Daddio's Story
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: The Hill City, MS
Posts: 316
Daddio's Story
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Back when I was in the sixth grade I was starting to hang out with a pretty rough crowd of guys. We smoked, drank, shoplifted and learned how to fight. I could see where it was going, but didn't realy care. Then for some reason, my parents decided it was time to move to a neighboring city. No doubt, the best thing that could have happened to me.
Yet, something happened during that transition. The people I was hanging out with before, however wayward, were still my friends. In this new environment, I was slow to gain new friends. Not a social outcast mind you. Just a tad apprehensive. Along with that, I brought my addictive behavior with me. I continued to smoke and drink. Drinking cost me the student body president spot in the ninth grade when the principal found booze in my Jeep. I even used to drink in class. Never got caught.
I made it through HS. then Jr. College, the a major University with a degree in Engineering. Was by that time a very social person. Well adjusted as some would say. Nonetheess, still drinking and smoking and smoking pot. I think I failed to mention that I also did peyote, LSD, cocaine, pot, and mushrooms. All on regular basis.
But I became a well known figure in the local scene. President of this, chairman of that. Picture in the paper. Upwardly mobile at my place of employment. All the while, alcohol was part of daily life. That was back in the mid-80's. Fast forward through to the mid 00's. Two marriages later. Neither one ending as a direct result of the booze. Also, six jobs later. Agian, none lost due to the alcohol. I can say that with total honesty. No denial problems. Downsizing, business closings, poor management of small a small company. But never because of booze. The position I just left in Dallas, Texas had me managing multi-million dollar construction projects. Even won national and international awards for the jobs I managed.
I have never been arreted. Never even been inside of a jail. Never had a DUI. Went 30 years bewteen speeding tickets. Haven't been involved in an accident in 25 years. Never woke up in a dumpster. But all the while drinking booze every day.
I have a 25 year old son about to get his Masters Degree from FSU. He's never had a ticket or been involved in an accident. He doesn't do drugs and drinks very little.
My long winded point is that a small habit became a very large habit. For the 8 or so years prior to my last drink, I was consuming 60 ounces of vodka a day on the weekends. But only about 36 ounces during week nights. WooHoo. That would be up to 40 drinks at a bar!!! Of course, I drank from a 16 oz glass, so I didn't take long to get there.
The booze was taking its toll. My body was just saturated. My brain synapses were misfiring causing me problems with my driving. My "sober" DRIVING that is. I never drove while snockered. I made sure sure that I had everything I needed before getting after it. I had developed a dibilitating fear of driving over bridges. I couldnt even remember how to to play my guitar. The chords made no sense. And I couldn't recall how a C, of D or E was fingered.
Without a photo trail of some of my outings I couldn't remember who or what. So after comimg to one Sunday, I just told myself that enough was enough. I was tired of the fog, the wooziness, the constant smell of booze vapor on my body and breath. I was tired of me being out of control.
I prayed to God for his healing mercy. I knew that I needed a power much higher that any mere mortal could give me. This was not some new found shout out. God has been a close buddy of mine for quite some time. I just never really asked for his help with this problem. I quit cold turkey with never, ever having tried before. No doctors, no AA, no nobody. The first night was different. The second was better. By the third and fourth and fifth nights I was sleeping like a baby with no side effects. No DTs. I had tests run afterwards and my doctor told me that I had no trace of ever taking a drink of alcohol. Heart, lungs, liver, brain are all fully functional and in good health.
That was 572 days ago and I am still sober. I think about it every day and am around it all the time. But by the grace of God and God alone, I kicked that habit. Now I was about three months before the hangovers quit. It took a little over a year for my brain to start firing correctly. But here I sit. Reading all of the stories about all of my fellow journeymen and how I just wish everyone could just turn it off as I did.
I thank the folks here at SR for the space to tell my story. It is important to me. As has I have a different take than most.
