A Fresh Introduction for my friends etc...

Hmm... I'm trying to think about information about me to share. I'm not too exciting really, or at least I don't think I am. =p I am Lecanis... I don't use my real name in forums not because it bothers me but because my username has a very special meaning to me, and using it online reminds me of the person I want to be as much as the person I am, inspiring me to be as loving and fun-loving as the spirit the relative who first called me Lecanis was naming me after. My avatar is an anime character whose purpose is the same, to inspire me to be as loving and protective of others as she is. So my online persona exists to make me a better person in a way. I'm a survivor of very severe child abuse, and I have post-traumatic stress disorder. I'm very determined to make my adult life something as different from my childhood as possible, and I took the first step to that over 8 years ago by moving from Kentucky to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I think I'm doing pretty good in my goal so far, because I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful 15-year-old son, and some really good friends, both offline and online.

Well I think it would be a help to some, some people need an inspiration and from what I have read when people feel alone with their addictions it makes it so much harder for them, so knowing what you are doing and how you are coping certainly would help them, just knowing they are not alone is good...Good luck tou you.

I am atleast trying to be true to myself GrandPa, I know that my time will come to realize that I should end all my vices. I already stopped my first, which is smoking, I am already exhaling clean air for the past 2 months!;) My only remaining problem is my drinking, but I already mellowed. I only drink on ocassions, since I am much into socializing and that most of my friends are drunkards!LoL The only thing that haunts me for now is my unfinished education, that I hope someday I can still accomplish and be proud of.

My life has been very easy for me compared to your life. My two bad habits I have been working on changing, as my doctor informed me, if I want to see grandchildren in the future, then I would have to make changes. The first one you have heard about recently and its to drink water. I was in the hospital for not drinking enough liquid and have no plans of going back. Several years ago, my calcium level was soaring to much milk and not enough other liquid, now I drink several glasses of water each morning and several in the evening. I drink lemonade at lunch time. I still drink soda, but have reduced the amount. The other one has to do with the reading question, as I had to lose weight. I am finding a book on tape is making the walk be something that is not a chore anymore. I use to listen to music, but had grown tired of music and walking.

Let's see...information about me... Well, my name is ivy and i am 23. i live in SoCal. i am about 5' tall (yes, io know i am really short). i have fair skin, blue eyes, and blac and red hair. (The very front is red, the rest is black.) No, i am NOT "goth" even though i dress mostly in black. There are several "scenes" where peple dress in a lot of black, and i don't know why everyone always jumps to "goth." i don't say i am in any one particular scene, i am just me. i am an AFI chick. i am disabled as a result of a near fatal car accident December 9, 2003. i spent 2 years in the hospital with drama constantly. To this day, i am still on oxygen, i am diabetic from all the sterroids they had me on, i have problems with mobility, frail kidney, etc. Ok, enough about medical crap. Umm, my favorite band of all time is AFI, hence why i call myself an AFI chick (that is how people referred to me in college). They are my dear friends and i love them very much. They stood by me the wntire time i was in the hospital and they still do. i put people i know into different categories, depending on how close i feel to them: acquaintances, friends, good friends, best friends, very best friends. i have only 2 very best friends: Sarah and Jason (fromthemirror). i love all my friends dearly and would do anything for them. For my very best friends, i would bleed all my blood...live and die and come back to do it all over again. i spend far too much time online, but i really don't care because it is the most contact i get with my friends. Most of them live quite a ways away and we don't like to be on the phone for hours at a time, so the computer is a nice alternative. i am generally on the computer from 10 pm until 1 or 2 am, depending on whether i have class the next day or not. i am going to school with the goal of achieving a doctorate in clinical psychology. i find people like Sybil Dorsett (a woman with multiple personalities...16 to be exact) to be absolutely fascinating. i also understand the mentality of people with bipolar disorder and can read them well. i want to also work with trauma patients and utilize what happend to me to help them. i won't BS my patients and tell them everything will be ok when it might not be ok. i won't tell them they shouldn't feel a certain way or be upset about things. If something sucks, it sucks. Bottom line. i will just give them the tools to deal withthe things that suck. i am not the type of person who will sugar-coat it or wrap it all up in a nice pretty package. i tell it like it is and if someone doesn't like that, too bad. Don't ask my opinion on something unless you are sure you want an honest answer. If something makes you look like you have a big butt and you ask me, i'm going to tell you. If you suck at guitar and ask what i thin of your playing, i am going to tell you that you suck. i don't like to label my religious beliefs, but i guess the closest thing would be "agnostic." i believe that everyone has a different reality and the only reason why we meet, our paths cross, or the same thing happnes in our lives is that a part of our realities crosses. i believe that what is real for one reality may not be real for another. For example, there may be God, Heaven, Satan, and Hell in one reality, but not in another. my personal "famous" quote is "There are so many different endless possibilities that we can never know for a fact and without a doubt what truly is." Well, i think that is enough about me! LOL If you want to know anything else, ask me!

