Alcohol in the blood
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Wheat Ridge, CO
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Alcohol in the blood
Hello All,
My cousin wrote this short essay about the effects alcohol has had on our family. She wrote in part as a essay contest for a scholarship, but the message is clearly appropriate here.
If You Really Knew Me
If you really knew me, you would know that in my blood runs the epidemic of alcoholism. Realizing that this is a hereditary disease, I make decisions for myself based upon my family history which has proven to be a cycle of self destruction.
My grandfather was first introduced to this disease by his parents, who were also alcoholics. Managing to acquire several DUI’s, no license, and no income, my grandfather’s health slowly headed for the worst. As an adult, my mother didn’t want her three young children to be exposed to such a lifestyle and her father was no longer a part of our lives. Sixteen years later, we found out that my grandfather was in the hospital because of his disease. Bringing him back into our lives, we all thought that this was the start of a new beginning, but not too long after we were confronted with his sudden death.
Seeing my grandfather in the condition that he was in and knowing that the alcoholism was the evil that had caused him physical pain and our family emotional pain, made me ever more aware that I would not let the cycle of alcoholism continue. I realized that I needed to do anything and everything in my power to not destroy my life as my grandfather did to his. Addiction is a hereditary tendency; however, I am determined to change my generation’s cycle. Most importantly I have the desire to be healthy, surround myself with better people, and to maintain the relationship that I have with my family. I would not wish the curse of addictions on anyone, and as much as I wish that I could cure the world, I know that I only have the power to help myself.
My cousin wrote this short essay about the effects alcohol has had on our family. She wrote in part as a essay contest for a scholarship, but the message is clearly appropriate here.
If You Really Knew Me
If you really knew me, you would know that in my blood runs the epidemic of alcoholism. Realizing that this is a hereditary disease, I make decisions for myself based upon my family history which has proven to be a cycle of self destruction.
My grandfather was first introduced to this disease by his parents, who were also alcoholics. Managing to acquire several DUI’s, no license, and no income, my grandfather’s health slowly headed for the worst. As an adult, my mother didn’t want her three young children to be exposed to such a lifestyle and her father was no longer a part of our lives. Sixteen years later, we found out that my grandfather was in the hospital because of his disease. Bringing him back into our lives, we all thought that this was the start of a new beginning, but not too long after we were confronted with his sudden death.
Seeing my grandfather in the condition that he was in and knowing that the alcoholism was the evil that had caused him physical pain and our family emotional pain, made me ever more aware that I would not let the cycle of alcoholism continue. I realized that I needed to do anything and everything in my power to not destroy my life as my grandfather did to his. Addiction is a hereditary tendency; however, I am determined to change my generation’s cycle. Most importantly I have the desire to be healthy, surround myself with better people, and to maintain the relationship that I have with my family. I would not wish the curse of addictions on anyone, and as much as I wish that I could cure the world, I know that I only have the power to help myself.
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