Flying home for a week

[Guest Kaylee234]

Tomorrow afternoon I'm flying home to Houston for a week to visit my mom, sister, and two daughters. Hopefully I can get some old friends who still live in the area to come over too, won't that be fun?

Definitely a mostly pleasure trip, which is nice for a change. I can't recall many times I've been on "vacation" that wasn't centered around some amount of business.

What's causing me stress, well besides dealing with the TSA for the first time since I've gone full time, is the alcohol situation at the airports and flights.

As long as I can remember, my travel routine has been along the lines of:

1: Check in to flight, get through security

2: Find a bar near my gate and have glasses of wine until they start boarding

3: On plane, when refreshment cart comes around, buy two little bottles of wine

4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each layover and subsequent flight

So obviously I am wanting to change this routine that's become so ingrained over the years.

I'm not really asking for advice, just wanted to voice my concern over what will obviously be a huge temptation for me. I have a couple movies and books (working on Kay's book atm) on my iPad, so I'm hoping to distract myself with those.

Oh, and as of today I've been completely sober for 25 days :D

~ Kay

[JenniferB]

Hi Kay,

These It's nice to be able to go home, where you can leave life's troubles at the door. Even if if it's for a short time. You get a sense of renewal. Enjoy it while you can. Believe me, you will miss it when it's gone.

And congrats on being sober. I'm right behind you at 12 days.

Love,

Jenny

[VickySGV]

Kay

Its great to hear that you have a plan, but an added hint, bury your ATM and credit cards in the overhead luggage compartment. Ginger ale is free on the flights, and they do not take cash anymore. That was my step to success four years ago when I was making my first transcontinental flight and was still pretty fragile in sobriety. I was lucky at the airport since my flight was at 0630am and the airport booze dispensers were not open until 8am. Luckily, the airline planned it that way, as if they knew they had to help me out.

Have you warned family and old friends about your recovery?? It is your right to have them respect a No Booze Zone around you. "Auld Lang Syne" can be sung or acted with a bottle of Sprite or Coca Cola, and all that the local "watering holes" will miss is your cash, because they really don't care about your health!!! There are going to be AA meetings there where you are going, and if you need two hours on your own to go to one, it is again your RIGHT to take the time. The family will have you around much longer to love if you are sober, and you and they will have more fun and closeness. At your point in transition, they need the sober closeness and I think will be more supportive of both parts of your life. Your daughters will be especially happy when they realize you are more stable and genuinely loving toward them, instead of mushy drunk. (I know that from my experience.) I'll be thinking about you!!

Jenny

It is wonderful to hear about your progress on the sober road. As Kay has found out there are a bunch of us here at LP that can have sober fun online and be Trans* without a worry in sobriety, and can explore the ways our lives are more complete by being both sober and Trans* together. Join our party Sundays at 9pm Eastern Time over in chat.

[Charlize]

Kay Vicki hit some great points. Get yourself a soda(for me it was regular coke ie hard stuff). Insist on some ice and enjoy. Meetings out of town are incredible! I first came out in a women's meeting far from home. I was accepted and have actually gone back several times and love the women there.

Just take a look at google and you will find lots of meetings. You will do fine. Take your big book and read from the bottom of page 100 through 101.

It may help you. I used to have a lot of trouble at art show openings(used to get sloshed) and that helped me.

Keep on touch and enjoy your trip. I'm heading to Maine and NH and have to set up some meetings there.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest Kaylee234]

Thanks for the replies, everyone The TSA/Airport Security wasn't an issue at all. When I showed my Military retiree ID to the guy who was checking my boarding pass he looked at the year-old picture, looked at me, then gave me a little smile and said "thank you for your service." The way he did it made me giggle a little lol.

I got a glass of ice water on the plane. No soda for me haha. The layover turned into a fast walk to my second plane that was already boarding, so that worked out in my favor.

My mother took all the wine and booze in her house over to a friend's place so no temptation here. So far this holiday has been wonderful, culminating in a girls day out with my mom, sister, and youngest daughter getting mani-pedis and shopping all day. None of my old friends have shown up like I invited them to, but that's pretty much what I expected would happen.

Oh, and today is my 30th day completely sober.

~ Kay

[Guest]

Congratulations Kay.

On a successful trip and on your 30th.

Huggs,

Joann

[Guest Carla_Davis]

Congratulations on your successful trip and your 30th Also.

I hope each day gets easier for you to resist the urge.

Hugs,

Carla

[Michelle 2010]

It would be fun to go to a meeting and pick up a 30 day chip while you are there

I picked up a medallion in July for the first time ever wearing a nice skirt, blouse, and accessories. It was a good feeling and was a way of representing for our trans brothers and sisters at a regular meeting...

Hugs

Michelle

[Charlize]

That is such an uplifting story! You are doing Great Kay. 30 days is awesome, enjoy the clarity that will return as each day passes. Funny in a while you may look back and say i've got it licked. If that happens go to a meeting cause compliancy causes a lot of relapsing.

Hugs and love,

Charlie

[VickySGV]

Way to go!! Mom was super special for what she did. Other family members as well. Thirty is a rough one to get, but you definitely deserve it. Keep coming back, it works!!

[Guest Kaylee234]

I'm heading back home to Virginia this evening It's been fun, but there's no place like home.

I wish I could have gone to a local meeting here, but that's tough without a car. Maybe next time.

I'll go to my home group tomorrow night and pick up my 30 day chip. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for making it this far.

Thanks for the support, everyone!

~ Kay

[VickySGV]

[Guest]

You should be proud, Kay.

It took a lot of hard work to reach this mile stone.

Huggs,

Joann