Rehab For the Holidays

My name is Andrea and my sobriety date is November 22, 2017, which just happens to be my deceased mother’s birthday. I did not plan this, but I do see it as a wink from God. The holidays of 2017 were spent finally receiving the help I had cried internally for all those years of drinking. I spent Thanksgiving in a detox, where I showed up as a shell of a woman, a dead woman walking. Most of my stay was a blur due to the lithium. I was not able to stay awake even though I tried with all my might, but listening to those around me, I was able to grasp the notion that I was finally on the verge of freedom. Upon my release I was rushed to an emergency surgery—my drinking had given me an infected gall bladder, which had to be removed. Even then, I sensed that God had a plan. The hospital staff was so kind and genuine, they knew I had a addiction, but did not judge me.  This clearly wasn't my vision of what I would be doing for the holidays, but I had no regrets.