Charlotte's web
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Charlotte's web
This morning at 4 am, my little girl woke me up, crying.
Her head hurt, so I got her some medicine, a cold compress, and lay in her bed with her to hold her hand and remind her to breathe deeply and slowly, not shallow and crying with pressure... 'It'll help the pain go away if you relax as much as you can, sweetheart'.
Then came the vomiting. Seems she's got the flu. So I held her hair back, got her a wet washcloth, held her and soothed her.
Now in the pre-dawn darkness while the rest of the family sleeps, we're watching Charlotte's Web together.
Being There. Being Present. Being Able. Being Helpful. Being of Service. Being Ready.....
These are the moments Being Sober reminds me what a gift sobriety is.
What if I were drunk and passed out? How present would I be for her if I were vomiting and retching myself, pounding headache, dehydration and hangover racking my body?
How would she feel if I were sitting here drinking morning vodka just to get through?
Our lives are a gift.... Alcohol is a waste of that gift.
Her head hurt, so I got her some medicine, a cold compress, and lay in her bed with her to hold her hand and remind her to breathe deeply and slowly, not shallow and crying with pressure... 'It'll help the pain go away if you relax as much as you can, sweetheart'.
Then came the vomiting. Seems she's got the flu. So I held her hair back, got her a wet washcloth, held her and soothed her.
Now in the pre-dawn darkness while the rest of the family sleeps, we're watching Charlotte's Web together.
Being There. Being Present. Being Able. Being Helpful. Being of Service. Being Ready.....
These are the moments Being Sober reminds me what a gift sobriety is.
What if I were drunk and passed out? How present would I be for her if I were vomiting and retching myself, pounding headache, dehydration and hangover racking my body?
How would she feel if I were sitting here drinking morning vodka just to get through?
Our lives are a gift.... Alcohol is a waste of that gift.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Deep in the heart of Texas
Posts: 1,736
Had a very similar experience this week with my daughter & that awful stomach flu. It started at 3:45 a.m. for us. I too was so grateful for my sobriety.
I've also thought a lot about this with my son. He's 14 now which means his social life is beginning to blossom. There have been several times the past few months he's needed to be taken & picked up from this & that. I no longer try to negotiate trying to get him rides so as not to interfere with my drinking. Now I happily take AND pick up to events. I'm noticing that the picking up is a very fun & precious time. THAT's the time they'll actually talk to you about what they did, how much fun they had or some sort of funny anecdote. I can't imagine missing that because I'm too drunk to drive.
Sobriety...the gift that keeps on giving!!
I've also thought a lot about this with my son. He's 14 now which means his social life is beginning to blossom. There have been several times the past few months he's needed to be taken & picked up from this & that. I no longer try to negotiate trying to get him rides so as not to interfere with my drinking. Now I happily take AND pick up to events. I'm noticing that the picking up is a very fun & precious time. THAT's the time they'll actually talk to you about what they did, how much fun they had or some sort of funny anecdote. I can't imagine missing that because I'm too drunk to drive.
Sobriety...the gift that keeps on giving!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Maryland
Posts: 321
Great post FreeOwl! Those little things do end up being the most important. My daughter is now 19 and though the most significant things stand out in memory....its the smaller things that come to mind as most memorable. Taking care of the little things when young. They seem to have the most impact on me and my memory. The sweet and seemingly "nothing" moments are the most vivid.
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 1,042
Indeed a great post and a really good reminder of what alcohol robs us of, it's a joy to be a parent and care for our children (far from easy at times, I know), but there's not much we can't do for them with love and sobriety. I wish I had realised this much earlier in my daughter's life, but we are making up for lost time now. Hope your girl recovers soon.
xx
xx
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
A second night in a row... From 2 am onward. Poor little girl vomiting and feverish, head aching and miserable.
But she took it in such stride. Despite her physical anguish, we lay there in the dark in her bed sometimes smiling, talking, joking. As she vomited, rubbing her back and soothing her. Catching bits of sleep in between bouts.
A second night in a row that I never would have been able to manage in my alcohol-induced stupors of the past. I'd have been half-there at best.
She's feelin pretty awful, but she's got her Daddy
But she took it in such stride. Despite her physical anguish, we lay there in the dark in her bed sometimes smiling, talking, joking. As she vomited, rubbing her back and soothing her. Catching bits of sleep in between bouts.
A second night in a row that I never would have been able to manage in my alcohol-induced stupors of the past. I'd have been half-there at best.
She's feelin pretty awful, but she's got her Daddy
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
