The state of sobriety

There was a full moon on Wednesday night. I admired how bright and shiny it was with its ability to light up my entire yard. Intellectually I know that the moon only appears white because it is reflecting the light here on earth. Still, I revel in its beauty and can almost feel the magical power emanating from the shine.

I could use some magical power these days. Riley has not been feeling well. Besides not feeling well, he is having a difficult time communicating with the nurse about his pain. Often times he simply says that he just feels yucky in general then will yell out in pain a few minutes later. Ask him where it hurts – his answer is on his entire right side. If I had magic powers I would just wave my wand and be able to see his pain.

Often I will say something to a person about Riley no longer drinking. Everyone oooos and ahhhhs about how his sobriety is wonderful. I’m told that I should at least be grateful for the lack of alcohol. I know they mean well. I smile and nod.

Back in the day, if Riley had quit drinking and was still able to maintain a quality life, I would be
ecstatic about him kicking Miss Vodka to the curb. It would have meant a chance for us to have a “normal” life.

I’ve given up reminding people that he is not sober by choice. He is sober because alcohol destroyed his body and brain. If he could he would still be drinking today. While being bedridden, he would still be drinking his morning coffee half/half with vodka. He doesn’t drink because he is unable to get it himself. He is sober because he has no choice.

What is being truly sober anyway? I don’t believe it is just about having alcohol in your system. I think being sober is a state of mind. You can be sober and still be a son-of-a-gun. After all sometimes a jerk is simply a jerk with or without alcohol. I’ve known people who are complete assholes and didn’t drink at all.

Sobriety comes from a place deep inside our being. To be sober means to try to have the best possible life for yourself without damaging those around you. It’s looking at life in a positive direction rather than grumbling about the negative. It’s being a peace with your self. Being sober means being able to say “I’m sorry” and meaning it completely. If you are simply not drinking and still have the mindset of an active alcoholic – you are not sober.

Riley is simply not drinking. He is not sober. He hates being sober and takes advantage of every opportunity to tell him how unfair I’m being because I won’t buy him any booze. Miss Vodka still lives in our house even though she doesn’t show herself – that is except in Riley’s mind.

In Riley’s room, in Riley’s bed, there lives a man who once wrote award-winning technical manuals; a person who did the “hard” level of New York Times Crossword puzzles; someone who I could never beat at Scrabble; a quietly soft spoken man; a man I knew as being gentle and kind. Miss Vodka took him a way and left in his place a sullen, angry, over-bearing, demanding jerk. What is left is a man who can’t understand what is happening to him or how he got in this condition. He blames me for his being sick because if I would just get him some Vodka, he would be fine.

I feel bad because he is in pain at this moment. I know and understand that he is dying, but I don’t want him to be in so much pain. I wouldn’t want that for any person, alcohol or not. The morphine isn’t doing its job. I’m not sure what I am supposed to do. The nurse will report back to the doctors at the hospice agency. I think I’m supposed to wait.

Waiting is not my strong suit. Today I’ll call the hospice office and tell them that we can’t go through the weekend without some relief for Riley. I will insist on finding out if the pain is related to his cancer or liver, or if it is something that can be treated – like a kidney stone. I will display a side of me that is NOT in anyway sober. Imagine that! A non-drinker displaying a non-sober attitude. Sometimes the lack of sobriety is a useful thing.

There was no moon last night. It was overcast and the moon was probably hiding in the clouds. Maybe it just didn’t want to tempt me to steal her magic powers.