What it was like?

It was a long and rough 14 years. I lost so many important people and made too many poor choices. It was a mix of blackouts and blurred memories filled with regret. I was what you call a functioning alcoholic. I worked hard but drank hard.

What happened?

I knew for many years I had a problem. Near the end I would cut back, but the times I did drink I don't really remember much. I had my daughter and I knew she deserved better and I needed to make sure I was fully there for her everyday. I decided it was time to get real about life.

What it is like now?

Now it's great to know I can have fun without using. Life still gets tough but I can only imagine how much worse it would be if I was still using. I may get urges about twice a year but I know I've come too far to start all over! The years have passed quicker than I could have ever imagined.