RECOVERY STORY OF THE MONTH

Hi, my name is Angel A, and I am an alcoholic. I grew up on the rough streets of Parma Heights.

I was an only child for eight years and raised by my grandparents and my mom. So I am by nature, spoiled and entitled. When I was 8, my mom met my dad. They had my brother and sister, and it wasn’t all about me anymore. My teenage years were pretty boring. I was always grounded. I picked up my first drink when I was 18. I had a couple wine coolers. It was my first drunk. I was married to my ex-husband and had my son, so I drank occasionally on the weekends. I was out shopping and taking my cousin home, and I met the love of my life at a red light on Brook Park Road. He drank the way I wanted to. He took me to my first bar, and I loved it. At first, it was just on the weekends, then it was during the week. Every chance I got, I was at the bar. I was 21 years old, and thought I had missed something having my son so young. Just an excuse to drink.

I was 21 years old, and thought I had missed something having my son so young. Just an excuse to drink.

We moved to Georgia, and the party continued. It was a little harder to find alcohol because we lived in the middle of nowhere, and it was dry counties all around. But I managed. We stayed there a couple years and then moved back to Ohio with four young children. He had custody of his three children and my son. We moved to Garfield Heights and raised the kids and partied on the weekends when the kids would go with their other parent.

When the kids became teenagers, we got bored because they weren’t coming around as much. We started going to the bars again. And just like you always hear, my disease progressed. We lost everything our house ,our cars, our jobs and the kids. We would take turns going to jail. We ate out of chipotle dumpsters at steel yard. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I was a zombie walking around, looking for the next drink. I didn’t care about anyone or anything. Only the next drink. A good friend kept telling me I needed women and to go to Jean Marie. I was introduced to AA in 2009. I was at the Edna house for three weeks and I drank on my first visit and got kicked out . I had no idea how to stay sober. I went back to what I knew, and had become so familiar . October 25, 2012 I walked into jean Marie.

My sobriety date is October 26, 2012. I got a sponsor who got me right into the steps and I built a support group. It was suggested that I have no contact with my husband. I followed that suggestion and we didn’t talk for months. I didn’t like it and I cried every day, but I did it. It worked. It had been suggested to me many times, but I was not willing. We started to talk on the phone once a week. And then we started dating again. It’s very strange to date someone you’ve been married to for years, but we didn’t know each other sober, and hadn’t for a long time. I was almost 2 years sober before we moved in together again. Everything just fell into place. I still live by that rule today. If it doesn’t flow, it is not meant to be. God always puts stop signs. The difference is I can see them now. His will, not mine.

He has his home group with his guys, and I have mine with my girls.

We keep our programs separate. He has his home group with his guys, and I have mine with my girls. We rarely go to meetings together. I was told early on we have to be the example for the new person. I have a really good life that I am not willing to give up. I have the best version of my husband and he has the best version of me And a really great marriage. That’s more important than all the stuff. I have real relationships with real friends. I have three grandbabies (all girls) that I absolutely adore. They are the absolute best thing about sobriety. They never have to see me drink. If I feel crazy in my head, I go back to the basics. Life gets real hard sometimes. I watched my son get married. I’ve been to more funerals than I can count. I lost all three of my cats which were like my children – two in one month . I’ve had major surgeries. I did it all sober. Life is still life. But I have a program to deal with whatever comes my way. A daily reprieve. I go to meetings. I talk about what goes on in my head. I pray and trust my higher power. I work the steps to the best of my willingness and the promises have come true.