The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Stepping Into Christmas With Sobriety On Their Minds.

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse

This is a thread for those who are worried about their drinking habits, relationships with alcohol, and/or drugs.

Even if you think your intake has gone up more today than the last or this week than last, come and join us on Gerald, the amazing, always room for more, fully stocked with glorious treats and donned in his Christmas Decorations, Bus!

We are a supportive thread, full of very different posters, from various backgrounds. Some of us drink in moderation, allowing ourselves the odd glass or two as a treat, or just because we're in control of our drinking for that day.

One Day At A Time.

We have those who abstain completely, and those who wake every day to Day 1 and hope with all of their hearts that they can, and will, make it to Day 2.

If you've followed our journey to date, you'll know who most of us are by now smile and we kind of have two 'sayings', that sum up who we are -

1. • The Vulnerable Need Our Support, Not Our Judgement
2. • Alcohol Fosters Inertia

That said, we will not have any bashing of support groups, such as AA or Community Addiction Support Teams, or even other support threads, posts like that will be reported if the need arises, so 'Orange Paper supporters' don't waste your time please :)

This Bus is a place for honesty, sanctuary and safety, something that has taken almost four years for a number of very special, very lovely, very honest and caring Babes to establish.

So, come find a seat, grab something warm from the supply cupboard at the back of the Bus, it's filled with (non alcoholic or narcotic) delicious, luxury treats and HUGE fluffy quilts, plus anything else you might need to help YOU get through YOUR day a minute, or an hour at a time.

And, if you'd like to see where this all began - This Is The Reason We're All Here, The Original JWN Thread

And This Is Our Previous Thread, With Links To Those Over The Past Few Years

We hope to meet you soon :) x

Go why,go why,go why yeaaahhhhh!

Shakes pom poms !!!!

Can I stop now please before me back gives out totally? 'Lo there lovely babes
why 3 MONTHS SOBER!!!! well done girl.

Hope all are well and safe this delightful Monday evening.I was given a bottle of wine as a christmas present, the giver knows I don't drink. Shows how much notice people take of other's drinking habits. [It was a very kind present though]

Aargh. Car share situation for ds has broken down. How can I persuade over protective dh that ds can wait in school library until 4pm, then walk 15 minutes to bus stop to get service bus home?
Ds is 11. Dh is having a hissy fit. Fucks sake. There isn't any other option.
I am sick of arguing with him over it.ds will be fine, its only a 15 minute bus ride through small villages.

How does ds feel about it ma? Does he have a phone?

Thanks guggs! Got my 90 day chip at the meeting tonight. My sponsor burst into tears, I was given flowers and treated to a meal out. Support from women and men I didn't know 90 days ago, from all sides: real life, AA, the Bus.

In a strange way, I'm a very lucky woman.

Well done why So impressed and proud of you (hope that isn't patronizing).
xxxx

why also very very pleased for you and proud of you, I really truly pray you get all you want for Christmas, how are relations with you and dh and were are you staying at the moment?? Your an awesome lady and your boy will be lucky to be raised by you!!! ma I'm sorry your having a hard time, it's a tough one, I guess it all depends on ds's maturity, how does he feel about the arrangement? Xx

Why you are,an inspiration! Congratulations brilliant lady. Hope you enjoyed that meal
ma my ds has been getting the nia since he was 11 and believe me, he has zero common sense! A phone is essential but other than that he should be fine - I rode the bus there and back with ds a couple of times as a dummy run which really helped as I knew he had done it. Hope the bullying thing isn't getting worse though. Let us know how you get on.
Love to all babes today x Off to prison work now, have a good day all xxx

Nia? Bus. Ffs.

Hi babes, just been lurking and reading old threads. why I'm so chuffed for you getting to 90 days! How lovely everyone made an effort to celebrate it with you. I have been thinking of you & will be beaming positivity your way on Thursday. soc great to hear your journey too. ma I hope your DH sees sense soon, I think 11 is ok to do a short solo bus journey. isinde glad you're feeling good today. How is i'm getting on? mouse I hope people are recovering at your house & you have been ok. Hi to all the other amazing babes, sorry not to name check you all.

Hi babes, just been lurking and reading old threads. why I'm so chuffed for you getting to 90 days! How lovely everyone made an effort to celebrate it with you. I have been thinking of you & will be beaming positivity your way on Thursday. soc great to hear your journey too. ma I hope your DH sees sense soon, I think 11 is ok to do a short solo bus journey. isinde glad you're feeling good today. How is i'm getting on? mouse I hope people are recovering at your house & you have been ok. Hi to all the other amazing babes, sorry not to name check you all.

Oops

ma Both my dc went on the bus as soon as they reached secondary school age - yes even the completely head in the clouds dreamy one....... For the first few trips home I had them text me when they got on the bus, then text me at the junction before our house so I could look out for them crossing the road.

Interestingly the neurotic anxious one went on a bus about half an hour earlier than the dreamy, sleepy one even though they started school at the same time

Do you know why your dh is so opposed to it??

