The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Shaping Up For A Super, Sober Summer!

[Mouseface]

Hey, I'm Mouse

This is 'Gerald', our trustworthy, non judgemental Bus, full of a variety of posters who have travelled long and far, or even just joined us a few stops ago.

This is a place where you can be who YOU want to be. 24/7, 365. This lovely place is just like your best friend, there's no slagging off, no judging, just us.

Drinking or not, embarrassed, fed up of the way things are, or just lonely of living the way drinking makes you do, come and take a peek and see what you think.....

THIS THE LAST THREAD WE HAD

AND THIS IS WHERE THE BUS WAS BUILT, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

We can't wait to meet you, we won't bite! Well, unless you ask very nicely.

Take good care until we see you. :) xx

Well MY recollection is that isindie chased the poor bunny through the woodland......

Who would you believe? (And ma is not around at the moment to adjudicate)

NOT getting involved in the bunny argument. am too scared to

Just to say I did an Insanity class last night. Every part of me aches this morning. Even my elbows. Day 17 here and could not drink even if I wanted to as can't lift my arms above the waist without them shaking.

That is all. You have been warned.

OMG!
Sorry venus, babes, I like living! I'm believing Isinde! too bloody afraid not to!

What the hell is an Insanity class, Hope?!

Well done spanna you're doing so great!

isinde a 'nearly-vegan'? That includes all the cheese and stuff you sneak when 'er indoors isn't looking?!

Like high intensity interval training but with hardly any rest intervals Khalisi
www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/wellbeing/fitness/11544751/Insanity-a-workout-youd-be-mad-to-overlook.html

My advice is steer clear

Bloody hell.

And I LOVE exercising!

I hear you, friend. Steering clear!

Good afternoon all .... welcome to Pony74 - I'm new on here as well although not new to the concept of stopping the alcohol; I just need to work on the "staying stopped". Spanna you're doing brilliantly and are giving me renewed motivation. Waving and sending happy thoughts to Khalisi, looking, alias, isinde, venus, ma (hope you get your results soon), April, Fox, Petri, Hands, sweet, boswellox, hope, baby and popcorn.

Takes a breath ..... sorry for the above; that was a bit of a copout but I am trying to get to grips with how many people there are on this bus and trying to remember the names and I'm such a saddo that I write them down and will be adding notes ....

I'll try to keep this short but I am feeling a little desperate. I was referred by my local psychiatric hospital to a kind of local unit, and had a session with a consultant and doctor last week. They essentially concluded that I did not qualify for secondary care. I asked what I would need to do to qualify and they said, with sympathy, basically to turn up exhibiting suicidal tendencies in the immediate future (would someone with such imminent thoughts bother to keep an appointment?) and even then, the waiting list for further treatment is a year. They also said that I could self refer to three other organisations, which I have done. Two of these have come back to me. One has said that they cannot help me because "Unfortunately we do not have the expertise or qualified professionals who are able to meet the complexity of your needs in our primary care service" and the other had a conversation with me saying pretty much the same. I haven't heard from the third.

I'm torn between thinking "I must be special" (that was a joke, I promise), "I feel that I am meeting brick walls wherever I turn" and "what do people with really serious issues do?!" ...... I'm on day 26 today and it's going OK, but I have been urged by my GP and my sister to seek help and yet, now that I do, there doesn't seem to be any. My mother says that I should just pull myself together and get on with it, and maybe she is right, but it's taking me a while to do that ....

I'm really sorry for this long and I really hope not too self-pitiful ramble. I don't think that my issues are all that "complex" - has anyone else experienced this brick wall response to any tentative request for help?

lobster, you are doing great, but, as you've illustrated, you can't continue to do it on your own. I'm sure you spend more time than your mum saying "pull yourself together", so, you know that's unreasonable/unfeasable. So, your GP is saying you should seek help, go back to him/her, tell them you've done that and come up against a brick w all. Point out there is only so much you can do for yourself, they MUST, give you an urgent referral, and do they know how difficult it is for you to ask? It's crappy, but you have to be dogged and determined, write down what you want to say.

Oh and I forgot to say, on the bus, we DO NOT apologise for talking about ourselves. X

Hi to all bus babes

Spanna 79 days!!! In the words of all the best soccer moms "awesome buddy, way to go!" I wonder if you are keeping track of monies saved, it must be creeping up now and how about sleep, are the early mornings still a regular thing?. I am very inspired by you chickpea and am on day 3 with intentions of a long stretch. What a good influence you are

Sorry to hear about the brick walls lobster, I have no practical advice but I hope you get some support soon

Hi Beaches

Off to advanced dog training this evening, so I will Not be drinking.

khalisi you believe indie over me and Venus????
How could you? Please bear in mind I have military friends in high places and might have to send the boys round.
Started today with a meeting at the barracks and ended it with a meeting at the Parliament. All in vain. Lovely Boss has had to call it a day and we now await a meeting with the Board and how we wind up the business. So sad.
Sorry not to follow up on earlier posts...pony welcome.
lobster hope you get the help you need. Love your name by the way... "The further off from England, the nearer is to France"

aw Ma, really? That's so sad. Can't you and lovely boss buy a bit more time? Or get some interim funding? I am praying that Prince Harry will get to hear of your plight and bail you out...

