“I was an alcoholic for 15 years. I developed a rare neurological disorder from it that took my ability to walk and use my arms/hands…”
Venessa’s birth mother abandoned her when she was five years old. She left her at the babysitter’s and never came back. So “Nessie,” as she is known, was raised by her grandparents, who were both alcoholics.
Nessie grew up associating drinking with happiness. Her house was always “the party house” and she started to pick up those habits as well. At age 36, her alcoholism would lead to full-body paralysis. But Nessie will still stare you right in the eye and say that losing her ability to walk was the best thing that ever happened to her. She would rather be in her condition today than live a life imprisoned by alcohol.
Today, Nessie gets a lot of inspiration from TikTok accounts. She says journaling really helps her mental health. Nessie joined a “fitness bingo” Facebook group that motivates its members to exercise.
“It’s been 5 years since I got sick and just this year have managed to walk 4 km in one go with only a couple breaks.
”Sometimes the most powerful thing is to envision that it can happen to you. You may think that we are referring to the consequences of alcoholism, but what we’re really talking about is recovery.
Believe recovery CAN happen to you.
