Alcohol Nearly Killed Me at A Christmas Party
I Got Drunk, Fell Off a Second Story Banister, And Nearly Died
As I fell from the balcony, drunk, my last thought before losing consciousness was “Oh, sh..!”
Back in the 80’s my co-ed soccer buddies hosted a Christmas party at a rented space. I was 24. I arrived with my girlfriend, Julie, all dolled up. We drank like we always drank in this group: a lot and fast.
I nearly lost my life that night.
Alcohol can sneak up on a person, especially with an empty stomach. After 2 drinks, they seem to slide down smoother and easier until one loses count. Alcohol leads to accidents, blackouts, fights, violence, financial costs, words that can’t be retracted, and promiscuity. Life-changing moments can occur.
Moments that can’t be reversed.
Sitting on the stairway ledge, chatting with someone, I reached into my back pocket for my lighter.
I fell backward off the stairway ledge onto the floor below.
When I regained consciousness, the firefighters were there. I remember they were handsome, and I liked the attention. The vitals were normal. Instructions to my friend, Julie, were no more alcohol and watch out for head trauma. She probably was as drunk as me.
A few of the guys lived at a home that was nearby. We went there to continue drinking. It was only midnight, and you know if you are a drinker, the party was only beginning.
This is when my fun began.
A few drinks later, I lost some memories. The last ones were me, lying on the toilet as my support, puking, unable to get up.
Julie finds me there and looks for help. Goofy offered up his waterbed (remember those anyone?) and I was put down for the night.
The next morning, Richard comes in to check on me. We had a co-ed soccer game to play that day. He was worried as I am not a whiner to pain or making excuses.
I remember falling in and out of consciousness. He makes a phone call and Sunday paramedics arrive. As my vitals weren’t abnormal, I was told it was just a hangover.
Yeah, but I couldn’t move.
They took me by ambulance to the emergency room.
I took a pee test, which was cloudy and very red. I almost dumped it out thinking it was alcohol.
My mind was not functioning.
‘Oh good!’ I think. ‘I am hurt so all this fuss isn’t over nothing.’
I was put under sedation for 3 days. My kidney had been punctured by a small bone from my ribcage which caused the internal bleeding.
If my friends had left me, I don’t know if I’d be alive.
The doctors were hoping it would heal independently without surgery, and it did. A week later, I was released.
Richard saved my life.
What a waste had I died in that waterbed.
Over my long life, I’ve had 5 more brushes with death. My last close call was the last time I drank–nearly 3.5 years ago to this day. I was so ashamed of myself that I drove home drunk with one eye closed so I could see the center line. I was so grateful I didn’t kill anyone and so hungover the next day, I decided firmly that it was time to quit. Alcohol was not my friend. Moderation was not a possibility for me. One drink could turn into 6 or more.
At each holiday party after, I would play games with myself to contain the alcohol consumption. Eat before the party so there’s something in my stomach to absorb alcohol. Drink beer instead of hard liquor. Try to drink water in between an alcoholic beverage, which never worked for me.
In the United States, there are 45 alcohol-related deaths per day during the Christmas season, which increases to 54 fatalities per day during the New Year’s holiday. New Year’s Day stands out as the deadliest day for drunk driving, with 89 percent higher likelihood of fatal accidents involving intoxicated drivers compared to the rest of the year. New Year’s celebrations are concentrated in a single night, leading to a spike in alcohol-related crashes during the early morning hours of the following day. The NHTSA reports a 130% increase in fatal crashes on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Drunk driving is continuing.
I was lucky. I survived. I didn’t kill anyone.
The rest of my life is figuring out why and what to do.
We Keep Forgetting That Alcohol is Life-Threatening
The picture at the top of this post shows some facts about alcohol you may want to check out. It could save your life or the life of someone you care about during this holiday season. As each person/body is different, it is impossible to predict precisely the exact amount of alcohol it takes for the levels of impairment.
The strength of a drink varies. A person’s blood alcohol level can rise faster or slower depending on their unique body chemistry and how fast they drink. Other factors include their weight. Is there any food in the stomach? How tired are they? Generally,
- To reach mild impairment of 0.00 – 0.05%, the general amount is 2 standard drinks in the first hour for a woman and a man, 3 drinks.
- To reach impairment or 0.06-0.15%, the general amount is 2-3 drinks for a female and 3-4 drinks for a male.
- For impairment of 0.016 – 0.30%, the general amount is 3-6 drinks for a female and 4-8 for a male.
- Life-threatening levels of 0.31% – 0.045%, the general amount is 6-9 drinks for a female, and 8-11 or 12 drinks for a male.
Either way, one can see how fast alcohol can begin to work its way into a problem. If you plan to drink, find your designated driver before the event. This could save your life, or someone else’s life.
Here’s wishing you and yours a healthy, hangover-free holiday season!
