The story of my uncle
ups_n_downs
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: staring at this screen
Posts: 10
The story of my uncle
Hello.
I thought I'd share this sad story because it is a reminder of what can happen to us if we don't take charge of our lives and get sober.
My uncle died at the age of 50 from alcohol. I come from a rather cold family and my uncle was the one warm relative that I had. He lived with my family for about a year when I was a child and I reveled in his hugs and sense of humor. He was always there with a wink and a smile.
Then, suddenly, he disappeared from our lives for almost a decade and nobody heard from him. In 1994, my mother got a call to fly to Los Angeles because her brother was dying. She had no idea what was going on but she went. When she got to the hospital, there was my uncle, totally yellow and dying from chirrosis of the liver. He had drunk himself to death. 24 hours later, his esophagus burst and he died. When I saw him in his casket, his skin was grey from all the make-up the mortitian had to put on him to try to cover up the yellow.
My uncle was a good, decent man, but alcohol destroyed him. I have been following his path for 10 years. Now that I'm trying to stay sober, I imagine him watching me and cheering me on. He would never have wanted the same fate for me, so I draw on memories of him now to stay on the other path; the one he was never able to take. I'm sure that's the way he would have wanted it.
I thought I'd share this sad story because it is a reminder of what can happen to us if we don't take charge of our lives and get sober.
My uncle died at the age of 50 from alcohol. I come from a rather cold family and my uncle was the one warm relative that I had. He lived with my family for about a year when I was a child and I reveled in his hugs and sense of humor. He was always there with a wink and a smile.
Then, suddenly, he disappeared from our lives for almost a decade and nobody heard from him. In 1994, my mother got a call to fly to Los Angeles because her brother was dying. She had no idea what was going on but she went. When she got to the hospital, there was my uncle, totally yellow and dying from chirrosis of the liver. He had drunk himself to death. 24 hours later, his esophagus burst and he died. When I saw him in his casket, his skin was grey from all the make-up the mortitian had to put on him to try to cover up the yellow.
My uncle was a good, decent man, but alcohol destroyed him. I have been following his path for 10 years. Now that I'm trying to stay sober, I imagine him watching me and cheering me on. He would never have wanted the same fate for me, so I draw on memories of him now to stay on the other path; the one he was never able to take. I'm sure that's the way he would have wanted it.
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 5,862
That's a lovely post up's. Most of us that do have a problem with alcohol are genuine souls with a lot of love to give. Unfortunatly, sometimes it's just not enough to get us sober. I'm sure your making him proud and living in sobriety he can now do vicariously through you. *hugs*
Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: brandon man, canada
Posts: 258
Thats great that you relized what your uncle went threw and that your trying to stay sober great to see that your realizing the Affecks alcohol can do to us.So sorry to hear about the uncle but hopefully a learning thing for all of us.I wish you another 24 hrs.
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