I am the oldest of 3 girls – and all of us have the disease of alcoholism. I was what we called a garbage head because I used many drugs and took whatever I could find.
By the time I was 19, I was married and divorced. At 20, I was raising a beautiful baby boy while in my active addiction. For the next 18 years I was a functional alcoholic and drug addict. What I mean is I was a good provider, my son did not lack anything, and it is a miracle that he is healthy and has made a good life for himself.
When he was in his teens, I began to fall apart emotionally and physically. I was hopeless and wanted to go to sleep and not wake up! By this time, my baby sister came home from a drug and alcohol treatment center. She was going to recovery group meetings and dragged me along. I will always be grateful to her for introducing me to recovery. I’m sad to say, however, that my sister could not stay sober. She took her life in 2006 in hopes of finding peace. My family and I will never be the same and we miss her everyday.
A gift of sobriety, though, is that my middle sister also went for treatment. She had 3 months clean when we lost our sister. This is another miracle sobriety has given us! We both stayed sober and still are to this day!
My sister has 9 years and I have 24 years of continuous sobriety. It works if you work it! One day at a time.