careful not to drink too much

[Valerie1979]

my cousin --age 38 lost her battle yesterday
she drank a lot over the last decade or maybe more and died with alcohol related chirrosis of the liver
and ugly death
she leaves behind a 17 year old, 14 year old and 6 year old.... VERY sad.

take action and help others in your life to not lose a life too young

[Barbaralynne]

I am sorry for your loss Valerie. When people are young they feel invicible,and they do things like drinking to excess,and when they realize the cost,it is too late to go back. I applaud you for sharing the wisdom that was brought by your pain in order to save others. God bless you and your family.

[Tresbn00]

I wish that I had read your post prior to last night's party!  I promised myself that I was going to take it easy but good friends, better wine and a great night at the lake dictated differently.  I am fuzzy today but should shake the hangover while painting my deck railing in the one hundred degree heat, after cleaning the floors, dishes and doing the laundry as well as preparing my food for the week.  I wasn't going to go out Friday night either but my future at a copany that I work for on a temprary basis rquires that I engage in social functions.

[Lusie]

Occasional drinking is ok. It is the ones who over due the drinking constantly that wind up paying for it later. Alcoholism is a disease that can easily be caught if you are not careful.

[jordandog]

Alcoholism is a disease that can easily be caught if you are not careful.

So glad to see you write that about it being a disease, because it is whether folks want to admit it or not. I grew up in a family with alcoholism and get upset when I hear/read people say that alcoholics "are just weak and can stop when they want to". Once you cross that line from social drinking and enter the world of the 'ism', the only 'cure' is complete abstinence for the rest of your life. A true alcoholic can not stop for awhile and then have just one. Their bodies and minds say "Give me more" and there's no thought as to the fact that more can kill them. It destroys relationships and families, not just the drinker.

To the OP, I am so very sorry to hear that about your cousin and I know the hell her kids have been through, trust that. All you can do is stress to those kids that it was not their fault and be there if they need to vent. After the devastating sadness over their mother's death starts to wane, they may be 3 very angry and confused kids - been there and done that.

[Lusie]

Alcoholism is a disease that can easily be caught if you are not careful.

So glad to see you write that about it being a disease, because it is whether folks want to admit it or not. I grew up in a family with alcoholism and get upset when I hear/read people say that alcoholics "are just weak and can stop when they want to". Once you cross that line from social drinking and enter the world of the 'ism', the only 'cure' is complete abstinence for the rest of your life. A true alcoholic can not stop for awhile and then have just one. Their bodies and minds say "Give me more" and there's no thought as to the fact that more can kill them. It destroys relationships and families, not just the drinker.

Alcoholism is a part of my family also. Which started from my grandparents. Luckily my brothers had the support of the family to help them get through it. It is hard on every one who loves the person to watch them go through the pain of it all. My ex husbands family was the same way. Because of my brothers and my ex family I chose not to drink for a long time. At least not until I was confident enough to know I could handle what I was doing.