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rzemanfl

(30,753 posts)
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 05:42 PM Aug 12

Forty years sober today.

Last edited Tue Aug 12, 2025, 08:11 PM - Edit history (1)

It just crossed my mind. I entered DePaul Rehabilitation Hospital in Milwaukee 40 years ago this evening. No relapses in all that time. I was thirty-eight years old. I am not seeking any sort of recognition, just want folks to know it can be done.

ON EDIT- thank you for all the recs and responses and for not mentioning my stupid typo, now fixed.

78 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Forty years sober today. (Original Post) rzemanfl Aug 12 OP
Congrats! SheltieLover Aug 12 #1
Many happy returns! enough Aug 12 #2
Congratulations, and good for you! Lonestarblue Aug 12 #3
Congratulations! AltairIV Aug 12 #4
Good for you. I love a good quit. (Been there) applegrove Aug 12 #5
Congratulations, rzemanfl! MIButterfly Aug 12 #6
Congratulations! LoisB Aug 12 #7
Thank you, Congratulations wendyb-NC Aug 12 #8
Congratulations!!! elleng Aug 12 #9
That's TERRIFIC!!! calimary Aug 12 #10
"" AllaN01Bear Aug 12 #11
Mine was 2-17-95. 634-5789 Aug 12 #12
Congratulations. That's a hell of a lot one days at a time. Extremely happy for you. Magoo48 Aug 12 #13
I'm sure it wasn't always easy! hamsterjill Aug 12 #14
Congratulations! greatauntoftriplets Aug 12 #15
That is a big deal! hope your family is really proud! rurallib Aug 12 #16
Congratulations rzemanfl JMCKUSICK Aug 12 #17
Well done. Torrent63 Aug 12 #18
My kidneys told me to cut it out many moons ago. GreenWave Aug 12 #19
That is a huge triumph - good on you! 3catwoman3 Aug 12 #20
33 years here Wifes husband Aug 12 #22
And a hat tip to you, too, and everyone else who battles this demon. 3catwoman3 Aug 12 #23
That's a lot of days. Well done, you! n/t TygrBright Aug 12 #21
Congratulations gerryatwork Aug 12 #24
This message was self-deleted by its author Kali999 Aug 12 #25
Congratulations! 4Sitka Aug 12 #26
That's wonderful cate94 Aug 12 #27
May your success be an inspiration to many others struggling with addiction!! ShazzieB Aug 12 #28
I am glad if you are glad. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Aug 12 #29
Congratulations 👏🎉 MustLoveBeagles Aug 12 #30
It can be done. NoMoreRepugs Aug 12 #31
You are verifiably worth the effort it took. n/t ariadne0614 Aug 12 #32
Nicely done! Permanut Aug 12 #33
Wonderful! I am now convinced that no one should drink alcohol. CTyankee Aug 12 #34
good! markie Aug 12 #35
You turned your life around - and it's great to let people know it can be done FakeNoose Aug 12 #36
Wow! Just, wow LearnedHand Aug 12 #37
Congratulations orangecrush Aug 12 #38
Congratulations! FemDemERA Aug 12 #39
Thank you for sharing it can be done and Congratulations! Rhiannon12866 Aug 12 #40
So very awesome! Congrats and thanks for sharing! Dem4life1970 Aug 12 #41
Congratulations!!! nt Javaman Aug 12 #42
Fantastic! MLAA Aug 12 #43
So wonderful. soldierant Aug 12 #44
That's good! Turbineguy Aug 12 #45
I only wish I'd quit at the same age as you. LudwigPastorius Aug 12 #46
Congratulations - Time Flies When You're Having Fun Doesn't It? MissouriDem47 Aug 13 #47
Sept. 1st wil be my 1 year Anniversary of no booze proud patriot Aug 13 #48
Congratulations pioche4 Aug 13 #49
That is awesome Hornedfrog2000 Aug 13 #50
Congratulations Duncanpup Aug 13 #51
Congatulations, however Pototan Aug 13 #52
Congrats Bristlecone Aug 13 #53
LOL. rzemanfl Aug 13 #67
Wow Farmer-Rick Aug 13 #54
It is a very big deal and important what you have achieved Pachamama Aug 13 #55
Congratulations 👍👍 TommieMommy Aug 13 #56
I have a birthday Saturday and was just thinking I should have been dead 20-plus years ago. johnnyplankton Aug 13 #57
Mr. Rambling is on Day 4 of outpatient rehab. Right now I find it hard to go out to eat, especially since most of the RamblingRose Aug 13 #58
Keep on keepin on WmChris Aug 13 #59
3-26-1991 if..fish..had..wings Aug 13 #60
Kudos! bif Aug 13 #61
Wow! Congratulations! An outstanding achievement! NNadir Aug 13 #62
applause Bluejeans Aug 13 #63
Congrats. A few of my uncles went to DePaul for treatment back when I was a kid. I think Ziggysmom Aug 13 #64
Yes, the building is gone. rzemanfl Aug 13 #70
Congratulations! sinkingfeeling Aug 13 #65
Fantastic rzemanfl 😃 Clouds Passing Aug 13 #66
Congrats!!!! berksdem Aug 13 #68
Huge achievement. Will-power of steel. Much applause to you. n/t SpankMe Aug 13 #69
Very nice. Keep it up. Old Crank Aug 13 #71
Bravo! ChazInAz Aug 13 #72
31yrs for me soon BubbaJoe Aug 13 #73
Excellent! BoRaGard Aug 13 #74
Wow! Congratulations 🎉 k55f5r Aug 13 #75
CONGRATS!! vapor2 Aug 13 #76
An amazing milestone sdfernando Aug 13 #77
❤️ littlemissmartypants Aug 13 #78

