Sober 9 years since 4/11/1988, Kristi was born in Houston in 1969. Her family was picture perfect on the outside and WWIII on the inside.
Her father was very abusive, and her mother allowed it to happen for a long time. Alcohol was always present in her life. Her parents divorced when Kristi was 6.
Kristi got drunk for the first time at 8 years old at a family event. The only emotion that was allowed in the family was anger. Alcohol made it all OK.
Her mother remarried an unpredictable drunk. In the beginning, Kristi would sneak drinks as a night tonic. Her real father went into hiding until Kristi got sober. She became more and more like her stepfather.
She lost good friends on a regular basis. At age 15 Kristi confessed her alcoholism to her mother. Mom went to stepfather who thought Kristi was just looking for attention. Kristi attempted suicide and her mother stayed in denial.
It got worse with alcohol and drugs. She somehow graduated high school and hoped to stay clean and sober in college. She did well at first but became a little sister to a fraternity.
"I am an alcoholic. Everything else is a symptom." It was what she started and finished with.
An intervention sent her to treatment and from there reluctantly and slowly into recovery.
Her sponsor told her, "All you get when you sit on the fence is a sore crotch."
(43 min) (10 MB) (id#1319)