Alternatively ma your dh could get a small flat next door to the school. ds could stay with him Mon-Fri and dh could be responsible for getting him to and from school, and for supervising homework, and early nights, and organised activities

Meanwhile you could get a lovely cottage in the country - your own little retreat with log fires and warm beds. ds could come to you Friday pm for a wonderful weekend of freedom and imagination in the woods - exploring, making wood carvings, free-rangle living etc....... ahh lovely

Evening Babes

Another almost successful day. Had another Xmas lunch today and I had ONE glass of wine and then water. I'm not sure what has happened to me, but it's absolutely fabulous. In my previous life I would have sculled 3 glasses and then picked up another bottle (or two) on the way home after collecting the kids and then got drunk and passed out early (pretending to be tired).

Instead I stopped drinking and have just been for a run. Previously I would have been a stupid mess on the couch. I would have woken up tomorrow feeling awful, whereas I know I'm going to wake up feeling invincible.

My aim is to still stop altogether and I think I'm going to achieve it. But I'm just so delighted with the changes that are happening with my drinking. And you are all responsible for it, so I am really, truly, eternally grateful. Posting all my nonsense on here seems to help. My bus full of virtual psychologists.

Have an awesome day. Sorry not to nc, but I read everything and appreciate everything everyone says.

Soc xx
PS. I can't even remember the last time I had to wake up and try and find hidden bottles. What a pleasure it is to have that shit out of my life.

hey all. I havent read the whole thread. I'm sorry that I haven't, I will try.

just wanted to say well done to everyone who is on here and making positive changes to your lives.

18 months sober here

I had ss on me and my kids were on the register for six months. I used to hide bottles, cycle round the shops to hide how much I was buying, live on painkillers, nothing got done etc

It was bad, very bad.

18 months on I cannot beleive I ever acted like that

Some people would say I had good reason. I just think I fucked up hugely and now I'm sorting it out

much strengh to all

trinity. Hello
I love hearing from people who been down this path. What would be your one most important piece of advice/tip when starting this journey. X

isinde forgot to add my lol to your scouse wasps (hornets) earlier! I'm good, recovering from horrid cold and vomiting bug but stupid boiler is getting 4th visit from British gas today . In and out of the bus lately, I do feel like things are getting better (far less consumption overall) but would really like to beat my previous personal best of 13 af days.
trinity lovely to see you, life sounds fab for you now, no nice to hear!
venus thank you for the kick you gave me a few pages back, I stupidly didn't pour the wine away. Thought because it was 2 tiny bottles I would be ok to hang onto them. A day or so later I quaffed them both. Didn't drink more that night, but had a bottle a few days after that. A big one. Gotta get more serious again.
nuff, guggs, baby, looking, spanna, beaches, rural, joey and anyone else I have missed, are you all with me today to kick that ww to the far side of fuck? Hope everyone is having a good day.

Ooh, meant to say dancer well done on your two weeks! Such great going! I don't have advice for you today, been a bit shabby at af lately but shall we join forces and try to beat our last good run?

Trin you are awesome You are so right about having reasons, we all do - big and small - but you've also faced really awful things this year too. And stayed sober. Both of those men would be immensely proud of you, and what a great difference to the lives of your girls.xxx

I'm with you Mamabear, not drinking today

Soc it sounds like you are starting to change some habits. This journey is a real eye-opener sometimes, we learn so much about ourselves, things that we really didn't know or suspect.

Trinity you amazing babe, well done on 18 months. I bet you never, ever thought this would be you one day. So happy for you, your girls are luck to have you x

Thurso are you lurking? Only 8 more get-ups

Hi all I hope you are well.

I joined you just over a week ago but have been a bit off the radar - this is not because I have been pissed, quite the opposite.

However I have been in hospital! A uti last week developed into a kidney infection and I was hospitalised and put on IV antibiotics on Friday night. I am out now, but still am only improving slowly, and had to have my oral antibiotics changed today as my symptoms weren't improving since my discharge.

The worse thing is when I first went to hospital I was so paranoid that they were going to find something wrong with my liver or pancreas after my drinking binge the weekend before. Luckily all my blood tests were ok.

I know that the drinking is not directly responsible for this (I am a hcp) but I've no doubt the dehydration from the epic hangover contributed to the cystitis and that the fact I was probably a bit run down meant it ended up spreading instead of my body shaking it off.

At least it has kept me off the drink. I don't know if anyone has had a kidney infection before, but it feels like the worse hangover you have ever had x 1000. Banging headache, cold sweats vomiting and feeling like you're going to pass out. I wouldn't have a drink ATM if you paid me!

That is good news as I have two parties to go to this weekend, and if I make it at all I will definitely be the designated driver! It will offer a good excuse over the holidays as well.

I hope you are all doing well.

SocFish, I think the one single thing that enabled me to do it was to just decide....no more. its not helping anything. get sober and face life. stop hiding from it in a bottle.