ellima01

I sit here at work, in an Emergency room, knowing my AH is home- trashed like every other night. I am staring into a room where a man lies in a hospital bed- He is 45 years old, He had a accident (driving drunk) in December that gave him a closed head injury. He is now in a nursing home- knows no one in his family- has a feeding tube, a trach, has to have some one wipe his butt. He has chronic pancreatitis because of alcohol/in lots and lots of pain all the time.
Is this what my AH has to look forward too? What I have to look forward too. How can I sit back and say nothing when everything in me wants him to see this guy- see that this guy in this hospital bed could be him someday. someday soon. Thanks for listening to all my crap.

Savana 54

Too bad your AH couldn't see this poor man...?? Maybe you could arrange for him to visit..

ellima01

Privacy laws won't allow it or I would. You know- I think when someone gets a DUI or "falls off the wagon" as my AH often does, they should be forced to see something like this , a dose of reality might make a difference.

Ann

ellima

Sending prayers for your husband and also for that poor man. How sad what alcohol can do to you.

Hugs
Ann

JessicaNAJ

How about a trip to the Coroner's Office.

Daffodil

How often in my grown-up life I have wished for the same awakening to happen without any physical pain to someone I love.

As hard as it is today I work keeping the focus on myself and leave ALL others to my H.P. He has the whole road map while I only have my part for today. When I can do this during the good times, it helps me keep closer to my program and my H.P. during the rough times.

I hope you can find the serenity to do the same.

Prayers for you, your husband, and the poor soul in the bed.

Buster

Gosh - how sad. If our Ah's could see the damage they are doing to themselves ....but then again ....it probably wouldn't make a blind bit of difference...they'd probably say " that won't happen to me"

HAILEY

Ugh..very Sad. But In Some Cases It Won't Make A Difference. On One Particular Bar Hopping Episode My Ah Smarted Off (always Gets Cocky When Drunk) To A Group Of Bigger Guys And They Beat Him Almost To Death. I Got A Call In The Middle Of The Night That I Needed To Get To The Er B/c My H Had Had Altercation. I Was In No Way Prepared For What I Saw. He Was Horribly Disfigured And Bloody All Over And Had Suffered A Concussion. I Thought He Was For Sure Dead When I Saw Him Laying In The Hospital Bed. He Was Still Very Drunk And Had Not A Clue Where He Was Or Why He Was There. It Was The Most Horrible Night Of My Life. It Hurt Me To See This Man I Loved Beaten Unrecognizable And Completely Incoherent B/c He Was So Intoxicated. I Did Not Want Imagine How It Could Have Turned Out. As Soon As He Was Realeased From The Hospital....back To Drinking And The Same Old Routine.

Bambi

How sad. What is sadder is I don't think it would faze the AH's one bit seeing that. Cripes my husband almost killed himself in a car crash in Sept and got his 3rd DUI, didn't faze him, he didn't quit. Of course he SAID he made him realize this and that, bla bla bla, have another drink.

I don't mean to sound negative but I don't think ANYTHING will get them to stop. If they DO, it is just a matter of when another binge will come along or start up.

wraybear

Ell, that 45 year old man could have been my AH 3 years ago. Was in horrible car accident, intubated and on ventilator for 4 weeks, many broken bones, crushed lungs, closed head injury, in ICU for 4 weeks and hospital for 2 1/2 months.

An intern had a group of troubled youth he was taking around and asked me if I would give persmission for him to let this group "see" my husband from the entry of his ICU room and share the fact that he had been drinking and share all of his injuries with the group. I visited my AH only twice while he was there, and just happened to be at the hospital on this day. He also told them that my 4 year old daughter was in another hospital and explained her injuries too.

Anyway, the look on these kids faces told me it definitely had an impact.

I think judges should order people with DUI's to see pictures, etc. of people that have had accidents. It is so sad. And to think, my AH still drinks after this, so, it may not help them, but even if it helps one youth, one day, one time... that is a huge bonus.