A new approach

G's drinking is still following the same pattern. He is having more days when he does not get really drunk but still consuming more ciders than we can afford. He is still having days when he binges and these are difficult days, with sometimes outbursts of anger, & I feel I have to be careful what I say. He is also having more days when he is quite ill due to bingeing.

I am taking a  new approach which is mainly for myself, but I'm hoping may also influence G's drinking. At the beginning of the year I read the Sober diaries by Clare Pooley, & I've just finished Why don't you drink alcohol  101 reasons to stop drinking by Sienna Green. I aim to try to stop drinking myself. I do like a drink at the weekends so it's going to be hard, It's also going to be difficult as I will always be on a completely different level to G. Today I am going to transfer some of the 101 reasons into postcards which I will stick around the house. I did this when I gave of smoking & it worked for me. I've discussed this with G & he knows I will be posting these to help me, but if it also has an influence on his consumption & he makes more of an effort then that will be an added bonus.

Progress

I felt I needed to just post an update. The past couple of weeks since the scare of the TIAs G has been taking it really easy. He has cut back most days & drunk quite a bit other days, but not been drunk at all (until yesterday). He did not go to follow up TIA clinic as the hospital has not confirmed it was a TIA & he did not want to be told he could not drive. We live in a village with only a little Spar shop. I have never been able to get him attend medical appointments he should. He says he's invincible but how he has been cutting back, makes me believe he doesn't quite believe this himself. He has been drinking an orange juice, a pint of Orange squash & a couple of cups of tea before having a cider every day, whereas a few weeks ago he was waking up & drinking cider.

However yesterday he did start on a bit of a binge, he got back from shopping & had a cider & had 16 before he fell asleep on the sofa. Today he carried on & was sick after dinner. He has gone to bed now as he  had really bad stomach pains. He has had 16 ciders again today, but it's early & instead of carrying on he took himself to bed so I still count it as progress. Chances are he will cut right back again tomorrow. Well I hope so anyway.