Pedro1234

Wow that post really took me back thanks Mav. I was a member of class of April 2013 and remember most of the names in the post. I am going to see if the class still exists and maybe revisit. I am noe 2 months plus sober after falling off the wagon in early 2014 :0 Thanks again for the post

jhend

Hello just checking in. Still sober doing well no severe cravings maybe concentrating on diet and putting healthy things in instead of crap is helping.
..started a new diet blood pressure is down to normal...like the new picture thump. Carry on !!

Odelle

I hope you’re feeling better soon Mav. You're doing great, your body is just having trouble keeping up with the detox and healing process. Try eating small meals and/or low glycemic snacks throughout the day to keep your blood sugar regulated. Carry raw almonds with you as a quick high-protein snack for when you are on the go, and drink 6-8 glasses of water each day.

Thanks for sharing the link to Marchers' post, I think we have a great group here too!

Odelle

Pedro, this is my 4th class. I had 8 months when I fell off in '14; it must have been a bad year.

Jhend, isn't it great to start focusing on our health!

Delilah1

Hi MAV,

I think you made many of us nostalgic for old classes. The first class I actually joined and the only one I really followed other Han this was the October of 2012 class. I am posting the link here. I received one message from an "Octsobermate," who was still sober. There are names that I recognize, and some I hope are doing well.

If you were a member of this group or recognize anyone please encourage them to check in!!!

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rt-4-a-19.html

Carry on!

Odelle

Hi Delilah, most often, like Dollydaydream's response to your post to the October '12 thread, I feel like I don't have anything interesting to write. But after reading through the Marchers' thread that Mav linked, I have to admit that I'm not being completely honest either. Primarily, not mentioning fears. I think I try to push my fears into a little corner of my mind and pretend that they don't exist. I honestly didn't think that doing so could be an obstacle to recovery, so that is something I am going to work on, starting now.

My biggest fear is that I have aged out of the job market in my skill area as executive assistant. I worked full-time while raising my children, and my husband was 100% committed to the business, so no help there. I did not go to college, as time did not permit, so highest level of education is high school grad. So, competing with recent college grads, being in my early 50s, is proving to be a futile effort.

I resigned from my last job at the end of October '15 due to extreme stress and personality conflicts from working with 3 type A females. I really felt like I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown at that time, so I do not regret leaving. However, I didn't anticipate the difficulty in finding other employment.

I took a part-time job at the end of January, working in an office supply store, in the copy and print department. Imagine my surprise when my eyes suddenly are red and itchy, my throat feels like I've eaten sand, and I have a strange numb/tingling sensation on one side of my head and face, yep, huge allergic reaction to the constant exposure to the copier toner. Yet, even though I am aware of the allergy, I am hesitant to quit for fear of not finding something else!

I apply online for at least six jobs per week, and have been doing so for the last two years!

So, that is my unspoken secret fear. And btw, I was devastated after making the final interview cut in January, to not be selected.

Sunflowerlife

Just a quick hello. Another great day over here although I do find myself overeating and I wish that wasn't happening so often. Can't wait to be able to tame that beast as well, maybe one day.

Hope you are all doing well. Hugs to all my sober friends.

mav

I don't think so, not like this. But the way I see it is that I've spent the last 10+ years full of stimulants (booze and cigs being the primary, but other bad stuff also - food, sugary stuff, caffeine etc) and so having cut most of that this year,I think my body/head is catching up!

mav

It just struck me the way Marcher13 spoke with such fondness and reverence for their group and I drew some parallels to our group. I also think it's fascinating (and brilliant) how the class thing just happens, every month, and you only need to look through the archives to see how long it's been going for and how many people must have been helped. It's not like the classes come with a set of instructions (other than perhaps the guidance of Dee/Anna etc obvs!) but somehow everyone just gets on supports each through all this.

