500 DAYS SOBER
Yes, I am an alcoholic. It’s tough for me to write this…but it is a part of who and what I am. I guess it started when I found out I was to become a grandma. I was also trying to get my tubal ligation reversed at that time. I found out it cannot be done. So I have always been a social drinker no problems..other than I would get loaded when I did drink. Somehow, this horrible disease crept up on me. First 3 beers a day , then 5, then 8 and up to 24 a day. It’s very embarrasing! I tried to stop on my own, this had been going on for over a year at this point. I was at this party and we had a bombfire, I tripped when I was drunk and fell down a hill…almost face first into this pit. My husband was crying..he didn’t know what to do. So I decided to try to switch to drinking wine. I don’t really like it, but I figured I’d drink less. Nope..I drank bottles and bottles to get my fix. Alcohol makes some people tired, it made me so HYPER..I loved it! The more I drank, the more energy I had. It was crazy. Then..I became very depressed about myself. I turned to exercise…my true passion of life for help. I was a trainwreck with a bottle of beer in the cupholder on the treadmill. My blood pressure was 175/85. I was going to drink myself dead for sure. So I checked myself into rehab and met all kinds of people like me. It amazed me how many different types of people were there. Nurses, salesmen, bodybuilders..etc, hooked on pills, drugs, booze. I never had another drink since Dec 2006. Somehow the man upstairs saved me! I have even survived a Jimmy Buffett concert sober! That was a tough one. Yet everywhere I go, I seem to come across folks just like me …drowning their sorrows in the stuff. The point of this whole story is to let everone know how I turned my addiction to a positive version. The more I do, the better I am emotionally..I cannot let myself ever fall back into depression and that nightmare again. I now know that drinking just 1 drink impairs your body’s ability to burn fat for 24 hours!! I was doing all that work in vain for so long. I hope someone out there reads this and maybe there are people suffering or know someone who is. There’s so much more to bodybuilding than the muscle rewards…it may just save your soul!!
May 10, 2008 at 11:41 am
I am very proud of you and your accomplishment. You should pat yourself on the back.. You keep it up and stay determined. Failure is the path of least resistance.
May 10, 2008 at 11:45 am
CONGRATULATIONS!! That is a huge accomplishment, you should be proud..
May 10, 2008 at 11:47 am
Wow, thanks for sharing that. Congratulations on your decision to reclaim your life. I know it couldn’t have been easy and here you are! You are an inspiration!
May 10, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Congrats….It must be hard to share…. but look at what you have achieved….you inspire so many already and i’m sure it will inspire loads more knowing that they are not alone….my heart goes out to you!
May 10, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Congrats Amy, thanks for sharing. It was very interesting to read, keep up the good work
May 10, 2008 at 12:42 pm
great job and thank you for the incredible story
May 11, 2008 at 3:11 am
In one blog, you validated the existence of this support site. There is no doubt that more than one will benefit from your testimony. I see acts of bravery daily in & out of the combat zone…this selfless revelation smacks of the same courage. This moment defines your complete beauty…within as well as on the outside. All luv & respect!
Harris
May 11, 2008 at 11:46 am
I’ll make it quick mom- I’m so proud of you.. like you said the alcohol it was just a party after another..that was me w/ anorexia/bulimia.each weekend i would get sauced.. itw as an escape.. but i like you recognized my problem and did something about it, for the better!!
Amy i’m so proud of you and all of your achievements.. you are truly inspirational:)
May 11, 2008 at 11:47 am
oops* i meant to put in there that I would party all the time to escape my real problems and low self esteem.. lol but i couldn’t edit it.. ahh.. stupid computers
May 11, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Congrats on kicking the habit. I wish my Ex would see this and come to some kind of realization. Being that I am a single Dad raising 2 girls on my own, it hurt to read this as my little ones are visiting their Mom today, but for the past 3 years, she has not been the Mom she could have been, due to the same addiction.
