This is Why

I do not drink. I never have. I never will.

My brothers do. The birth parents of all of my children did. My father-in-law did when my husband was a child. Way too much.

We try to convince our children not to take the first drink. Neither Bart nor I have ever had one drink. Thus, we never have to worry. (Now if we could have avoided that first bite of food, maybe we wouldn’t have this nasty food addiction).

Our kids don’t always get what the big deal was, even though drug and alcohol abuse was a big part of the reason many of them were not able to remain in their birth homes. They don’t understand why we are so SERIOUS about them never tasting that first drink.

Tonight I got this email from my brother, about my other brother:

“Happy New Year. Wish I had better news.

Our brother tried to quit drinking a couple days ago and he had a seizure associated with the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

He's at ______ Hospital. The number is ________. If you give them the code _______ they'll release information to you.

They didn't advise me talking to him yet, as he's not making much sense - combination delusion/medication - but he's in a stable condition and is doing fairly well for someone in his position.

Maybe I'll get to talk to him tomorrow. Call me if you want.”

Apparently he is pretty sick. This is why -- one of the many, many reasons why.