God bless each of you. And I wish each of you peace in your journey
Daddio
Back when I was in the sixth grade I was starting to hang out with a pretty rough crowd of guys. We smoked, drank, shoplifted and learned how to fight. I could see where it was going, but didn't realy care. Then for some reason, my parents decided it was time to move to a neighboring city. No doubt, the best thing that could have happened to me.
Yet, something happened during that transition. The people I was hanging out with before, however wayward, were still my friends. In this new environment, I was slow to gain new friends. Not a social outcast mind you. Just a tad apprehensive. Along with that, I brought my addictive behavior with me. I continued to smoke and drink. Drinking cost me the student body president spot in the ninth grade when the principal found booze in my Jeep. I even used to drink in class. Never got caught.
I made it through HS. then Jr. College, the a major University with a degree in Engineering. Was by that time a very social person. Well adjusted as some would say. Nonetheess, still drinking and smoking and smoking pot. I think I failed to mention that I also did peyote, LSD, cocaine, pot, and mushrooms. All on regular basis.
But I became a well known figure in the local scene. President of this, chairman of that. Picture in the paper. Upwardly mobile at my place of employment. All the while, alcohol was part of daily life. That was back in the mid-80's. Fast forward through to the mid 00's. Two marriages later. Neither one ending as a direct result of the booze. Also, six jobs later. Agian, none lost due to the alcohol. I can say that with total honesty. No denial problems. Downsizing, business closings, poor management of small a small company. But never because of booze. The position I just left in Dallas, Texas had me managing multi-million dollar construction projects. Even won national and international awards for the jobs I managed.
I have never been arreted. Never even been inside of a jail. Never had a DUI. Went 30 years bewteen speeding tickets. Haven't been involved in an accident in 25 years. Never woke up in a dumpster. But all the while drinking booze every day.
I have a 25 year old son about to get his Masters Degree from FSU. He's never had a ticket or been involved in an accident. He doesn't do drugs and drinks very little.
My long winded point is that a small habit became a very large habit. For the 8 or so years prior to my last drink, I was consuming 60 ounces of vodka a day on the weekends. But only about 36 ounces during week nights. WooHoo. That would be up to 40 drinks at a bar!!! Of course, I drank from a 16 oz glass, so I didn't take long to get there.
The booze was taking its toll. My body was just saturated. My brain synapses were misfiring causing me problems with my driving. My "sober" DRIVING that is. I never drove while snockered. I made sure sure that I had everything I needed before getting after it. I had developed a dibilitating fear of driving over bridges. I couldnt even remember how to to play my guitar. The chords made no sense. And I couldn't recall how a C, of D or E was fingered.
Without a photo trail of some of my outings I couldn't remember who or what. So after comimg to one Sunday, I just told myself that enough was enough. I was tired of the fog, the wooziness, the constant smell of booze vapor on my body and breath. I was tired of me being out of control.
I prayed to God for his healing mercy. I knew that I needed a power much higher that any mere mortal could give me. This was not some new found shout out. God has been a close buddy of mine for quite some time. I just never really asked for his help with this problem. I quit cold turkey with never, ever having tried before. No doctors, no AA, no nobody. The first night was different. The second was better. By the third and fourth and fifth nights I was sleeping like a baby with no side effects. No DTs. I had tests run afterwards and my doctor told me that I had no trace of ever taking a drink of alcohol. Heart, lungs, liver, brain are all fully functional and in good health.
That was 572 days ago and I am still sober. I think about it every day and am around it all the time. But by the grace of God and God alone, I kicked that habit. Now I was about three months before the hangovers quit. It took a little over a year for my brain to start firing correctly. But here I sit. Reading all of the stories about all of my fellow journeymen and how I just wish everyone could just turn it off as I did.
I thank the folks here at SR for the space to tell my story. It is important to me. As has I have a different take than most.
God bless each of you. And I wish each of you peace in your journey
Daddio
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