When I talk about my head injury, I don’t say I was in an accident, I say I was in a wreck.  Accidents just happen. This was a wreck. It happened because I’d been drinking. It was no accident.  I’d already gone to jail for drunk driving and right after I got out, I went to an open bar party that my car insurance lady was throwing. I drank scotch and water all night long when they finally cut me off. I left that party totally drunk, nobody tried to stop me.

So, I drove to one of my other favorite bars, but they cut me off immediately, but they didn’t try to keep me from driving. I got back in my car, drove 18 miles to my house. I’d been driving home drunk for 16 years, but this time I drove straight into a telephone pole.  

I was in a coma for 22 days, and I damn near died a couple of times. When I finally woke up, the first thing I said was “Damn, I need a cigarette!” My mom said, “Cindy, Why don’t you just quit? You haven’t had a cigarette for 22 days.” So I did.  Pretty soon after that, I thought, “Oh man, I need a drink.” I begged my old drinking buddy Tommy, to bring me a shot of whiskey to the nursing home where I was staying. He said: “Girl, you haven’t had a drink going on 2 months now, why don’t you just quit!”

I knew I had to get clean & sober just to live. Hell, I had to learn how to eat, walk, talk, read, take pictures, all over again! The thing that really got my attention was when Dr. Luker said: “Ya know Cindy, you have a drinking problem”!!! I looked at him like you aren’t telling me nothing new!” Then he said:  “Your Blood/Alcohol Level was .386 and .400 is dead.”

So the bottom line is. Drink all you want…but just don’t DRIVE!!!