I just wonder if someone from our group will post something similar in 1...2...3 years time... Hope so!

mav

Thanks for sharing sorry to hear about the job struggles and worries. I wish I had some words of wisdom. Have you seen these virtual PA / Corp governance services out there? They're all the rage near me and massively minimise any chance of discriminating anyone due to their age. (IE you get hired because of your skills and experience rather than anything else. ) no idea if that's relevant, just a thought.

Olivia2011

Mav - extreme fatigue here too almost two months. Starting to lift thank goodness ! Even the ZPak didn't quite kick it. I had a cough and cold too. Haven't been sick in 20+ years and Wah-lah, quit drinking and sick! I can understand the fatigue. Same story here. I think I'm almost good now. Think I'm gonna check into some B12 under the tongue pills. Looking around at all I have to do again and sheesh I'm gonna need some serious energy! Good luck to you.

Odelle - my lady of wisdom! That's how I think of you! For some reason I thought you were 65! Yay for you eh?! Only early 50's!

Your age is worth a lot in my opinion. Your mature, don't have small kids to have to keep taking off for, reliable I'm sure, etc. Are you up on like the Word Perfect type stuff? You don't have to be a computer genius for this either. Just knowledgeable for an executive assistant. I think everybody has the fear you are talking about. I had a 28 year white collar job, then eight years on our farm which is a very busy business. I think a lot about finding a job if and when we retire. Who would want me at 59 even tho I can work circles around a lot of younger ones! I think you are very safe. You just haven't hit on the right job yet. You will. Keep looking. You are worth gold in my opinion. Your age is exactly what I want in an employee. What are your interests? Do something you LIKE/LOVE this time. Personally I'd probably go for a nursery (plants/flower) type business, hmmmm.. Trying to think of what else interests me! We were just riding around our subdivision at the lake. My husband could do lawn work down here. I always liked that too. No more desks ever for me again. Good luck. You will be fine. Xo Nobody should ever work for three females and all type A to boot! Bad bad bad!

So.... Taking a long walk today with husband (he never walks with me). We stopped and talked to a couple of the old guys that were out. Very interesting. One said he used to drink a 1/2 gal whiskey a day! He has diabetes, in his 70's, foot ulcer, etc. Said he never did quit completely. Wow! It was an eye opener his story was.

Another really nice looking 82 years old (you'd never know it, great posture, big dude) said he grew up on a farm. He watched two old guys retire years ago and both dead in two years. We didn't talk alcohol with him. But it did just go to show you to live healthy and happy.... And stay busy.... Not passed out drunk! Life is so good. Respect it. Enjoy it.

Take care. Carry on!

Olivia

bandicoot2

Thanks mav for the Marchers post link. Great read and so heartening for our group and others. Like you, I hope we are still going strong and help support each other many years from now!

Odelle, I completely agree with Olivia. Your experience is valuable!! Have you considered a career change? Are you networking, do you have a Linkedin profile? Hiring managers look for that. Also agree that working for 3 type A women would be torture! Hang in there, early 50's is NOT old.... The right job will find you. Take care and please keep us posted.

Thumpalumpacus

We will hang together, or we'll hang separately, brotha. You guys are the fuel for me; you're the proctor for my exam,

I think that means I have some more work to do. But in this class, I'm damned sure I'm not alone,

We can do this,

Odelle

Olivia, Mav and Bandicoot, thank you for your responses. My skills are top notch in the Office suite and Outlook. I am not on LinkedIn or Facebook; not wanting to leave an electronic footprint may not have been the wisest choice. My employment history is strong, with an HR background and support roles to CEOs and executives. The one thing I can’t change is the obvious signs of aging, physically. I am floored by the changes that have occurred in just the past 2 years. Being a blue-eyed, fair-skinned California native, my years of frolicking on the beach are now surfacing, and I am scrambling to alter my skin care routine to minimize the damage. In reality, of the 100s of jobs applied for over the past 2 years, only 3 interviews resulted, so appearance hasn’t been the screening factor, but I am still very self-conscious of what I perceive as “not putting your best face forward.”

