Just so you know, I didn't fall off the face of the planet. It's just been one thing after the other.

I'm okay and mostly it's been a matter of somebody else has commondeered the family computer.



Yesterday I was up at the hospital visiting a friend who had a serious car accident. She's still in ICU since Saturday.

I won't beat around the bush, I don't have the facts but I'd bet she had at least double the legal limit of alchohol in her at the time of the crash. She was going at a high speed, went off road, hit a guard rail and some trees, flipped the car, was thrown from the vehicle and pinned under it.

It's not pretty, but she is lucky to be alive, expected to recover - and most fortunately, nobody else was involved.

I'm sure all of you can imagine how her friends and family feel. We are worried sick about her, at the same time crazy mad that she did this to herself, and also blaming ourselves for not doing more to help her with her drinking problem before it came to this.

It was tough to see my best friend since childhood battered from top to bottom, talking incoherently. I wonder how long till she walks again, if her brain is okay, if she'll lose her job, her house, her husband? Will she learn anything from this or will she go right back to drinking?

Her whole left side is broken up, it was so bad, I looked at her and had to walk out because I almost fainted. It took me ten minutes and a pep talk to go back in and face her.

When she isn't drinking, she's such a cool person, caring, funny, smart, tough. Everyone loves to be around her. She is none of that drunk.

I just want my old friend back, I want her okay. Then I want to kick her butt soooo bad for this.

Hey Cathy - wassup???

I understand about your friend. My cousin pulled the same stunt back in 1988 - actually I think she was on route 51. Or maybe it was 105. I forget. One of those roads in that general area. She was in MCO for a long time. She's back and living and still drinking... They live in Norwalk now.

Tom

Sorry about your friend. It hurts to watch someone you love try to ruin their life. Maybe this will scare her enough to straighten up.

Now, you need to not be disappearing on us again, OK? Tell that computer pirate to back away from the keyboard and let you in every now and then.

Coming from a two alcoholic parent household I'm going to say that you need to STOP beating yourself up right this minute about not doing more to stop her. You couldn't stop her--you know this--unless or until she wanted or WANTS to stop, Cathy. So don't feel guilty. Don't. You can't. All you can do is be there to pick up the pieces of her as she rehabs.

A good thing is that she's in the hospital where she'll dry out under medical supervision. That's a plus. So if she can get out of there and stay sober..... well, it might be an easier path for her.

But hang in there.... I understand the pain. You were her friend before and you'll be her friend afterward. And that's the important thing--the friendship. She's got a hard road to travel to get her functionality, if she can, back.

You know where I am, woman, if you want to talk--any time you need it.

Taking time for you or for things in your life ALWAYS comes before being on the computer, my dear woman.

I guess it's like anything else, smoking, losing weight or cleaning the house. Nobody else can make you want to, you have to get it in you own head you want to do it. You have to find the will.

You're thinking just like the rest of us, that the hospital dry-out is a real blessing. At least while she's recovering she can't be drinking and she'll have time to think about it.

You and your friends and loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hey Cathy...