This is something I shared on my personal facebook but I wanted to share this here too as I love this community.
I decided to start making myself chips for non-drinking milestones. I need to take this completely seriously if I ever want to heal my bladder and drinking for me is bad news anyhow as I come from a line of alcoholics and am one myself. But most importantly if I EVER want to heal my bladder I need to stop drinking altogether. I have medicaid now and a urologist, no excuses.
I am very sentimental and like the idea of chips. In a few days I will make my 7 day one but this is my 24 hour one which may end up being the most important. If I fall off the wagon this will be the one I pick back up. I really feel ready to not fall off the wagon though. I want to be ice skating on a frozen lake in 5 months dammit so I have to baby my bladder and do anything this urologist says.
I slept holding my chip last night and imagining my new healthy life, feeling content and ready. I will do this. I can do this.
Woke up and started making a huge pot of the healthiest damn vegetable soup ever because I have been eating constantly for the first 5 days of not drinking so if I'mma eat constantly it needs to be healthy, low calorie food. I want to be fully healthy not just sober. :) Man, I feel like I really can beat this shitty disease. I was referring to the IC as the shitty disease but god damn if alcoholism isn't the shittiest too!
The app that is helping to track my sobriety and keep me inspired.
An app simply called "Stop Drinking" but falsely claiming "EasyQuit" is a huge help to me. It not only tracks my time sober but it tells me how many drinks I have passed, how much money I have saved, and let's me see important health related milestones such as when my brain cells start regenerating and when grey matter in my brain begins to increase. It goes all the way up to like 10 years, or 15?, when your risk of heart attack is back to the level of just slightly more than if you never drank at all.
I naturally rebelled for awhile after hearing I can never eat any processed food, fruits, soy, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, or caffeinated tea again but, in the end, being able to have a working body is the most important. Food for fuel not for pleasure will be my new motto and you don't put the wrong fuel in your car even if it's more expensive. Only the right fuel goes into my body now. :) I will be posting updates every time I make a new chip. The next chip is in a few days! ^_^
I can tell this is it. I finally got too fed up to keep rebelling against the idea of extreme life-long changes to my diet in order to beat this disease. Bland food forever? Fine, as long as I can enjoy being outside among the trees, bird, squirrels, people! It will probably take at least 6 months of diet and treatment to get serious relief according to every IC'er I talk to but I am ready.
I'm 3 years sober from drinking, once you pass the initial barriers and the dependency fades away by making new habits. Drinking remains an option but it's a fact first few months are the most difficult part but it really worth it. Haven't been an "alcoholic" ever but it's hard to quit anyway but it's pretty much doable. All the best!
I am an alcoholic but also right now with my disease full blown am stuck inside 24/7 and have an alcoholic roommate so my hurdles will be pretty fucking tough but once I can go outside again it'll get way easier. Until then I plan to learn to knit/crochet. Doing shit like that usually zones me out and I live in a cold place now so I can make silly hats and scarves all day. :) Grats on not drinking for 3 years! :D
Hey it's a great plan and it will keep you occupied, also I would suggest (if I'm qualified) that you should engage yourself in something that will make u physically strong too. Don't label yourself as alcoholic cos it's all temporary, go out on a walk idk try working out, drink lots of water and juices. I know things might get difficult but if u keep trying each day you will get stronger(just believe it) and from there onwards things will start getting easier, in a month or so doing and building the newer version of you will help you coping with cravings. I'm sure you can do it. :). :)
That's why I am taking up crafts and activities I can do at home while I work on healing. Once I am better I hope to be active again like I used to be. I do plan to go to the flower gardens daily if I can. I even ordered supplies/tools that will make it more doable with my condition. :D I will be posting pics of the beautiful place.
Like I said, due to the disease I can't really do much physically at the time. I used to be highly active but trust me, I can't now. I do what I can but it's very limited for the time being. Quitting drinking will improve the bladder disease but it'll take time. :)
I can't drink juice. I do drink a ton of water though. I can't drink juice because of the bladder disease. I have to eat/drink a very bland diet.
You can do this! Becoming sober can be quite taxing on your mind but I believe in you. Just think about the loved ones in your life and the time you gain with them by staying sober.
Good for you. I am 8 days sober from drinking as well. Best of luck to you!
Nice! I am on day 5 right now. :) Congrats to you! That first week is rough.
Congratulations on making the decision for better health!
Hey @lexikon082 - how many days sober are you, love? Have you seen this app that @lauralemons is using? Looks pretty damned cool.
Do it! Just do it!
No amount of alcohol have been proven to be beneficial. I hope this can help. All those studies saying the opposite were obviously propaganda brought to us by the social engineers of this planet or just bad science. I hope this can help.
Take care Laura!
Is moderate drinking not so good for you after all?
cbsnews.com
Almost half of the perpetrators of homicide were intoxicated when the crime was committed
alcoholireland.ie
1 in 10 deaths among U.S. adults tied to alcohol - CBS News
cbsnews.com
I never, ever believed alcohol in any amount was good for one's health. I was just a desperate alcoholic, locked in a room in pain and feeling hopeless but I am not ready to fight this shitty bladder disease for as long as it takes and cutting out booze is mandatory for that! :)
I have personally seen alcohol destroy the lives of so many, including my own family. I was in foster care because of alcoholism. It isn't as simple for me to cut it out. I am a raging alcoholic but I really do believe at the very core of myself that this is the last time. I feel ready. I imagine a life without alcohol and feel grateful instead of scared. :) This is it!
CONGRATULATIONS! I know you do not know me, and aside from this post, I know nothing about you, but I have to say, "I am PROUD of you!" I also come from a line of alcoholics. My dad, who drank my whole life, just celebrated his 13 years sober. You got this! You can do it! Choose YOU every single morning! And if you ever need a cheerleader, I will gladly root you on!!! Celebrate every single success! No matter how big or small it may seem, celebrate it! Because it is WORTH celebrating!!!
If you're going to do it, kick the alcohol, heal the bladder, you gotta start somewhere, and this is a good place to start! I'm glad that you're in a place now where you can get the necessary medical help for your bladder, and other problems that could come up.
At least Minnesota is not a "let you die because you're poor" state.
Hello my dear friend
I liked your account
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Good luck
@haji
Laura, I commend your brave spirit in sharing your journey. It will be tough no doubt, but it will be the most worth it thing you've probably ever done. Stay strong in your conviction and remember why you started. Choose the life you want to live and never look back. Best of luck to you!