I did receive a call from a recruiter shortly after posting this morning and I do have a telephone interview scheduled in the morning. I guess I’m feeling down over the lack of responses, having had cast such a wide net over the past couple of years, it is frustrating.

And…add in physical changes that are unnerving. I was diagnosed with Ades Tonic Pupil several years ago, where one pupil is constantly enlarged more than the other. Over the past month, a numbness/tingling sensation radiates behind one eye, up into the scalp and across the side of my face. I went to the doctor Tuesday, and was referred to the ophthalmologist, who I saw today. He prescribed another lubricating eye drop and suggested that my symptoms are that of the Herpes Zoster virus (shingles), with the virus affecting the neurological system; typical as it effects one side of the body.

I have no external sores that are characteristic of shingles, but I did have a bad back ache a couple of weeks ago. He said it should clear on its own in 2-3 months and suggested taking ibuprofen. WTF????

Yep, I’m frustrated. The swelling around my eye has it looking much smaller than the other, so no I’m definitely not ready to put my best face forward. I went on an interview Tuesday (after Dr. appt.) and haven’t heard back. And, I have NO ICE CREAM!!!

Is this my first official rant?

Pedro1234

Hope you are all well. checking in again. Have a great day everyone.

SandyO

I believe so, Odelle. Welcome to the rant club. It feels good, doesn't it? All the best with job searching. You will definitely find something that suits you. BTW what is type A women? Blood type?
Oh, it's not just me with fatigue. I honestly have been feeling just so tired everyday. I'm going to bed much earlier than usual and still can't wake up. I just can't be bothered doing anything lately. Well, expect eat of course!
Me too, Sunflower. I just can't stop eating. I still haven't managed to work out an alternative to sit and relax without alcohol, smoking or eating. Early on the cleaning bug helped me through, but now I just feel lethargic. Happy, but tired! I'm forgiving myself for eating at the moment but I can't continue on like this. I'm restricted on exercise atm so anything that goes in, stays! Why do I always do things to excess???
I haven't counted days for a while and I was pleasantly surprised to count 40 days! Yeah me. Feeling very proud of myself for that. I would like to see the pride on the outside too. Surely I won't be feeling like this for much longer????

Have a great day/night everyone. Carry on! (Or "plod along" for some of us!!)

Odelle

Sandy, you can google search and get many definitions of a Type A personality, but this one pretty much sums up the trio I worked with:

Someone who jumps up and down if he/she doesn't get what it wants. Aggressive, impossible to argue with even if you are completely in the right. Likes to over-talk and cut people off before they finish. Always has to have the last word. Pompous. Will totally insult someone and then say it's "Just a joke" and laugh disarmingly, even though it clearly isn't kidding at all. Pushy. Will step all over you to get ahead. Often abusive to co-workers. Can't relax. Obsessed with money and deadlines. Probably drives like an ******* too. (tailgates, passes on the right, cuts people off, etc.)

You know what else? It did feel good to put that rant in words and throw it out there.

Congratulations on 40 days, Sandy! The fatigue will get better, but don't be surprised by ups and downs over the next couple of months. Just know, this to shall pass.

Thumpalumpacus

It is, and that's quite all right, m'dear. That's what we're here for.

Vandermast

hey you guys ive found the sr class I belong to

been around for a few years but am in early recovery

its not easy but immensely worth it

alcohol has stripped so many good things out of my life it would take a long time to list.

so currently im on acamprosate, organised and commenced counselling attending aa and working a casual gig here and there to supplement welfare......

stopped digging the hole and am fashioning a ladder to begin the climb out.......

peace

vandermast

Odelle

Welcome aboard Vandermast, I'm glad you found us. You're in good company here, we have quite a few veteran SR members in this group, and like you, we too are climbing out.