Personal Stories

Web Exclusive: Dark Clouds, Silver Lining

A long marriage of fear, mental ward stints, and a terrible car wreck didn’t stop her from finding AA.

"I wasn’t allowed to go to the doctor, so I learned to set my broken nose myself. Ribs, you just use a large elastic bandage. Cheekbones, you just leave alone."

After graduation, I told Grandma that I didn’t want to go to college right away. I said that I wanted to live life a little. She wasn’t thrilled with that, of course, but she went along with it. I had an apartment of my own, and worked managing a gas station. I started drinking at about 13. Mom bought my booze because she wanted a drinking buddy. Of course, I didn’t drink at Grandma’s, but I did sniff some glue to tide me over. Well, after I moved into my own apartment, I started drinking again. I would drink about 2 pints of 190 proof, 95% pure grain alcohol over the course of a... Login to read more
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