Lonestarblue

(12,910 posts)
3. Congratulations, and good for you!
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 05:47 PM
Aug 12

Thanks for sharing. Sometimes life gets hard. You reminded us that perseverance can pay off.

MIButterfly

(1,174 posts)
6. Congratulations, rzemanfl!
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 05:58 PM
Aug 12

Good for you! That is quite an accomplishment. You deserve all the accolades you can get!

That's an inspiration for anyone dealing with any kind of addiction.

calimary

(87,603 posts)
10. That's TERRIFIC!!!
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 06:33 PM
Aug 12

Congratulations on a truly outstanding accomplishment!

That’s a LOT to be proud of!

I was originally gonna recommend celebrating with some milk and cookies, but your achievement, just by itself, is sweet - and filling - enough!

Magoo48

(6,592 posts)
13. Congratulations. That's a hell of a lot one days at a time. Extremely happy for you.
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 07:00 PM
Aug 12

I just took 41 years on the 7th.
As my wife told me, again, this year, “41 years and still no apparent growth.”

May you be happy, joyous, and free my friend.
🐝🐫

hamsterjill

(16,414 posts)
14. I'm sure it wasn't always easy!
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 07:00 PM
Aug 12

But I commend you. That's amazing and whether you want recognition or not, you deserve it. Good for you!!!

gerryatwork

(89 posts)
24. Congratulations
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 07:30 PM
Aug 12

I have a sense of what you accomplished. My 2nd started her sobriety about 15 years ago. I give her a lot of credit. Even though she left me for her future husband she met at AA about 14 years ago.
Congratulations it’s a great personal accomplishment

Response to rzemanfl (Original post)

cate94

(3,000 posts)
27. That's wonderful
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 07:53 PM
Aug 12

I won’t live long enough to reach that goal, but I certainly want to be sober the rest of my life. You are an inspiration!! Thanks for sharing!

CTyankee

(66,944 posts)
34. Wonderful! I am now convinced that no one should drink alcohol.
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 08:23 PM
Aug 12

It's just not good for your body. Especially as you get older.

I had fallen in love with Merlot, just loved the taste. Now I get FRE's alcohol free Merlot and I can enjoy the taste of that wine and not worry about harmful effects on my body.

FakeNoose

(38,439 posts)
36. You turned your life around - and it's great to let people know it can be done
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 08:33 PM
Aug 12

I'll bet your family and friends are so proud of you. Awesome job!

