I struggle with alcoholism. It's been documented on FT. Prior to trying to get sober the first time, I had a particularly drunk trip to Japan where I drank near-continuously for 5 days. I was denied boarding at NRT and told they would put me up in a hotel and come back the next day sober. I drank just enough to not die between the flights. When I arrived for the flight the next day, I was sober (well, likely under the legal limit in most of the US) but was starting to feel the effects of alcohol withdrawal. The GA who had denied me boarding the previous day, let me board but told me she instructed the flight crew not to serve me.

After boarding, the FA walked up to me and said "I hear you are my troublemaker. What would you like to drink?" (I was in Y+, so being asked about a PDB was odd.) I indicated I would take water. Then she did something that stunned me and asked me what I would REALLY like to drink. I told her some red wine would really help. She disappeared, came back and handed me some. She leaned over and quietly told me that she was a recovering alcoholic and could see the pain I was in and did not want me detoxing at 36,000 feet over the Pacific. So she kept me supplied, the entire flight at a rate of about 1 every 2 hours. At no point did I ever feel drunk (I am sure I was, but at that point I just felt baseline). I walked off the plane, got an Uber, went home, and saw my doctor the next morning for a detox protocol, and then quit totally for months before relapse.

Knowing what I know now about detox and alcohol withdrawal, that woman may have saved my life. I wouldn't have any idea at that point that alcohol detox can kill. She was instrumental in setting me on a path of sobriety, which has had its ups and downs, but I've probably spent 95% of the time since that moment years ago sober. I've had slips. I've had binges and benders. But I'm far better off than I could have been.

The point of this long story? For those undiagnosed alcoholics out there, this could be dangerous. So that would not be a win-win for me and people like me. Now, I know. But then that flight could have been a medical emergency. I still thank that FA in my prayers for my higher power placing her in my path.

And feel free to judge all you want, no one has judged me more or blamed me more than myself for getting there. Now I try to focus on the positives.