My Check-In!

[Rhawnie]

Hi Everyone: I'm not sure this is where I'm supposed to do my new member check in as it's very confusing to find your way to where you are supposed to be here when you're starting out. There's just "too much information" and I find it's very busy. Anyway, I'll probably get used to it.

Sorry I haven't been in to introduce myself before now but I've actually been very busy as well as not being very functional due to some health issues I have which cause me a great deal of pain and discomfort. Personally I'm not an alcoholic nor addict but I've certainly lived with it and for a great deal of my life. My grandfather was an extremely bad alcoholic so I was born into it as I grew up mainly with my grandparents. My grandmother never drank nor smoked in her life and yet because of her undying love for my grandfather she lived with it for most of her married life until she passed away. When I got married I married a man who at the time drank and soon showed the signs of alcoholism and he also became very physically abusive to me as well. I tolerated this for 11 years but I knew that it was getting to the point where if I didn't leave that situation one of us would very likely be killed as his abuse brought out such black feelings in me that I was afraid if he didn't kill me I would kill him because I felt like I hated him when he was beating me up. I remember one morning laying in the ditch by the roadside around 5AM before daylight hiding while he drove around with the shotgun beside him looking for me. He finally went into our house and passed out. This was not a life anyone should try to live in and in fact the sober person in this relationship should never allow the situation to ever get near to this point before walking away while they still can. Thank God we had not had any children and I was financially independent so I didn't need his financial support. It just takes planning and finalizing things in your mind to make the move.

This is my introduction and I thank you for listening to me. I appreciate being here with you all and hope I can benefit and support you as I know you will me.