The fish that ate my hand saved my life

[parker23]

May 2007427 bass, 10 over 30,67 over 20.

Memorial Day 2007. 21 bass over 20#'s in 5 hours.
I fished Friday, Sunday and Monday. Caught so many fish I forgot to drink enough booze to keep me stable. Emergency room 10pm Monday night, Tenanus shot, x-rays, remove dorsal fin and a ton of antibiotics.

I started getting the getting the shakes.

Had no idea what was happening. Thought I was nervous. Thought it was all the crackheads around me in the ER.

No, it was me the drunk. Day 2 no booze. I never drink when I fish.

I am taking a break and getting my life back together.

I have been very fortunate. I have a great partner, a fantastic family and a successful business. Now I have to fix my problem of the last 25 years.

My hands are shaking. But the fat-man has sung, booze is outa here!!

I will be back soon and ready to rock-n roll.

[BigFish]

Kick it P-23......you don't need it to enjoy life!! Best of luck!

[jim sylvester]

thats a great month parker

great to hear it

like larry said, don't need it to enjoy a good life

go get em in june

[afterhours]

one day at a time ....don't let anything have control over you...'cept maybe fish.

[ridler72]

Smith and Wilson Protected. Hang in there!

[RIJIMMY]

aw man, I hate to hear that. You're a great guy and dont need that crap. I went through a lot of stuff with my family and experienced what alcohol can do to you. Hang in there and if you need support, just give me a call.

[JohnR]

We that fish suffer from extremely addictive personalities and we can easily fall victim to too many things.

Parker, if it is a concern of yours, kick it. Move forward with a better life as there are too many good things in life not to lose it to booze...

OK - Done sermonizing

[justplugit]

The very best to you P23. Your taking the first corageous step
towards becoming a very happy person.

[Rappin Mikey]

Although every party bone in my body says they're wrong. They're right. Do what's best for you and your's. I'm thinking about heading down that same road soon. Reel soon. As soon as I start making babies. Which will be shortly after I'm done with this dumb house. And shortly before I can't fish as much anymore.

[bart]

best of luck kicking it. just be very careful, alcohol withdrawals are worse than any drug. if you were to go to the ER and said you needed to stop drinking they would ween you off the booze by giving you beer, just less of it. I don't mean to scare you but alcohol is the only drug whose withdrawal symptoms can be fatal. that is a fact.

[moosh]

I know how you feel ,and how youre going to feel. the bad feeling will pass and you will be looking at the world in a whole new light. and you will enjoy fishing owe some much more , hang in there , "DO IT SOBER " moosh

[Gunpowder]

wish u the best. had a similar problem with gambling in college. it blows not being able to do it at first but once u get some help and have all ure buds there for u supporting u much like everyone here is, ull be so happy u made the choice ure makin right now. good luck to u

[teaser]

Hi Parker,

You don't know me and I don't know you but I want to share a little something with you, I am in the construction business (contractor) and when I worked for someone else years ago I would get out of work early everyday and go drink. I'd drink until the bars closed and I'd search out all that stayed opened the latest just to drink, I'd hit them all in the nearest 4 towns. sometimes I don't even know how I drove home or where my car was, if I even still had one. I know a couple of times I did the sideline salute with my car ( sideswipe every car on one side of the street) and never got caught, don't know how I got away with it til this day.

I did finally get caught DUI, did the court and fines with the loss of license for 90 days and the classes for drinking and driving, well the classes are 12 weeks long and I got bagged for drinking before the class on the 12th week and got ejected! Yes, back to court, more fines and start the classes all over again, sucked! Especially having to depend on someone else to drive me around for 90 days and putting the extra burden on them, but it still didn't stop me from drinking.

I used to wake up and have a drink just to be able to function, I was in a vicious circle with alcohol. I worked to drink and drank so I could work, this was my life. It did change, but it took 14 years to happen, it finally happened when my wife had my daughter. I tossed the wife out when my daughter was 3 months old and got sole custody of her and I raised her on my own. My drinking stopped one night while I was feeding my daughter and I realized how beautiful she was and how dependent she was on me and that she was what I needed to kick the alcohol, my reason to LIVE! I quit drinking that night and raised my daughter alone for the next 3 years enjoying every minute with her realizing how much I WASN'T living before!

