He swore he'd go to AA but the night of the meeting he literally begged me not to make him go. I just told him that it was his choice but if he ever drank again just don't come home, don't call me, don't write me and never talk to me again. Well, somehow he managed to stay sober even with all his alcoholic friends and it has been a wonderful 20 yrs.
Then my son became a teenager and lo and behold he was an alcoholic. Having lived through it with my husband didn't make it any easier, in fact I think it was harder because he was my child. I just didn't know how to handle it. I talked to him, prayed for him, was happy that he had found a good woman and eventually had 2 children and between us we kept him on a short leash but alcoholics will drink any chance they get and I don't know how many times his wife called me crying.
I tried to get her to go to Al-Anon but she wouldn't and she used me to lean on but she wasn't ready to do the hard work. One day she called me crying and I lost it. I told her to take the kids and leave. Sometime, a few months later she took my advice and took off and stayed away for a week then she came home madder than a wet hen. She dropped her kids at my house and went home and gave him the ultimatum and after living w/o his family for a week he was ready to listen. Except for one incident 4 yrs into sobriety, he's been sober for 8 yrs.
I know it was hard for both of them but they did it and I'm so proud of both of them. They aren't carrying on the family legacy and they know they don't have to.
Very nice. Thank you tiki.
PwMp