I have been an alcoholic for 30 years and was sober for 4 years. I was stressed out losing my job and fell into bad familiar habits. I ended up in the hospital with a diagnosis that carries a bad stigma, alcohol withdrawal. My nurse, Melina, came in at change of shift and started talking to me like I was a person and not my diagnosis. She took the time to get to know me and my situation. She shared with me her personal story of how alcoholism has touched her life. She understood me and my situation. It touched me how she was able to open up to a perfect stranger and share how she dealt with an alcoholic in her family and that it was one day at a time process. She encouraged me to stay with my sobriety.
Talking with her really allowed me to think about how my choices reflect on my children and grandchildren, and that I want to be around to see them grow up. I owe it to them. I am just so thankful that Melina took the time to really sit and talk with me and was able to look past my diagnosis. I'm so blessed to have had her as my nurse.