I declared victory sometime ago and am still holding to it. I am so glad to see others doing well.

This is a great place to be and I am so deeply grateful to you all and Drs. Eskapa and Sinclair. Having said that, I will say that once we get here, we have to respect from wench we came. Most of us have pulled out head out of the back door of hell. We lived a life that we would wish on few others. So all I am saying is that you shoud respect the gift you were giving.

How many of us said, "If I ever got a chance to get off this alcohol...". Well this is you chance. Take it easy. Nal is not a "Get out jail for free card". I still believe if you do not respect alcohols potential, you can still break something.

When our friends were learning to become responsible drinkers, we were in the playground. It is unlikely, we will ever learn to ride the bike like they have.

Be cautious.

Peace!

SR - I think you are right...thank you for the gentle reminder.

Being cured doesn't mean I can never think about where I was...and how I got there. I think it is 99.9% a physical addiction but I still need to factor in that 1% of pure 'me' that wanted the escape and looked to alcohol to find it in the first place.

I do a lot of extra things in my life now to help keep myself in check. But I still need to question the occasional thoughts that pop in...little things like picking up a 'Wine and Food' magazine for the food recipes - did I really do it for the recipes? Yes. I think so...but it did smack a little bit of what I think you are talking about. My husband gave me a look when I brought it home like, 'don't push it'. So, I will try the recipes, without the wine. That is who I need to be now, even cured - I need to respect the fact that wine for me is still not something to play with...I am incredibly blessed that I can enjoy it occassionally, if I choose, but it's important to continue to monitor the thoughts and actions.

Thank you so much for continuing to post your progress. And for always making us think.

Wise words from you both.

Sinclair found that craving continues to diminish for about three years (Eskapa, p. 30 fig 4).

It makes sense that, once we cross the finish line, we need to continue to do cool-down laps for months or years. How's that for mangling a metaphor?

A very sage post (as usual) SpringerRider

I di however get a fit of the giggles when I read this line



as I kept thinking....

edit: Word of warning: Be VERY careful when you decide to do a websearch for 'busty serving wench'

I saw that myself but figured, what the hey. Glad you had fun with it and I do like the picture.

LOve the picture. Anyplace to find that costume? No. Seriously.

NICE PITCHERS

In about an hour, my wife and I are going to the "Pizza Pub" for a true New England type slice of pizza. They make the kind of pizza I grew up eating as a kid. It is the kind that if you are not careful when you bite it, you can pull the entire layer of cheese off. I can't stand the dry pizzas that most places serve today.

So why am I telling you all this?

Well, they also serve alcohol here - this the name Pub. Once upon a time I would go there and knock back quite a few tall ones with the pizza. Hell, I might even forget the pizza. But tonight I won't drink. It is not that I have joined the priesthood. I have paid my dues and am the poster child of success for the Sinclair Method. The reason I won't drink is that I just don't want naltrexone in my system anymore than necessary(2 pills are always in my wallet). As soon as I take naltrexone, I ask myself when it will be out of my body and my endocrin system is back to normal. If I took it this evening, I would expect it to be there until sometime Monday. It is not that I have a serious adversion to naltrexone. It saved my life. The point I am trying to make is that I am more motivated by not ingesting Naltrxone than by drinking.

I guess that is what Oz looks like from the inside.

I'm coming right behind you down the road of OZ and this time will it be in color or black and white?


corkit

We are here for you and waiting.