I had a friend who just died. They found him dead in his apartment,
just him and his dog (who I have now adopted). I never knew the toll
that drinking had taken on his life. After his death, his mother (who
discovered his body three days after he had died) revealed that he had
never been able to hold a job because of his problem.

I had only been friends with him during high school (over 30 years
ago), but had re-established contact with him three years ago. He
still had a teenagers zest and attitude for drinking, which bothered
me a bit, but I had never really seen him very drunk and our telephone
conversations led me to believe that he only "partied" one night a
week. I would sometimes mail me big bottles of Jack Daniels and I
finally had to ask him to quit.

His death certificate listed end stage liver disease with cirrhosis
and chronic alcoholism as contributing causes of death. He had bled
out through his intestines such that the hazardous materials crew had
to come in and clean up (to the tune of $5000) and it was declared a
crime scene pending the autopsy results. His body was so disfigured
and ugly because of the circumstances of his death that he had a
closed casket funeral.

Last year, a lifelong family friend of my wife's with mental illness
and drug problems shot himself. He was practically psychotic but self
medicating. And I have had other friends who suffered fatal overdoses
in the past few years. I think some of them just let themselves die.

I have another close relative who is addicted to drugs and alcohol and
has untreated hepatitis C, knows that drinking is not good for it, yet
persists without trying to quit or cut down. I watch this go on
before my very eyes and I die right along with her.

On the bright side, my son has been sober for over two years. I wish
I could say that for the rest of my family.

My hat is off to those people who have struggled with these problems
and try to be sober.