Rhiannon12866

(241,765 posts)
40. Thank you for sharing it can be done and Congratulations!
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 09:38 PM
Aug 12

I celebrated 16 years on April 30th also to show it can be done. Those who stood up for me were a dedicated AA member who celebrated 51 years last November and my good friend who came back and now has 3 years.

LudwigPastorius

(13,298 posts)
46. I only wish I'd quit at the same age as you.
Tue Aug 12, 2025, 11:05 PM
Aug 12

But as it is, I've got 5 and half years of sobriety, and I'm not going back.

Hornedfrog2000

(842 posts)
50. That is awesome
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 04:44 AM
Aug 13

I was almost 30. Had 2 OWIs. I had no drivers license, was only a highschool dropout, and had nothing. It was 2015, and I met someone I wanted to marry, but knew that would never be possible with how i was living. I knew my life was going to be hard, regardless, but I could make it hard on my terms. I was going to work harder than I ever have. I was going to give myself a chance because when I really thought about it, I had always defaulted to, " you cant do that, or you arent good at that", but i never gave myself a chance.

Trump stole the whitehouse with the help of Putin, and I knew I had to get ahead, because they would literally try to steal even more from us (this was literally my big reason for turning my life around). Fastforward to 2025 I am in graduate school for my doctorate, and will be making more money than I had ever imagined.

I used "welfare", grants, etc to get to this point. Without them I would have never had a chance. I appreciate the minute, fractional percentage of help i received from everyones taxes to help me become a productive member of society. I will never forget that I would not be here without charity, welfare, and kindness of others.

I have never been the smartest person, but being succesful sometimes is about finding a way, any way.

Pachamama

(17,429 posts)
55. It is a very big deal and important what you have achieved
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 07:58 AM
Aug 13

I admire it and know unfortunately the experience of witnessing someone I love who couldn’t do it and all the terrible things and destruction that comes with alcohol abuse.

Sending you lots of appreciation and good thoughts for what you have overcome and achieved - for yourself and all those that love you.

johnnyplankton

(558 posts)
57. I have a birthday Saturday and was just thinking I should have been dead 20-plus years ago.
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 08:15 AM
Aug 13

But I got sober and stayed with meetings and things continue to get better.

RamblingRose

(1,136 posts)
58. Mr. Rambling is on Day 4 of outpatient rehab. Right now I find it hard to go out to eat, especially since most of the
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 08:16 AM
Aug 13

restaurants around us are Mexican. I love a margarita w/ my dinner but am staying dry in solidarity.

Congratulations!

NNadir

(36,470 posts)
62. Wow! Congratulations! An outstanding achievement!
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 08:51 AM
Aug 13

I'm glad you celebrate the anniversaries.

Bluejeans

(127 posts)
63. applause
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 09:19 AM
Aug 13

< applause > That's one hell of a record! As we would say in the military, "Keep on keepin' on!"

Ziggysmom

(3,884 posts)
64. Congrats. A few of my uncles went to DePaul for treatment back when I was a kid. I think
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 09:38 AM
Aug 13

they closed and tore down the building around 25 years ago. I’m so happy you are sober and a Dem!

rzemanfl

(30,753 posts)
70. Yes, the building is gone.
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 11:23 AM
Aug 13

If I wasn't a Dem, I'd probably still be drinking and the Secretary of Defense or something.

Old Crank

(6,123 posts)
71. Very nice. Keep it up.
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 12:21 PM
Aug 13

I've been lucky not to ever know the demons that this stuff can unleash.

BubbaJoe

(25 posts)
73. 31yrs for me soon
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 01:47 PM
Aug 13

Oct 10, 1994. Still going. Funny thing is now where I live there are 10 or more bars within staggering distance.

k55f5r

(489 posts)
75. Wow! Congratulations 🎉
Wed Aug 13, 2025, 02:12 PM
Aug 13

Also, thanks for reminding me of my upcoming 40 yr sobriety anniversary. 40 yrs September 10th.

Latest Discussions»Support Forums»Addiction & Recovery»Forty years sober today.