A Flashback
IO Storm
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 18,436
A Flashback
There it was. Right on the front page of our local newspaper two days ago.
A man going 60 miles per hour ran off the freeway into a parked van. The van
happened to have the female driver underneath fixing a tire. The impact
of the ensuing collision slammed her van into her father's sedan parked
in front of her.
Why was this photo "shocking" to me? The man's car ..smashed to the
steering column, looked like my little mini truck 14 years ago...
In the spring of 1993 I met my ABF at a BBQ restaurant after work
to have "dinner". I do not recall dinner or ribs or corn on the cob.
I do recall one shot of whiskey ....that's it. You see..I started drinking
in 1992..a black out drinker from the start. I have a vague recollection
of being pulled out of my truck, kicking, sceaming, and biting the police
officers and paramedics. And calling them names... The next memory is
being chained to a hospital bed and asking an officer.."Do you think I'm
pretty?" Bless his heart..he said yes before he arrested me.
I was released to a friend who had an "in" with the Sheriff's Dept.
According to my boyfriend's info and what the police could piece
together...I became enraged about nothing after several drinks
at the restaurant. I left without eating...bought a 12 pack of
beer and drove around..drinking all but 4 (tall) cans. Then I
stopped myself by driving headlong at 50 miles per hour into a
parked truck on a residential street.
I went to see my "baby"..my beautiful little truck at the yard two days later.
I swooned..someone had to hold me up. Just like the man's car in the
paper...a total wreck. My truck was smashed to the steering column.
My legs had deep cuts. I had a concussion. I had to be extricated.
The difference?
The man died on impact. There were others in the parked vehicles..
They are still in the hospital.
All I got was a concussion, and bruises...even the owner of the other vehicle
was nice.
I am so, so, so grateful..and I do not understand why some of us are
spared and some taken. But I do know that I am grateful today.
Grateful I stopped in time....and didn't hurt anyone else.
Grateful for another chance.
Grateful to be here on SR.
Thank you, God.
A man going 60 miles per hour ran off the freeway into a parked van. The van
happened to have the female driver underneath fixing a tire. The impact
of the ensuing collision slammed her van into her father's sedan parked
in front of her.
Why was this photo "shocking" to me? The man's car ..smashed to the
steering column, looked like my little mini truck 14 years ago...
In the spring of 1993 I met my ABF at a BBQ restaurant after work
to have "dinner". I do not recall dinner or ribs or corn on the cob.
I do recall one shot of whiskey ....that's it. You see..I started drinking
in 1992..a black out drinker from the start. I have a vague recollection
of being pulled out of my truck, kicking, sceaming, and biting the police
officers and paramedics. And calling them names... The next memory is
being chained to a hospital bed and asking an officer.."Do you think I'm
pretty?" Bless his heart..he said yes before he arrested me.
I was released to a friend who had an "in" with the Sheriff's Dept.
According to my boyfriend's info and what the police could piece
together...I became enraged about nothing after several drinks
at the restaurant. I left without eating...bought a 12 pack of
beer and drove around..drinking all but 4 (tall) cans. Then I
stopped myself by driving headlong at 50 miles per hour into a
parked truck on a residential street.
I went to see my "baby"..my beautiful little truck at the yard two days later.
I swooned..someone had to hold me up. Just like the man's car in the
paper...a total wreck. My truck was smashed to the steering column.
My legs had deep cuts. I had a concussion. I had to be extricated.
The difference?
The man died on impact. There were others in the parked vehicles..
They are still in the hospital.
All I got was a concussion, and bruises...even the owner of the other vehicle
was nice.
I am so, so, so grateful..and I do not understand why some of us are
spared and some taken. But I do know that I am grateful today.
Grateful I stopped in time....and didn't hurt anyone else.
Grateful for another chance.
Grateful to be here on SR.
Thank you, God.
To Thine Own Self Be True
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 1,946
Thank you :ghug3
I rear ended someone last Friday (sober) and it brought back everything. My daughter was in the car both times too. NOT fun times to relive.
I am working my bootie off to be of service to my HP. I am so grateful for my sobriety.
I rear ended someone last Friday (sober) and it brought back everything. My daughter was in the car both times too. NOT fun times to relive.
I am working my bootie off to be of service to my HP. I am so grateful for my sobriety.
IO Storm
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 18,436
You know...I pondered..debated...wondered..if I should post this..couldn't
get away from it. Just hope it might help someone else. It helped me.
Hope it helped you too..it is so good to know we are not the only one.
And..even if someone viewing has had the misfortune of a worse outcome..
at least you are still here. There is a reason..a purpose.
get away from it. Just hope it might help someone else. It helped me.
Hope it helped you too..it is so good to know we are not the only one.
And..even if someone viewing has had the misfortune of a worse outcome..
at least you are still here. There is a reason..a purpose.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,494
Thanks for sharing your story IO.
I have wondered the same thing many times. It's hard to not go through addiction and survive and wonder why. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and we're all meant to be here at SR supporting each other.
I have wondered the same thing many times. It's hard to not go through addiction and survive and wonder why. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and we're all meant to be here at SR supporting each other.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 36
Fate is strange - the nicest person i ever knew and my best friend died at 16 from cancer, and I pretty much almost killed me and my day dad driving drunk one day, seconds away from a head on collision with another, went round a bend phased out and almost died. I also drove my sister around drunk. NEVER again, if I died that's bad, if #I killed anyone else thats almost evil,
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,557
IO, your post made me cry and gave me chills. I have memories of situations like that. I never got a DUI in all my drinking years - then I got 3 almost all at once. I remind myself daily, I could be serving a life term for vehicular homicide. What's frightening is, I never got behind the wheel feeling that I was endangering anyone - and the last time I got stopped I blew a 3.2. I told myself I'll be fine, I'll just drive real slow and careful......
Thank you for the reminder and a great share. Love, Joanie
Thank you for the reminder and a great share. Love, Joanie
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
