Good morning shipmates, fantastic to read all your posts and progress. 💖 Sid sends wags to Mr. T. @WendyWagon - hope you are feeling ok today. xx
That's a really lovely post @mumzof4x - thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you are out of hospital and powering up in your sobriety, fantastic to hear.
I think you're all amazing. Such an inspiration, each and every one of you. You keep me going, more than I can say.
Work is still an increasing trial at my end, but I am not tempted to seek poison-based solace, and the clear head helps no end. An excellent recent development - back in 2017 I was so ill that I had to voluntarily surrender my driving licence. I was not drink driving or being stopped by the Police - but I was in and out of hospital and very frail, so on the GP's advice I handed it in. That was the bleakest of bleak times. I'd discussed it with my parents and my retired DF had said that he would be pleased and happy to drive me anywhere I needed to go whilst I was getting better. The DVLA wrote back to me, thanking me for temporarily surrendering my licence and inviting me to apply to get it back at any time. The day I got that letter, the VERY day, my DF died very suddenly and tragically. Bad enough - but my M was not as kindly disposed. So a long period of getting to work via two buses, a train, a taxi and a long walk EACH WAY ensued. Sometimes my M would drive past me at the first bus stop in the morning and wave. 🙄
When my health had improved I contacted the DVLA (with the support of my GP) to get my licence back - but because the hospital had picked up that I had been a heavy drinker (not the main factor in my illness, but it certainly impacted) and referred me to the addiction recovery scheme (Inclusion - they were great), the DVLA refused my application, said that I had to prove 12 months' sobriety before they would consider me and lumped me in with the "High Risk Offender" category. 😢 I'd never even been stopped for a dodgy headlight or got a parking ticket. When I was able to prove this, I applied again, but heard nothing for months (this was 2021/2022 so Covid backlogs were accruing, so understandable but when it went beyond six months it got ridiculous). I got my MP involved, which helped a bit. I was summoned to an intrusive medical (with a doctor/location of their choosing) with blood tests, had to fill out two questionnaires (and the GP had to do a third one) and finally got a one-year licence 🥳. However, since then, I have had to submit myself to the same process each year to get my licence renewed. It's a humiliating and complicated trial, and woe betide you if you get a date or fact wrong on any of the forms - a mere typo could result in you being deemed "deliberately deceitful" and bang! "No licence for you again!".
This year's test-fest was particularly grim. I got the letter summoning me to my third annual medical and questionnaire trial at the end of July 2024, booked the earliest test date that I could (you have to do it within six weeks of the date of the letter or your licence is automatically revoked) at the beginning of August - and waited. The waiting is horrible. I could still drive on a Section 88 though the licence expired at the end of October, thankfully, but it's like having the Sword of f~~~ing Damocles hanging over you. Anyway - today I have finally received my licence - and it's a 10 year one! No more medicals for me. 🥳😀 Happy days - and an end to a desperately wretched saga. Here's Sid, dancing the hellacious hula to express his jubilation. He's utterly beside himself.
I apologise for the lengthy saga my lovelies. But I share it to ask you to use me and my experience as a cautionary tale. You do NOT want drinking to affect your life to this extent, believe me. It is absolutely right that these measures are in place to punish and deal with drink drivers. Had I been guilty of that I would have accepted my fate and the resultant trials and fully understood that it was what I had brought upon myself and the least of what I fully deserved.
But - if you are ever getting to a point when the choice is between one more drink and risking your driving licence - don't. Just don't. I'm sure you wouldn't - this is, after all, our alcohol-free place. But for anyone reading this who is facing the choice, or tempted to nip to the shops after already having a couple, honestly don't. It's not worth the grief and hassle of falling foul of the good folks of Swansea.
Sorry, I don't mean this as a lecture or homily at all. I am just very VERY VERY chuffed at having a 10 year licence back and want to explain to people who will understand - and you are the very best of those people. ❤️
Strength and love to you. Keep going - it's going to be alright. Really. xx