Lobster sorry you can't get support. I agree you should ask your GP for a referral. When I was looking for Physio for DS there was a huge waiting list but I pointed out I would travel within reason and got a cancellation on the other side of the city within weeks. Though realise different services may offer different things. Hope there are some babes working in the health service who can advise better than me...

Off to sleep now - just been given huge project to complete at work while we wait for them to get rid of us - and it involves the evil overlord that ruined my career. I now need how to figure out how to organise a nationwide tour for the git without having to speak to him ... d'aaargh!!!

Day bloody 1 again. Presence of my parents was enough to drive me to the bottle last night - a pathetic excuse I know, particularly since I should really be trying to impress them with my restraint. I have the willpower of a gnat. I feel sick and tired again - back to usual despite already feeling so much better after just two days AF. Will try again today.

Beonit lovely, worry not Parents do tend to have this effect don't they!!!!! Get right back on this 'ere bus - be kind to yourself today. Have you got yummyness to eat? Me personally I would go for a bacon sandwich & a 'fat' coke, best hangover cure ever Are your parents staying with you? I'm off to work in a bit but I'm around this evening to hold your hand if you need it

Beaches my little jaffa cake, it is always good to read your posts Me a good influence I think that's a first in 48 years Thank you for your on-going support. So you're going for a long stint this time, sounds like a plan. I'll stay on your heals if you wish? I can be your inner nag You know the drill babe, Day 4, me thinks for you today, come on lovely one, you know you can do it What's your aim? one month, 100 days, the rest of the year Sorry that does sound daunting Have a good day honey and I'll check in later this evening ps sleep is still pants, deep but keep waking up at dawn, what the hell!!!!!

Lobster I'm also sorry that you keep hitting brick walls with your search for help agree with the others, a trip back to your GP, is the only thing I can think of. On a plus, I'm really glad that your motivated by my non-drinking. If it helps I can check in with you daily and give you a shove in the right direction, a good talking to, a hand to hold, whatever you require Have a good day and you are doing really well Babe

Sweet advanced dog training eh? bless his little cottons Here's a virtual squeeze from me darling, have a good day x

Joey thank you babe How's it all doing? wishing you a positive and smiling day x

Loads of love to you all. Have a great day. It's been raining here which has cleared the air, just had a lovely walk with the dog

Happy 80th, Spanna

Go SPANNA!!!

Well done, babes! So proud of you. Just absolutely and totally proud of you!
xxx

Hi babes,

Your are all so fabulous, every one of you, it may take 100 attempts to win this battle, I have tried soooo many tones and failed spectaculary when depression comes calling BUT every time I fall off the wagon, I learn more about myself, my feelings, my triggers, the subtle changes that tell me what's coming.

I guess I have to give it the respect of any other condition, if you suffered migraines, you sense certain changes in your persona, even my crohn's attacks start with sore legs, mouth ulcers, aching joints, the more I learn about being mindful the more ammunition I have for the next battle.

There is so much I want to say to all of you, especially you lobster, I read your post about the "switch" from literally hating the thought of alcohol to being obsessed with it. I too went through various agencies and struggled to find a "niche" I belonged in and my depression was so bad I was terrified and knocked myself out with booze for up to 2 weeks at a time, I shudder at the thought, I literally poisoned myself and terrified my family in the process. The part that struck me is when you mentioned your daughter, my biggest regret is how much she has had to worry, how she has trusted me again, after every relapse and her disappointment and hurt when I failed. Anyhow, must dash, I need to take dd2 to nursery but I will be back, I just wanted you to know, reading your story could be reading my own, I too have been mental health "assessed", specifically for bipolar and I'm kinda on the spectrum, but because I am sober and functioning so "normally" I've been kinda left to my own devices. I promise you are not alone, you and I are bus twins so we can help each other keep the "black dog" aka depression far far away!!! 43 days and life is bigger and so much less complicated without booze.....

I promise I'll be back in a few hours to big you all up cos the vibe on this bus, a real sense of sisterhood and girl power makes me feel so much less alone and empowered by your courage.

Big hugs xxx

hugs to baby

hope funny you should mention Prince Harry.......

Eek, Ma tell all !!!! Are you planning to marry him and become the Countess of Scotland?

Baby massive hugs to you. I am in awe of how well you are coping with your depression, you are a true heroine

Spanna - awarding you a or several for Day 80

Laters x

Oh ma! Out with it!

baby my darling friend.
You are my inspiration on so many really hard occasions!

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