Since quitting the alcohol I have gotten remarried to a great lady who adores my daughter, started my own business which is thriving, bought a house, got all the toys anyone could want and have not missed the alcohol not 1 day. Truth is the 1st month is a "mutha" but after that it's all gravy! This is my story and I hope it lends some insight to you or anyone who over consumes alcohol, it has been 20 years now since my daughter was born and I have been dry since and have never felt better physically, mentally or financially.

It worked for me and I'm sure it will work for you but you have to want it bad enough to work, when you find that one thing that hits you like a baseball bat and snaps you back into reality .... you'll know ... it's time. Time to stop and start living!

Thanks for sharing you're story and listening to mine, good luck and remember it's not only one day at a time ... it's the rest of you're life!

You ever need an ear to listen... I got 2 for ya!

Best of luck!

[RickBomba]

Good luck Bruce,
I am much the same...I keep a good handle on things when work's important, but blow of WAAAY too much steam when I'm off (as Mikey will attest to).
Luckilly for me, work's been crazy for the last four months...I'm sure I would've cut loose on the Cutty trip, but just received news that the company is being sold on the day after Cutty, so I have to go straight from the ferry to work all night through to Monday.
Kind of felt good to hear this, even though I'm gonna be tired.
Maybe catch some more fish not being so loaded all the time.
Love Ya Bro,
Rick

[shorehunter]

Hang in there bro, I stopped 12 years ago, cold turkey.
the first couple of days are the hardest but trust me it
gets better. In a month you will not believe how good you feel.

[Duke41]

Parker,

Don't go it alone. Join A.A. and be a friend of Bill W's.

[nightfighter]

There are quite a few of us who have walked this road before... and clearly remember 'white-knuckling' our way through the first months.

The rewards are well worth it. PM one of us if you need to talk.

[fishpoopoo]

Parker,

Be strong.

It will be tough to get over the physical addiction, but this is doable.

Addressing the underlying emotional issues will be tougher, but doable.

Good luck and stay the course.

[fish4striper]

Best Wishes Bruce. You're doing the right thing, stay strong. I've kicked my addictions. It was hard and painful but well worth it. You and your loved ones will be very happy after the pain. Do it, don't cave.

[DMenace]

I don't know you or any of you guy's because I' m pretty new to this site but I wish you the best of luck on your recovery. We have all seen too many people, friends, family as well as each other, go down this road never to return and it sucks. You have my best wishes

[baldwin]

Great decision! Bart's right, though, be careful. I knew someone who died from withdrawal. Do it right.

[MrHunters]

great choice. if it gets in the way of your relationships its time to end THAT relationship. Your kids or future kids, family and friends will thank you in more ways than you can count.
But most of all you'll be around to enjoy them and vise versa...

Good luck man.

[parker23]

I don't really remember writing this post last Wednesday. Thursday morning checking my email at the shop and it was loaded w/messages.
At first I was very embarrassed that I disclosed this private info. Well now the cat is out of the bag. Today is day 8. Been to 3 meetings and I am not shaking as much. One good thing about the shakes is that it adds a new dimension to the action of a plug.

I always made fun of AA. Open a new bottle of J. Walker and give a silent cheer to AA. It feels great waking up in the morning w/out that nasty taste in my mouth.

I guess I planned on giving up fishing when I wrote the post, however, this fishing addiction is here to stay.

Thanks again
Bruce

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by JohnR

We that fish suffer from extremely addictive personalities and we can easily fall victim to too many things.

like this-

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/arcade.php

[piemma]

Won't go into details but 11/3/99 was my last drink. Suddenly figured out that I was a highly functioning alcoholic. Never missed a day of work, never got mean or nasty. Just had to have my 4 vodka martinis every day. 8 years this November.

YOU CAN BEAT IT!!!! Hang tough. You are in control!

[BMEUPSCOTTY]

Good job p23, keep it up! It will get better everyday. There sure is a good group of guys on this site.

[slow eddie]

the first step is the hardest. become a member of a.a., and get a sponcer. never forget that your not in this alone. the very best to you.