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I grew up in a very strict home. My bio-dad left early and I knew nothing of him until I was older. I thought Bob was my dad. When I turned 11, my parents were divorcing and their lives were complete chaos, and somehow they forgot about three little girls needing parents. I found solitude in my first drink of Malibu and kool aid at 11. I then drank again at that age with my sister and her then husband. I shot-gunned beer and was incredibly sick, however, I forgot about the chaos for a minute. This behavior went on for years and years. I attained a job where I could drink endless amounts of alcohol and I did this for seven years. I was definitely wasting my life. I then started doing drugs because all of my inhibitions had been shattered. I still to this day do not know how I am still alive.

The day I started turning sober is the day I woke up after I tried to commit suicide because I could not stop drinking. I was in the ICU, somewhat remembering refusing medical attention. I was alive and wanted to be but as soon as I got out of the hospital I was drinking again. I then went on another month-long binge with major mood swings, depression, and chaos. Somewhere in the middle of this I got pregnant by a man I did not know at all. However, I was 28 and ready to be responsible. I quit right away, but not without complications. I quit three years ago this November with three relapses but not one since May 2010. I have been getting help from Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, AA, and psychotherapy. I could not do it without help.

I now am proud I have done the one impossible thing in my life. I also have some advice. Do not think just because you quit drinking and drugging things will change overnight because they won't. That person who was out there escaping needs to start to face some tough real-world problems which can be exhausting. Also when doing the steps, those can be triggers for relapse...make sure to address that and get major help through those steps!

I had been drinking since I was roughly 13 years old. I called myself a functional drunk. Got up everyday, and went to work, activities, etc. I would start drinking and would not shut it down till the lights went out. Through my 11 years of marriage and four children, I managed to accumulate as many DUI's as children. March 6,2011 was the final straw after an afternoon of drinking I decided I needed to get my wife a paper and stamps and was picked up AGAIN. The next day as the guilt and shame was to a level of no explanation, I was called by my brother-in-law and asked to join him and his family to church.

I went and loved it, started to attend AA, and also took part in a treatment program through Counseling Resources, where I was put in front of others that have my same problem. Alcoholism!!! As of today I have been 44 weeks sober and am doing my year jail sentence in the Minnehaha County Work Release Program. I have 8 months left. Although I am in jail, I have never been happier in life. I have been given another chance at life and when I get out I have so much to look forward to - my wife, children, family and friends. I will not have to wake up every morning wondering who I owe an apology too, or what I might have done. I am able yet to instill in my children that drinking is no answer and to stay in school, sports and enjoy a sober life as it is so much brighter then I imagined. I guess if I could give anyone any advice I would say take your life one day at a time and work hard everyday on your recovery. You need to get yourself right before anything. "Rock bottom is the solid foundation on which I am rebuilding my life."-- JK Rowling