A Sad Anniversary That I Should Never Forget

In the summer 1996, I was away with my family visiting relatives up north, once the grownups headed to bed, and my cousin and his friend sneaked over a bottle of crown royal. I don't remember very much of that July 31 night/August 1 early morning but I think I was drinking drink for drink with the boys, who were built bigger than me, and I kept drinking well past my limit. I blacked out. I have no memory of when I partied on the pool table and supposedly opened a locked liquor cabinet (I think my cousin turned the blame on me, so he'd get off lighter, once we were discovered and in serious trouble), I took the blame. As I mentioned before I did not have many memories from that night; it's been told by the boys that I fell down and I hit my head, I started vomiting, and the boys went for help: they got our aunt Maria, who happen to be a former nurse, and she saved my life that night/morning. I felt like hell for days, I had alcohol poisoning, and vowed not to drink for one full year.

I will always be so grateful for Maria for saving me, giving me another chance at life. I remember exactly what she said and that has left a major impact on my life, and how I view alcoholism.  August 1st is when I was born again and I felt I had something to live for. Just a few days later, I met a sweet young man that became my "first boyfriend". And, my friends introduced me to a coffee house that would change my life as well.