Sober Discussion (Ongoing)

1192021222325»

Replies

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/12: 012 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.) 

    Also, I lost 2 lbs. this week!

    Have a nice night and a great day tomorrow!

    💞Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/13: 013 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.) 

    After stressing so much about my annual!, job performance review, it ended up being very good and I got the standard! 2% raise. Not quite up to cost of living increases, but I'll take it! I've been with Mass General Brigham for just over four years now (full time). I am very grateful.

    Have a nice night and a great day tomorrow!

    💞Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/15: 015 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.) Here's my 2-week milestone:

    Screenshot_20251114_142325_Sober Time.jpg

    Have a great weekend!

    💞Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member
    edited November 16

    Hi everyone,

    11/16: 016 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member
    edited November 18

    Hi everyone,

    11/17: 017 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    Have a nice evening,

    💗Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/18: 018 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    I'm getting better at stopping that impulse to drink dead on its tracks. I am no longer listening to that destructive, LYING little voice!

    Have a nice evening,

    💗Carole

  • LowTechForever
    LowTechForever Posts: 384 Member

    Hello everyone, long time no write. I have been reading your posts though. I am especially happy to read about your progress Carole. I’m afraid I can’t report much progress here but I will keep plugging away!

  • SunnyDays930
    SunnyDays930 Posts: 1,814 Member

    I am on Day 3 sober. I just cannot drink anymore, full stop. It was giving me scary chest pain in the middle of the night. Also, my husband spilled a glass of red wine all over my basement wall to wall carpet and it has to be replaced to the tune of $3,300. We have to spend that money literally, because of alcohol. It is disgusting. I was talking to my sister about this and we both agreed 1 glass does nothing. It takes until 3 or 4 to feel it and by then you are drinking hundreds of empty calories. And then what? I sleep like crap and wake up with anxiety. It is just not worth it anymore.

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone, (It's so nice to have you back, @LowTechForever and @SunnyDays930!)

    11/20: 020 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    Yesterday was extremely difficult! I had a hard day at work and felt like I deserved a little "consolation". I was also missing some people at certain bars who always seem genuinely glad to see me, though who knows? (I'm a good tipper.) Still, I kept thinking about my weight, my blood pressure, my skin, my hair, past injuries and ER visits, my sleep (quality and quantity), the COST (financial and otherwise) as well as my very fragile self-esteem that I'm beginning to build, and I went straight home. I was so relieved when I finally walked through my door! (I pass by a LOT of these places on the way home.)

    This day-to-day weighing is madness! I was 152.6 yesterday, but the scale said 154.4 today, even though I was careful, stayed under calorie limit and walked home! It's enough to drive me nutz! I'm going to follow Donna's advice (@deepwoodslady) and set up an account at trendweight.com which might help.

    Please don't be discouraged, @LowTechForever - you can go at your own pace, just please stay SAFE!

    Hi, @SunnyDays930, I'm so sorry about the carpet! Wouldn't it have been cheaper to get it professionally cleaned? That's so expensive! I can't imagine such an expense. I am in an apartment building and my carpeting is over 37 years old! They finally offered to clean it, but I would have to move everything around and I don't think I can do that. It's really "shot" but I don't have visitors and live alone; so I can put up with it. I'm 67 and I'm not sure how much longer I can stay here. I've been here about 42 years and have already paid over $500,000 total in rent, but they just want to keep raising it and they want me to leave so they can renovate and charge the new tenants $3580 (that's without utilities - not even hot water, and they have electric heat and stove). I'm paying $1,400/month (2-bedroom) - which is unheard of in Boston now.

    Have a great day!💗Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member
    Screenshot_20251120_121956_Sober Time.jpg

    My latest "Sober Time" milestone!

    Today I went grocery shopping before dinner and walked right by about five of my former "haunts" but went straight home! The last time I ordered in a restaurant was October 30th!

    I'm off tomorrow so I get a 3-day weekend and next week I get a four- day weekend, YAY!

