A story with a message,,,what do you think?

I believe that some lessons are learnt best through stories. So I have created a story for you. It is a true story, not because it happened to a girl named Kathleen Johnson, I made up that name. However, it happens to hundreds and thousands of females across our country. Kathleen is a composite of hundreds of women that I have known. Perhaps as you read this story, you will recognize your daughter, your niece, your mother or even yourself. I would love to hear what you think after you have read it.

I always saved my last appointment time of the day for new or emergency patients and if it was not booked I could either catch up on my reading or writing notes and sometimes I just left early. Either way it was a treat for me. Meeting a new person or just having the opportunity to have time for myself. I checked my appointment schedule, and yes, today it was a new patient. Kathleen Johnson. 23 years old and she was referred by her family physician.

I opened the door to my waiting room and there sat a beautiful young woman with blonde wavy hair and peaches and cream complexion who was immaculately groomed and dressed in a navy blue pant suit with neon green accessories. She immediately stood up held out her hand to me and said, “ Good Afternoon, I am Kathleen Johnson, thank you for seeing me so soon.”

“Please come in and make yourself comfortable, We can get to know each other and you can tell me what has brought you here today”.

She sat down not displaying any of the general nervousness, anxiety or sadness that many of my patients express at their first meeting. Then she started, “Actually, I am a little embarrassed about the position that I have put myself in. The other day I received my first promotion at the bank, it’s my first job after University and I went out with a few people from the bank to celebrate after work.  I cannot remember how many drinks I had, who counts their drinks anyway? I was certain I was clear headed and I had something to eat, so I drove home. I got stopped about two blocks away from my house by a policeman and he made me take a breathalyser and I was over the limit so they impounded my car and my license was suspended for 30 days. Anyway, my lawyer suggested that if I saw a counsellor before that time who could say that I did not have a drinking problem then the judge might be more lenient on me. So, thank you again for seeing me so quickly.”

“Do you have a problem”? I asked.

“No, of course not, I am a University graduate and working at the bank. I don’t have a problem; I just got carried away with the celebration. On second thought I should have taken a cab home, but I never suspected that I would be over the limit. Frequently I do not drive home at all after drinking but we were celebrating so close to work and home, and well I just thought I was safe to drive”.

“And you don’t have any idea how many drinks you had”?

“Well, four or five I would say. We started with champagne and I know I had two of those but you know everyone was buying and I know I had a couple of gin and tonics.”

“Do you know how many drinks a small women like you can have before she is over the legal limit”?

“No, but I know I wasn’t impaired. I have an exceptional large capacity. My friends used to say I could drink like a man.”

“Did that concern you”?

“No, of course not, I took it as a complement; I think it made me stand out from the other girls.”

“Unfortunately, being impaired is more about basic biology rather than anything else.  The rule of thumb is that a 120 lb woman can only consume two drinks before she is over the limit. I doubt if you even weigh that much,” I replied.

“I weigh 108 lbs. Are there other things that make a difference because I can sure drink a lot before I feel drunk?”

Well, once a person drinks heavily and on a regular basis they build up a tolerance and it takes more and more for them to feel the effects. Your tolerance tells us that changes are happening to your biology. When did you start drinking?

“Oh, not until I was older, maybe 18 when I could past for 21 but like I always helped myself to my parent’s alcohol, taking a shot here and there.”

“How old were you when you started doing that”?

Kathleen was very defensive about that fact and instead of answering she, stated that she knew she shouldn’t have been driving, she promises that she will not do it again but she certainly does not have a drinking problem.” Isn’t there a test you can give me?”

“No”, I said, but I can give you some pamphlets that ask you some questions and give you some information. I would like you to read them, answer those questions for yourself, read and think about the information and your answers, then we can meet at the same time next week, if that time is good for you.”

Kathleen came to the office the following week, I am confident that she read the literature but I am not certain that she answered the questions or thought deeply about the answers. She was convinced that she did not have a drinking problem and that her only problem was that she drove while intoxicated and she would never do that again. I gave her referral to an evening program to help her mange her drinking.  

(to be continued)