Keilani

I had to post this, since I grew up with two alcoholic parents. My mother hasn't drank in a decade, but she still goes to meetings every once in awhile, and my father died in November when his liver failed on him, thus causing the rest of his body to shut down.

I know a lot of you are in your twenties and think it's no big deal now, but that's how my dad started. He was 22 and just drank beer. It escalated and escalated. Of course we tried again and again to stop him, to help him, but it really comes down to that single person making a choice and fighting for it. He didn't even get "drunk" most of the time. Usually he would drink a scotch and go to bed.

My dad was very healthy until about five years ago when he started getting sick. Mostly he was in denial about it. He was around 70 pounds when he died, at age 50, leaving six kids behind. I'm in my twenties, but the youngest is only eight. Especially if any of you are parents, please think about what comes first for you and remember that you are not invincible. Alcohol does kill people!! not to mention how it affects the people around you permanently.

Sorry to be so glum. I grew up attending AA meetings with my mom and I just hate to see what alcoholism does to people.