    I still need to do some more Thanksgiving shopping. I'll probably do that tomorrow.

    Have a nice evening,

    💗Carole

  • LowTechForever
    LowTechForever Posts: 384 Member

    Well done on achieving 20 days Carole! Enjoy your long weekend!

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Happy Friday everyone! (I'm off work today; so my weekend starts NOW!)

    11/21: 021 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    My Fitbit sleep score was 87 for last night! (7h 56m), which is great for me. (I had plenty of deep sleep and REM; so the quality was good.) I truly believe that my abstention is a huge part of my improved sleep. My blood pressure and heart rate have gone down as well, averaging in the one-teens over low 70's with HR averaging low 60's and often just under that at rest.

    Today I plan to do some Thanksgiving shopping, where I will once again "run the gauntlet" past several of my former "haunts". I don't anticipate struggling too hard. I hope the sun comes out and the temp goes up to near 50, as the forecast said last night. Now it's saying mostly cloudy and high of 48. (Light wind and no rain, though); so it should be fine.

    Stay strong and enjoy your weekend!

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/23: 023 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    Did all my Thanksgiving shopping on Friday and Saturday. I will be staying in today, (safe at home base)!

    I will be having Thanksgiving at the home of my son, Amer (42nd birthday yesterday!) and his wife, Laura. I will be bringing appetizers, sparkling cider, a candle and pumpkin pie. My son doesn't like turkey so we will be having Middle Eastern food on that day, but I bought a turkey breast for me ($8.00 for 4.47 lbs. at $2.79/lb.) so I can have roast turkey over that weekend. I also bought a bottle of "Fre" brand non-alcoholic Moscato wine and a bottle of diet ginger beer (also non-alcoholic). I'm thinking of trying this pumpkin cheesecake recipe:

    Screenshot_20251115_181912_Facebook.jpg

    I might get some Light Cool Whip for a topping. Maybe put some chopped, roasted walnuts and sugar free Maple-flavored syrup (I like Cary's brand.)

    Enjoy your day,

    💞Carole

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hi everyone,

    11/24: 024 AF days completed since 10/31/25! (Last alcoholic beverage: 10/30/25.)

    I dedicate today to the memory of my brother, Phillip, who would have turned 65 today. Sadly, he committed suicide before age 60, and alcoholism played a major role.

    Have a nice night,

    💞Carole

  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,596 Member

    @Walela617 I'm so sorry Carole. That is so sad and heartbreaking.

    I'm so proud of you!! xo

  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 1,506 Member

    Hello,

    True confessions: I finally broke my streak. (Boy, DID I!) Holidays are really tough for me, as they are for many people. It was the day before Thanksgiving (11/26). So sadly, here I go again. (I didn't drink at all on Thanksgiving or the next day; so I'm fully recovered now.)

    I will reset my Sober Time count for Sunday, November 30th, even though I will not drink alcohol today, either.

    [What's even worse is that I even ended up in the ER this time and I haven't done that in months; so it's a rather severe setback for me.]

    That's all I have for now. (Hope you all made out better than I did!)

    I had Thanksgiving with my son and his wife and it was very nice. We also did a 5-mile walk before dinner. I made a roast turkey breast with vegetables yesterday just for me and it was wonderful.

    Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend everyone!🦃

    💞Carole

  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,596 Member

    Hi Carole,

    I'm sorry things went sideways for you and you ended up in the ER. That's terrible.

    But I know you can get back on track and reach your goals. It's good you had a great Thanksgiving!

  • SunnyDays930
    SunnyDays930 Posts: 1,814 Member

    Hi, first of all Carole, I am so proud of your AF streak. I haven't done that in a long time. I know you can get back on track.

    I would like to do a dry December though it might be really tough. There is so much temptation in December though…so many emotions for different reasons, it is hard to not imbibe. But my body is telling me it really is time to stop and I should probably listen to it.