Drinking and Driving

[Guest guest]

Hi Beata,

Your friends should be concerned about anyone drinking and driving,

not just those of us with CMT. It is a life changing and potentially

lethal situation - anywhere.

I live in California that has two basic drunk driving laws, found in

Vehicle Code section 23152, sections (a) and (:

23152(a) It is a misdemeanor to drive under the influence of alcohol

and/or drugs.

23152( It is a misdemeanor to drive with .08% or more of alcohol in

your blood.

Note: In most cases, both the 23152(a) and ( offenses will be

charged. Even though there is only one act, the law says that a

defendant charged with drinking and driving can be convicted of BOTH

offenses — but can only be punished for one (the punishments are

identical). Vehicle Code section 23153 sets forth the " felony DUI "

provisions where an injury results from the drunk driving, while

Penal Code sections 191.5 and 192 describe the crime of " vehicular

manslaughter " where there is a death.

In addition, your driver's license can be suspended and jail or

prison time may be where you end up. We've had past posts on alcohol

and CMT, you might want to search the Archived posts and in the

Alcohol and CMT File folder read " The Damaging Effects of Alcohol in

Charcot Marie Tooth disease " by Dr. Victor Ionasesu.

That article was written 10 years after I quit drinking. Oddly

enough, when I was 15, my neurologist told me that I should never

drink alcohol. I said " OK " since I wasn't drinking at that age.

However, later I had a very developed 'alcohol career' that brought

me to a very rough bottom to which I have NO intention of returning.

My story is included in this article if you want to read it.

http://www.mda.org/publications/Quest/q114subabuse.html

Please be careful. There are people who can have 1 or 2 drinks and

stop. I could never do that, and never wanted to do that. I wanted

more, and then I needed more. I know I can not have 1 drink, or it

kicks off an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind

eventually. I remember the past, and don't want to forget all that

happened. If I drink again, life will only get worse (my health

included)

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Dear Gretchen

The bottom half of your post regarding your experiences with alcohol was very

interesting and very honest. Apart from it not being good for people with CMT

more so than others as it takes a lot out of you physically I sometimes wonder

if people with CMT are more pre disposed to addictions or whether that's just

luck of the draw as so many many things are.

Regards

Fiona