zoomi

Some of you may remember me from before. Anyhow I was sober for awhile through sr and A.A, 2 weeks ago I relapsed because I stopped going to meetings. within those two weeks I ended up getting 2nd dui which I am facing 3 years licence suspension and 30 days in jail. There's also no way I can beat this case because I refused to blow. I do have a lawyer but its looking hard. This really sucks because I work at a car dealership and will lose my business licence. 2 days ago I drank again at home alone I ended up drink a lot!!! I fell while I was blacked out and hit my head. I was rushed to the hospital and given 4 staples in my head and kept over night. I had 389ml of alcohol in my body.

At this point I am trying to get into rehab which I have to wait at least one month for, my family is very supportive. I am just really scared at what will happen from here on out? how will rehab be? any tips ? I am gonna go for 18 days.

Also if I end up going to jail after rehab any tips on that? I just want to move on from all this can get my life back to normal. Any help from people who have gonna through something like this would really help

Anna

Hi Zoomi and welcome back,

I didn't go to rehab so can't offer any advice there but the best thing to do is to call the rehab and ask all the questions that you have. Hopefully you can do the rehab and jail time and then continue with your recovery. When you say you want to 'get your life back to normal', I would caution you that there will have to be a new and different normal. We all have to find a new way to live our lives so that we can continue our recovery. I hope you keep reading and posting.

calikidd

I am really sorry to hear about your current situation, I do know have your lawyer advise you on classes that the judge may require you to take, thank god no one was hurt in the accident or they would be trying to throw the book at you, I do believe now is your turning point quit while you still have a life worth living, every situation right now at this point in your life still has hope take care of your body now, so it can be there for you later

Soberwolf

Hi Zoomi welcome back my sister is currently in rehab doing exellent shes there for 6 months and over halfway through it and its the best ive seen her in years

Wishing you luck sending strenght hope & support

zoomi

I have decided I would like to go to rehab as I think that would really help. Also in my dui I was not driving was I just sleeping in my car so that sucks I got a dui for that. I just wish I don't have to go to jail. Any tips on what actually happens in rehab? what a normal day looks like?

Jupiters

welcome back zoomi, sorry for what brings you here

you may want to prepare yourself for jail. I'm just outside Toronto. I did 6 weekends last summer for my 2nd. It's mandatory sentence of 30 days for that. Unless you have an amazing lawyer, you will be looking at that. No if's, and's or but's about it, no home arrest...jail.
The nice thing is, you only serve 2/3 of it. And if you have an employer who will support you, you can opt for weekends vs. serving the whole 20 days in a row. Actually 19 b/c your court date counts as one. The actual court date was awful. I still cannot think about that day without feeling anxiety. It was horrible. Longest day of my life. The way you get processed is tedious, I was forgotten in my local court, no food...it was a disaster. anyways...
I chose Friday to Sunday. It wasn't fun, I won't lie. But "weekenders" are at least placed in a unit where other "intermittent's" are, not with the general pop.

oh - I am a woman..lol.
I don't know where you are in Toronto or it works, but I served my time at Vanier (the women's part of the Milton jail)

good luck I hope that you get into a rehab.
as for jail, I just kept my head down, did my time and got the hell outta there. The guards were actually worse than the inmates in my experience.

Jupiters

I wasn't driving for mine either.
I hope you have a good lawyer.
I couldn't afford one, not a good one anyways. After going over my options...it was fight it at a cost of 15K + (which I didn't have) on the 50/50 shot I got off...or just suck it up and plead.
bah. so glad that is behind me now. (last May)
I hate that I have 2, it is no doubt going to professionally hurt me. Already has as I now cannot ever apply at a hospital/clinic (medical) until I can apply for a record suspension (5 yrs from now)

zoomi

So my lawyer is fighting it but he says its hard to win because I didn't blow.. I am paying him a lot of money so I hope he can cut some deal...I have letters and support from work, councillor and my doctor. I hope that helps.

Jupiters

I had all those too. At least you have a good lawyer. I would have fought it too had I had the funds to do it. But I just didn't. Not for a 100% guarantee that I would get off.
The fact that you didn't blow over AND you have a previous one...I hope you get a nice Judge and Crown.
I also got 12 months probation.

thomas11

How much is 389 alcohol in the body? is that alot?

thomas11

I have more to say on this, but I am from the US and not Canada. I paid a crapload of money to a DUI attorney, did not cooperate with police at all (no blow), and stayed out of jail. At this point in time, I hope your high priced attorney can keep you out of jail. Our laws are a bit different. But its more important to address the real issue. Alcohol.

thomas11

Oh boy, I'm in the us, and in my 2nd DUI I paid through the rear end to keep my life intact. And it worked. I don't know how he did it, but I was at the mercy of the courts. Sadly without going into detail, it doesn't matter what we think, if cops write up a scenario where we are passed out drunks in our car. The court will go with that. At the end of the day, I support you because I know how it can be. Weather the storm and remove alcohol from your life.

Jupiters

our laws are very different.
As a US citizen, you wouldn't even be allowed to enter Canada with a DUI on your record. But I can in yours.
Canada has the strictest policy in regards to DUIS, I didn't even know this!

Calicofish

Hi Zoomi - how do you get a DUI when you're not driving? Were you sleeping in the driver's seat? Would it make a difference if you were sleeping in the back?

nymets86

Sorry to sidetrack the conversation a bit, but I don't think this is true. A family member of mine got a DUI in the states and I traveled with him to Canada a few months ago.

Zoomi, stay strong and check in here as much as you can, especially if you have the urge to drink. You're situation does sound scary. Glad that you weren't more seriously injured in your fall and while jail won't be good, maybe it can serve as additional motivation to never take drink #1 again.

Hevyn

Zoomi - good to see you again. Very sorry for the circumstances. Been there.

least

I hope this will motivate you to stay sober for good.

tnman1967

You can certainly be denied entry to Canada with a DUI on your record. You have to apply for "rehabilitation" at the Canadian consulate or embassy abroad, pay a hefty fee. I think it's like $1000. Even with that paper a Canadian border guard can deny you entry. After 9/11 Canada started running electronic checks on travelers.

zoomi

Yes guys its true in Canada a 2nd dui is very SERIOUS unlike the U.S I am looking at 3 years licence suspension plus 3 years interlocking plus 30 days no less in jail and all this for sleeping in the driver seat because I got locked out of my friends car so I decided to sit in a warm car but I fell asleep

zoomi

locked out of my friends house**