It's Your Life Aug/Sept 2015 | Page 28

28 August/September It’s Your Life Magazine mind was full of confusion. It was to the point that nobody wanted to be around me, but this was the hermit state I had gotten myself into over the years. Joyce: You said you went looking for work, was it related to your background in electronics? Dean: No, I was working at a liquor store as a cashier, probably not the best place for me to be at that time. I met a lot of people and found that many of them were struggling with the same or similar health issues, but due to brain fog I never thought to question why? Joyce: How old were you during this time? Dean: I would say 45. Joyce: Did the alcohol use get worse or better with you working at the liquor store? Dean: It was the same, I remember waking up one morning, or should I say trying to wake up. I felt like I was in a dream state and called the doctor telling him I need to see him right away. When he entered the room the first thing he said was, “We need to do a blood alcohol test, you reek of alcohol.” The blood test revealed that after 8 – 9 hours after my last drink I was a .2 normal is .00. Oh but there was more news my blood pressure was 60/30 I was close to death. When I got home I realized I had drank an entire fifth of vodka and realized I had to do something. Joyce: So, did you enter a treatments program or start to attend AA meetings? Dean: No, I had just met a wonderful lady on the internet and we began talking, first on the computer and then on the phone. I was honest with her and told her about the alcohol use. I expected her to go off on me, yelling or saying some severe words and ending it by saying goodbye or I can’t handle this. She said we need to pray about this and find a way to get you better. That’s what we did and today that woman is my wife. I quit drinking,