AUDIO – ONE THOUGHT YEAR –

July 4, 2023 – I spent five or six days in the hospital and upon being released the most surprising thing happened — most people offered me a drink of wine or a cocktail. Every. Place. I. Went.

Here I was healing from major physical trauma combined with minor brain damage, a history of daily drinking and burning the candle at both ends, frantically trying to keep it all together; I was a high-functioning daily drinker and alcoholic, yet the first thing most people did was offer me a drink.

Well meaning, educated people, too. This is shockingly indicative of how we have normalized alcohol and drugs in our society.

It took me about six months to realize that I had to stop drinking. On June 14, 2003, I woke up tired of being sick, tired and remorseful, and I chose at that moment to become sober for my husband, for my kids and for myself.

Little did I know that I was also choosing to be a “rebel” in my community.

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