Thank you for writing this as I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel for her, it is too late for us, as the damage has been done, I could not take anymore, hopefully my kids will see the side of her that brought us together, not the evilness of alcohol.
Again, thank you and Happy Mother’s Day.
May 11, 2008 at 4:49 pm
That was a great post! That also took a incredible amount of strength to write it. Alcoholism is a tough thing. I have a friend that is constantly battling but I don’t think he’s seeing the light. Here’s to 500 more days sober!
May 12, 2008 at 6:59 am
Congratulations!
I don’t have any problems along those lines, but if you can openly admit that, then I should be able to admit my much smaller ones without any hesitation.
To a true inspiration..
Best Wishes.
May 12, 2008 at 7:51 am
Wow. It takes courage & tonnes of strength to admit this. Double respect for sharing it on body space. You are a tower of strength & inspiration. Keep moving forward. God bless.
May 12, 2008 at 9:49 am
Amy I am so proud of you! It takes a lot of strenght to get through something like that. I am sure it has made you a better person and from what I know you are pretty amazing.
Thank you for sharing!
May 12, 2008 at 10:00 am
WOW Amy! I had no idea. Congratulations on your sobriety! It’s awesome that you were able to make the change and now can truly live life to the fullest. Then funny thing about any addiction (even if it’s just fast food) is once you’re over it, you almost can’t imagine doing/having it again.
When I look at fast food, I almost wanna puke since I know what’s in it and how much hard work it’ll take to work off it’s effects. You ROCK Amy!
May 12, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Amy, you are such a blessing. Alcoholism runs in my family. I know what a curse it can be. Thank you so much for sharing. It sheds light on something so many people are afraid to share, or to even see. What strength and courage you showed by taking control and then to share it–wow. You are incredible, and many many kudos to you for your 500 days–keep going my dear, the work is well worth the rewards. (I will have to send you a pic when I get my next tattoo–it’s 3 parachute pins on a chain for serenity, courage and wisdom.) Be well.
May 13, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Amy,
I felt like you were an inpirational person before this now…….I know it. Thank you for having the courage to share who you were and who you are now. Your awesome Amy….(Thought I’d tell you in case you needed to hear it.)
May 15, 2008 at 7:28 am
Amy, thank you for sharing that and congrats on making the 500-day milestone! That is wonderful! I have said this before to you and I’ll say it again: you really are an inspiration!
May 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm
CONGRATULATIONS! 500 days is AWESOME! I can only imagine how trying that must have been for you at times (and maybe still is?). You are truly an inspiration!
May 16, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Amy, just to join the chorus, congratulations! You are strong inside and out, and I’m willing to bet that the heath and fitness you display physically is matched by a strong character. Thank you for being so open - whether its alcohol or something else, we all have our demons to tackle, and your story inspires.
May 22, 2008 at 10:32 pm
That’s pretty amazing thing for you to do, great job. You’ve definitely inspired people who have all sorts of addiction problems. Just proved with the right mind set and friends around you, you can do anything.
May 23, 2008 at 5:39 pm
wow amy!!!
aragnmod
you truly are an inspiration. thank you for sharing this story w/us.
May 25, 2008 at 9:34 pm
You are a true amazing spirit and I respect you completely. Congrats on the sober days, and more to come.
Love you Always
May 31, 2008 at 6:30 am
Hi Friend,
Wow,thank you! As another recovering person I really respect that you took the time to write this and to share.
You and I know that statistics would clearly show that there are many alcoholic/addicts that check in here,some recovering some still using.
I find that life is a true blessing and is so beutiful in innumerable ways being sober.Watching the sunrise,the smile on Children and grandchildrens faces.It is such a vast and beautiful world we live in.To meet the day mindfully,fully present is a tue gift from the Creator.
Keep at it friend,as I come up on 26 years I can only tell you that it keeps getting more beautiful,mystical,filled with LOVE!
June 26, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Wow, extremely brave of you to post this. I’m very happy for you!