October 15, 2007, I arrived at the Veteran's Affairs Ambulatory Detox
Program, Gainesville, Fl with five other veteran's, as we introduced
ourselves, I thought, what a bunch of losers, I'm not like them, some
of them looked like they were already dead.
Orientation was the do's and no's, emphasizing, if you get caught
drinking or using drugs, while in this 5 day program, you were history.
It was now mid morning and we watched a video called “Bill's Story”,
a tear jerker, but it did not do anything for me, hang, he was a drunk,
I just had a little drinking problem and needed a little medical help
while detoxing.
We filled out some forms and a short physical exam, now it was noon
and time to go to our first AA meeting, a first for me anyway.
We entered the meeting, and it soon began with several long boring
recitals, then to the question, “does anyone have the desire to drink
today?”., several hands went up and the chairperson called on them.
In the meantime, I am looking around the room at about fifty people,
approximately one third being women. This surprised me, as I
never looked at women as alcoholics, just a drunk lady, which to me
always meant, easy pickings in exchange for a drink or pills. I was
going to like coming to these AA meetings, but like the men, some
of those ladies looked pretty used and abused, especially the crack
users.
The hour went fast and then back to the VA and in the conference
room we were using, box lunches and drinks were waiting for us,
but I was not really hungry, the shakes were taking over and I felt
like crap to say the least. I drank some coffee and called it lunch.
We all then got into a VA van and headed for the hospital, were
medications were given us, to help us through our withdrawal pains, what a God send.
Then the shocker, three of us were dropped off at the Salvation Army
in a room reserved for vet's. I skipped supper, made my bed, took a
shower, popped a double dose of pills the VA gave me and fell
asleep, end of day one.
Author: Alden (Al) Morrison
