for the support of the people here.
I'm sorry to hear about the accident. But, in my modest oppinion, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You know it was an accident.
I'm pleased to hear you're on the wagon again and you seem to understand their's no going back to drinking for people like us.
I see you're a day in front of me. You're going to have to be my role model then!!
Let us known how you get on.
Take care.
Welcome aboard. The people here are really great and they often have really good advice to share.
I'm 3 and half weeks sober now and I don't think I could have done it, and felt so good about doing it, if it wasn't for the support of the people here.
I'm sorry to hear about the accident. But, in my modest oppinion, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You know it was an accident.
I'm pleased to hear you're on the wagon again and you seem to understand their's no going back to drinking for people like us.
I see you're a day in front of me. You're going to have to be my role model then!!
Let us known how you get on.
Take care.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: MA.
Posts: 1,719
Brad,
My heart goes out to you...Thank you for sharing your story as sometimes I need reminding that going back out there is dangerous to all walks of life...
Believe you are NOT a bad person, you are alcoholic...You didn't set out to hurt anyone...
Sending you a cyberspace hug....:ghug3
My heart goes out to you...Thank you for sharing your story as sometimes I need reminding that going back out there is dangerous to all walks of life...
Believe you are NOT a bad person, you are alcoholic...You didn't set out to hurt anyone...
Sending you a cyberspace hug....:ghug3
let it grow!
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 15,540
nice to meet you, pretzel. my daughter is an alcoholic/addict, so i have been in a lot of open aa meetings and met several folks in different stages of recovery in the past year or so. some stories get to me more that others - yours in one of those. thanks for sharing, and i hope you keep posting and participating here. blessings, k
(and don't worry about any fancy avatars or quotes - we accept you just the way you are...)
(and don't worry about any fancy avatars or quotes - we accept you just the way you are...)
Community Greeter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Mid-Life Express
Posts: 9,930
Glad to meet you. I'm sorry about your story and how your life has changed so dramatically. There but for the grace of...it could be anyone of us if we are under the influence. Keeping you in my thoughts.
not a greeter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: padmasana
Posts: 13,927
Thank you sharing your story Pretzel1. It is truly eye-opening and heartbreaking. Please keep posting... this place is full of support and it sounds like you need some right now. It was an accident and your wife knows that. At least may that comfort you a little bit.
CindeRella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Spreading my wings
Posts: 7,163
Prayers out to you Pretzel-Glad you found us please keep posting. It is a "baffling" disease as others have said but there is support-keep reaching for it!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 4
Thank you all for your replies and support. No one can travel this road alone but meetings and interacting with those in recovery is imperative. I will try to keep you posted regarding all this as we all hope for a happy ending no matter what the circumstances are for each of us but for me staying sober and to be reunited with my family will suffice for now.
Good wishes to you all and hopefully we can make it through another day without having to rely on anything but our own strength and those of others.
Good wishes to you all and hopefully we can make it through another day without having to rely on anything but our own strength and those of others.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,504
Wow, what a story and what a great reminder. I do hope you can learn to forgive yourself and I also know that forgiving ourselves is one of the hardest things us addicts have to do. Prayers for you and and your family.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Pretzel keep it one day at a time brother, that is the only day we can control. Hang in there, keep in touch.
????? I have no idea how this double posted, but I will keep coming back! LOL
????? I have no idea how this double posted, but I will keep coming back! LOL
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