Hat's off to you my friend! I think it is quite admirable that you have stayed sober for so many years and you are very active and willing to help others as well. I am not a new friend, but not an old one either. I just thought I would give you some much deserved kudo's!

hi grandpa bob... i'm so glad that you are already recover from your addict by the grace of God and now you are doing something to help other people too... that's really great... take care and may God bless you always...

Bob first of all let me say Well done to you that you seeked the help and took it and are doing well I am so glad Well I am Gabs I am Sick and have been for 5 years now My world fell apart when I was diagnosed with this Illness as I have always been healthy and active I also got bullied out of my 8 year Job and had a break down because of it which after everything else I had been through in my Life was the last straw I am classed as Disabled but I hate that word I really do

Thanks for sharing that. I guess its my turn. Not many people know this, but I use to be a "cutter". I purposely caused injury to myself. I had been molested by my mothers boyfriend and she did not believe me. I guess I did it to get back at her and to release my pain. It sounds crazy but I have heard about many others who have done this. I use to think I was the only one. I can't remember the last time I cut but it was a very long time ago, close to 25 years.

That is super Bob! I have seen in prior posts of yours that you are an alcholic- I didn't know the particulars. That is super 16 years! Keep it up- I'm sure your family and wife especially enjoys this you over the other old you!

happy for you and yours.... Let me first off congradulate you on your 16 years of being clean and sober. I must say that you are an inspiration to all of us that have problems, and addictions. My husband was an addict, and he has been clean for 8 almost 9 months now. I looked at him one day and told him how proud I was that he was doing this. It is true what you say you hit bottom before you realize you are drownding. It took him almost killing himself and a bus full of kids on a field trip before he realized it. and no no one was hurt, he had minor injuries, but none of the kids were hurt. Again I am happy for you and yours...

Hi Bob, Congratulations on you many years of being clean and sober and it is living proof that it does work. I have friends and family that are still drinking but because of Al Anon I no longer feel that I have to help them until they ask for help, and of course I send them off to AA.I have attended many open meetings as well have gone to a lot of Al Anon meetings because if someones drinking affects you then you need to go there.I am happy that you wish to spread the news because you are right you just never know who today has had enough and is looking for a hand up. Thank you

You know what Grandpa Bob I am so sure that the reason you had an urge to to share this with us is because someone out there will be helped by it! You may never know about it , they might never respond but just reading it may be enough to get someone who needs help to get it! I think you are amazing and have nothing but admiration for you. xxx

Hi Grandpa, I am 30 and i am a drinker for 15 years. My family thought that i need help to quit. especially 5 years ago i was drinking almost every single day. And i started to think the same way. But after i got a job and a serious relationship i realised that i am not drinking that much anymore. Now i am still drinking once or twice a week. And don't think i am an alcholic. I guess i just be saved at the eleventh hour. And congratualtions for what ever you did on your severe life road.