Hi Guys.

Welcome to ’Old Git‘ Jimbo’s blog @ www.miteamshirts.com my personal e-mail is  james@mits-online.co.uk .

The websites are  www.myteamshirts.co.uk and www.mits-online.co.uk 

Checkout our GIZMO page, WISH LIST & FUN RELATED  SEXY & RISQUE  t-shirts, & also our 2/3 way team shirts. 

I believe in speaking my mind, regardless of the people or subject.

 I don’t hide behind a mask. That is my Fizzog that you can see, so what you see and read is what you get.

Some of you may know that for the past few weeks I’ve been busy moving to my new home and unfortunately this has prevented me from doing my normal blog.

I have asked my business partner, Chrissie, to be my guest blogger and she is happy to share her story with you about her husband’s addiction to alcohol and how it has affected their lives.

So, on that note – over to Chrissie!

Hi Folks! Thanks to Jimbo for allowing me into his territory to keep the flag flying in his absence!

I wanted to share my story (and my husband, Paul’s), and am doing so with his permission. I wanted to keep a record for posterity as both a reminder for myself and also as a warning to others about the dangers of alcohol abuse, and how it can wreck lives. Without further ado, here is part one of our ongoing saga.

Where it all began

 
I met Paul about six years ago and we got together just after Valentine’s Day in 2007.We were introduced by John Hughes, a very dear mutual friend of ours who has since, very sadly, passed away.

John had explained to me briefly about Paul’s alcohol addiction so I was under no illusions, but he was such a funny, lovely man, with many, many stories to tell about his life as a Staff Sargeant in the British Army, his 10 years in Cyprus, 2 years in Canada and his early life in Carlisle, I couldn’t help but be drawn to him, and according to John, the attraction was mutual.

We became friends and twelve months later, both with previous relationships that had failed for various reasons, we found ourselves thrown together by circumstances and started living together.

Paul’s previous marriage had broken down. His wife of 10 years had all but destroyed him, leaving one day with her two kids he had adopted, his treasured BMW, and most of his belongings, effectively forcing all of them out of the lovely home they had created.

My relationship with my partner had been going down hill for a number of years and after I found out that he had been unfaithful to me with a girlfriend of mine, I decided enough was enough. It was time to bail out, and move on.

Paul and I met each other while we were both on a downhill slope, to quote Bonnie Raitte, we found each other just “In The Nick of Time“.

Neither of us had any work at the time. Paul had lost his job as a Sales Manager in advertising through no fault of his own. With no car, he was unable to do his job and had to quit. I had worked with my ex-partner as a long distance trucker and had more or less lived in the wagon so had no real home to speak of – apart from a caravan that we used when we weren’t “on the road”.

Paul said he wanted to look after me and I was extremely vulnerable at the time. Luckily, he had been well respected in his line of business, and within days of us getting together, he managed to secure a good paying position as Sales Manager for a publishing company. I joined him shortly after at the same company and for the time being we were “in clover”. The money was good and although we worked hard, we also played hard – especially Paul!!!

This is our story. From when we met, to the ups and downs of Paul’s addiction to alcohol, his diagnosis with Terminal Liver Disease and frequent hospitalisation, his decision to quit drinking and start living, his subsequent relapse, and how I tried to cope with his frequent heavy drinking sessions, his mood swings and dealing with the knowledge that one more drink could take him away from me forever.

Next time, I will tell you more, so please come back for the next instalment!

‘Til then

Take care, and if you love someone, make sure they know it before its too late! x