Recovering alcoholic

By Jenny Ruffell, from Poole Dorset 

Hi my name is Jenny I’m a recovering alcoholic I had my first alcoholic drink when I was young. alcohol has been a big thing in my family. it started off binge drinking then it got a hold of me. I became an alcoholic at the age of 23.

I was drinking first thing in the morning until I crashed, then would drink again when I woke up. this was on going day in day out then one day I started feeling really bad. I had pains in my stomach but didn’t think much of it.

I was 41 and on one particular day I went to get up to get a beer and couldn’t move my legs. I laid on the sofa for weeks, then one day my dad got the Dr to come in to see me. he gave me a blood test and the hospital phoned me that night and said I had to go in which I didn’t want to, i just wanted to stay at home and drink.

the Dr I spoke to on the phone from the hospital said if you don’t come in tonight you will die so with a lot of persuasion from my family I went in and I got told if I hadn’t come in I would of died of a massive heart attack. all my organs started failing and I had loads of tests done everyday, did my detox in hospital as well which wasn’t easy. I just wanted to discharge myself but I didn’t. I went through with it all. 3 weeks I spent in hospital.

if it wasn’t for the support and the Dr and nurses I wouldn’t be here today telling my story. I’ve now been off the drink for 8 years. I’m never ever going back to that life again I would like to help people in the same boat as I was in. I’m 49 now, thank you for taking the time to read my story. if I have inspired anyone whose got a addition to alcohol I’m here if you need to talk to someone