My pride on this July 4th

This turned out to be a great fourth. I found some pride in myself.

Patty Lou had planned all week to go with me to the bar tonight. She didn't know I was taking her to her favorite restaurant. So we eat, me way too much, (there goes the diet!) and we go to the bar for 2 hours. She had a coke, I had a beer, 1 beer. On the way home, I had to stop at a state police sobriety checkpoint. When the officer asked me if I had anything to drink tonight, I didn't lie, I told him one beer. "One?", he says, "at what time?" I tell him 9pm. (it was 11) He tells me to wait right there so he can check me. He came back with his little breathalyzer machine and had me blow into it. (Been there, done that about a dozen times) So I blow, it goes beep, he looks at it and tells me to get and be safe. I drive off with pride and a grin on my face.

Why pride? Because if it would have been about 2 1/2 years ago, I would have been way beyond drunk, and certainly full of an assortment of drugs. I would have been arrested for the 5th time for a dui. (driving under the influence) They would have searched the car, found a drug of some kind I'm sure, and I would have had troubles abundant. But 3 1/2 years ago, I started hormones. And maybe 8 months into that, I all but quit drinking and doing all those drugs. I attribute my success in that to calming the transsexual beast somewhat, so I didn't have to stay drunk and high all the time. I just didn't need it.

So when I tell you that my transition saved my life, it has. And even in more ways than this one.

Stephanie