VERY UPSET over Story

My issue with it is the hypocrisy. This is a support site - first and foremost. Unless something is an outright non-provoked personal attack against someone and crosses some well defined line - NOBODY should have the right to request a topic be pulled. It's her story - her experience. But she also made the choice to go into a national magazine, and TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT. How can she expect people NOT to discuss it here??

Maybe the response, much like the one that started this conversation, was a personal attack...provoked or not, national magazine or not...In my opinion, there is never a good reason to be cruel and mean-spirited. Discuss...yes. Attack her personally...no. Christina S

It's obvious that Kat is an acoholic. She admits she's addicted to alcohol. It's a disease. But, based on many other's responses and accounts of that January event, it seems she herself was the one organizing a lot of the "after event" festivities. The other that have replied here have experiences are just as valid as Kat's. I was at the January 07 event, and yes I had a great time. I met quite a few new friends from this site and others. Jennifer and I have already discussed that we will be planning on attending another event, should it come to fruition. Did I see people drinking? Yep. Did I see some drink too much? Who am I to judge?? Did I see anyone vomit from drinking? No. These are adult events. For many of the attendees, away from the doldrums of everyday life, with friends that many people have a strong common bond and deep friendship with. Maybe they never drink. It's none of my business.

You have mail

Susan- Thanks for sending that email. I will tell you though, if the information in those emails is true, it makes me have even more compassion for Kat. She's dealing with some big life issues...people sometimes fall down and make bad choices when they do that before they get back on their feet. Are we to kick her while she's down because we might look bad in the process? And, if there is a bigger medical issue involved, although it shouldn't be a crutch, it should help others to lend some understanding. As I said in my original post, I'm sure there is a balance in all this somewhere. People aren't perfect on either side of the fence. Christina S

Are you saying here Im making a personal attack?

Melissa- How would you feel if someone wrote this about you: "And I will tell you here you have been removed from all my friends lists, and I hope you enjoy your new found stardom alone becaue you dont deserve any of us here at OH to even acknowledge you in a bathroom." I'm sure it was just your anger talking, but it wasn't, IN MY OPINION, necessary. Your point and feelings were clear long before you put in this sentence. But, you're entitled to your feelings and emotions and putting them out there for all to see....just like Kat was/is. Christina S

First of all if YOUR gonna ATTACK me get the name correct!!! And yes I feel she was in the wrong along w/ others at leaset I didnt go national w/ mine and I could care less if you took me off your friends list... Friends like you guys who needs enemys? Now drop it...

Melinda- Sorry I got your name wrong. My intention was not to attack you, I was simply clarifying my earlier response as you requested. I did not and do not plan on removing you from my friends list...unless you feel it necessary. I'll drop it...as long as everyone else will too. Christina S

Christina, I have to disagree with you. Kat was not honest with herself or with anyone else. She claims she was sober for over a year. Well, if she has been sober for that long, why would she plan a after-hours get together at the same bar/club she is pictured with in her article? She was drunk when I saw her in January. She is only out to exploit herself. She has come on here time and time again looking for attention. She is also bi-polar and if you know people who are bi-polar then you know that her maniac episodes contribute to her behavior. You may see it one way but to say she was honest is BS. Yes, addiction is addiction. She has a problem with alcohol, that I don't disagree with. Transfer addiction is a real thing. But you can't blame surgery on all your woes. You can only blame yourself. Her problems are deeper than alcoholism, but I won't get into that here. If you have problems before surgery, you are going to have them after. she has hurt a lot of people, more than you know. It's not just Nat and Dave but everyonewho actually pays to go to the conferences. She was not a paying attendee. She only attended the after hours parties. She says people were puking off the balcony. The only person doing that was a close friend of hers. It is not a drunkfest as she claims. She needs to apologize, but I suspect with her narcisistic attitude and self-absorption, it won't happen.