CaseyW

It would also probably run everybody else out of here. And then who would I reply to? Catch-22.

I warned you all that I was a blabbermouth in my first post in this class! Now you're stuck with me.

Ladybug2

AppleKat, glad to hear you are doing better today. You can't give in now - you, and everyone else here, are keeping me inspired to stay sober. Has FABL posted recently? I know I missed a lot of posts while I was sick. Stomach still isn't 100% yet, but at least I am able to keep food down/in. AV is still MIA, yay! Only a matter of time though, I know. For now I am enjoying the peace of not having to battle with it.

I'm from Eastern Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia. We've been having crazy weather here too!!

Ladybug2

Wouldn't want it any other way, Casey

CaseyW

She last posted Saturday night. Let us know how you're doing when you get a chance, forabetterlife!

LillianGish

Day 19 is an achievement!!! Congratulations.

I am from San Diego, California.....southwest corner of the USA. I do not surf but I do love my weather here!

I am on only my third day of sobriety.

I hear you about drinking holidays...cinco de mayo is a major danger zone for me here on this border town!!

CaseyW

No such thing as "only" when it comes to days of sobriety. Every day we are sober is a major achievement.

San Diego is so beautiful. I dated a woman from there for a long time. As an aside, she's 3+ years sober now herself and doing awesome. Her obvious happiness and contentment in recovery is/was a major source of inspiration for me today and one of the reasons I first came back to this website last year.

rah555

Checking in day 2! Not feeling so great today..remnants from my slip up Saturday night. I'm feeling mad at myself right now. I was feeling so good last week. It's a beautiful day here. I went for a walk at lunch even though I'm not feeling that good. It felt good to be out in the sun. So far so good as far as my daily goals go. I've eaten healthy, I am at 6511 steps so far. I can't wait until I feel better.

samantha14

Well I made it home and now I am sulking.....I want to drink and the fact that I can't is making me cranky....not that that makes any sense....ugggg!!!

As soon as I got home I started reviewing the "sobriety book" that I have been working on with my addictions counselor and one page in particular really jumped out at me this afternoon - it was a page about relapse and how there are often signs of a relapse well before they happen. I had made a list of things that seem to disappear from my life just prior to taking that first drink again.....they were things relating to self-care - things like walking my dog after dinner, eating a healthy diet, packing my lunches for work, washing my face before bed....it sounds silly but for me this is a huge warning signal and so in reverse if I can hold on to these things I may be able to preserve my sobriety....

And so this afternoon I have eaten a healthy lunch and walked my dog...now I am posting here....and even as I write this I am feeling better and better....

Thanks for your support and encouragement today

samantha14

Also I am from Ontario, Canada and I have five tattoos

CaseyW

I like your new avatar, samantha14! Glad you thought the causes of those thoughts of drinking thru and went to your sobriety book for help. That's a great recovery tool.

Hope you continue to feel better. You're doing great today.

Surrender2win

We're practically neighbors! I'm in Rockford. Not too far from the Wisconsin border.

Bobbieka

I have family in Rockford and in Wisconsin. You're 5-1/2 hours from me. We could start a Midwest group!

KiKi0615

Hi guys,

I haven't checked in because I drank again. Today is day 1. :-(

I'm feeling hopeless....

Can I stay with you guys in March? :-(

forabetterlife

Hi everyone ! Thank you for thinking of me Casey and ladybug
I didn't even realize I hadn't checked in yesterday I was so busy. I went out to jog early bc my 5k is next Saturday. I ended up running a whole 5k distance ! First time for me. Now I know I can do it on Saturday. May not be a big deal to some, but I am such a non-athlete and still have weight to lose even after losing 35 lbs since January. So I was on a high all day! Then I took My daughter prom dress shopping and we fell in love with the first dress she tried on. She looked so beautiful, I cried !
I have to go back and catch up on Posts and see how everyone is doing, I just wanted to check in before I get lost in the shuffle. Made it one week

clearlyheaded

Back from the doctor and feeling a little drained. What was supposed to be a simple blood draw turned into my actual pre-op clearance appointment due to a scheduling mix up. And I was faced with an unexpected $400 bill that I had to put on a credit card. The bill in particular pushed me over the edge and I couldn't hold back the tears. Embarrassing. I hate that tears are my response to stress and frustration.

Anyway, I ended up telling my doctor about my alcohol use when she brought up my last test results that showed elevated liver enzymes. She thinks this round of tests will level out, and if not yet, then we'll test again at the end of April.

Having two kids in tearing up the house all day and then this would normally be enough to send me running to buy booze. But I feel less burdened having told my doctor. And so far, AV is no more than a whisper. But, as I said, I'm a bit drained.

Ladybug2

((Kiki)) Sorry to hear you drank, do you want to talk about it? We are here for you and, of course, you can stay with us!!! Don't even think of leaving. We are all in this together. I have had more Day 1's than I can count Just get back in the sober fight!

Ladybug2

Way to go on 1 week,FABL! Hopefully I will be there in 2 days

Ladybug2

Clearlyheaded, sorry you are having such a rough day, but good for you for staying strong. You know drinking won't make any of it better and you will feel even worse tomorrow if you do.

CaseyW

Sorry to hear you decided to drink, KiKi0615. Of course you not only can but you should stay with us. You've built a support system here, now use it when those thoughts of drinking come in. Glad you're back with us today.

Thank you for checking in, forabetterlife. That's awesome that you ran 5K. That's a huge deal.

Being hit with that unexpected bill sounds so frustrating, clearlyheaded. But that's good you told your doctor about your drinking issues. Hang in there, we're here all day and night if you need to vent. I'm sure everything that is going on is draining--are you remembering to eat and stay hydrated?

horsestaple

To save you the bother:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

It's by the same bloke that wrote The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling. Not that anyone seems mind any more but it's out of copyright so you can do what you like with it.