Sober October

Saturday and Sunday morning, I see people I know on social media complaining about their hangover. I get a slightly smug feeling as I know I won’t waste my day ‘recovering’. 

Instead, I’ve spent the day making a second bass trap for my studio. The big move will take place this week. There’ll cables and chaos for sure, but it’ll all come together in the end. There’s music to be made and if my calculations are correct, the neighbours won’t hear it quite so much. 

Here’s to a new week as I pass the halfway mark. Thanks to my sponsors and thanks to those who’ve purchased a ‘golden ticket’ with the intention of a night off. However, I won’t be taking advantage of them as i think it makes the whole campaign pointless. It’s only another 16 days for goodness sake. 

Day 13 (and day 11 & 12 :) ) and as I embark on my second weekend into it, it’s all going particularly well. Popped up to the local suerpmercado earlier and found a pretty good, if not entirely convincing non-alco Cava. That’ll do me, but there’s only so much of that I can take, so I decided on a nice pot of tea, as I head for the studio to record this week’s mr mack - Ascension featuring a bunch of new house tunes. If you like that kinda’ thing, check the show out here.... https://www.mixcloud.com/mr_mack/ It’s also available for download via Podomatic and iTunes. 

Regarding the amount raised so far, we’re currently at £340 so keep it coming. Let’s help give fellow sufferers the chances I’ve had and make them survivors. It’s not just about that ever elusive cure, but also making patients comfortable and making sure they’ve got what they need. Macmillan do a fantastic job so please give what you can. https://www.gosober.org.uk/users/dougie-mack

Thanks in advance.

Day 10. A day of celebration. Not only is it my son’s birthday today (27! where did those years go?) but I’m also celebrating [almost] hitting the £300 stage. Thanks to my latest sponsors. Gaaawbleshla! 

Today has been pretty easy considering I’ve been asleep for most of it, due to some very effective painkillers. Hopefully they’re not hurting my liver too much, considering the poor thing was getting a break from booze!

The back pain is easing a little after the coffee table/vacuuming incident. Hopefully it’ll be better tomorrow for work.

Thanks again for sponsoring me and if you haven’t yet, please do by clicking the link....

Day 9 of my Go Sober for October campaign has been spent mostly on my back, due to the incident with the coffee table. This also explains why there was no entry yesterday. I have in my possession some pretty hefty painkillers and Voltarol gel. These however, are barely taking the edge off. Hopefully it’ll ease enough for a return to work tomorrow. 

In the meantime, please would you be so kind as to sponsor me? as I raise funds for Macmillan. I kicked Cancer’s ass twice and your donation could help someone like me win the fight.

Ok, so one week into my sobriety and I have to say the past 24 hours have been somewhat testing. I dropped my dinner after having prepped and cooked it taking around two hours in total yesterday evening. I managed to drop a large piece of fish on the inside of the oven door. It had a tomato based layer of sauce which added to the squishy mess, some of which splashed over the adjacent kitchen cupboards and floor. Just to make sure I’d done a good job of it, a large amount of the fish/tomato/herbs slid down the inside of the glass door and found its way into the gap/frame. At this point, I was trying to keep calm and philosophical but this is usually only attainable with the aid of a large glass of red. So swearing had to suffice.

This morning whilst vacuuming, I moved a large coffee table and put my back out. It felt like an electric shock. I’d honestly never felt anything quite like it before. I fell on the sofa, too scared to move for a while. I had to go to work to present my ‘Ride On The Rhythm’ radio show, clock start midday! This was going on while I had an engineer on my roof sorting out my satellite dish. After a while, I tried to get up. Painful, but I was relieved that I could move, albeit slowly and hunched over like a man of 90 years old!

To add to this, just before I went to work the heavens opened. When it rains in Spain, it doesn’t mess about, particularly this time of year. So, Floyd and I had to make a dash for the car. From the front door to the car is probably only 50mtrs but we were soaked through. We both sat in the studio and gradually dried out as I presented the show.

All this was almost enough to crack open a bottle. Instead, after work I went to the local supermarket and purchased some non-alcoholic cider style beverage and some of those San Miguel 0′0 which taste a bit like beer I guess, but beer that has had tap water poured into it. I also headed for the nearest Farmacia and the nice lady there helped me with some heated gel pads (which are great) and some of the strongest painkillers available ‘sin receta’. You can get some pretty strong stuff ‘over the counter’ here, which is jolly handy.

The rest of my weekend will be spent on my back, sipping fizzy non-fermented apple based beverages. 

Day 5 was ok. I was playing at a gig in Altea where I was constantly offered beer. I stuck to my water and didn’t find it so difficult. Watching everyone else get wrecked was quite amusing. I got home last night, packed all the kit away, got showered and slept like a baby... for an hour! So the insomnia is a thing. That’s two nights in a row now. Hopefully it’ll get better quickly. Onwards with day 6....

Sober for October day 4. Well, they say take it one day at a time. I was warned that after a couple of days, I may have trouble sleeping. Not a chance! I love my bed and have been getting some early nights, reading until I drop off (it’s the new rock n’ roll, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise)

I must say, I was quite surprised to see some negative comments on social media regarding my campaign. I just don’t understand why some people simply have to be that way. Surely what I’m doing can only be positive. Raising money for a great cause and at the same time, giving my poor liver a break and hopefully getting a bit healthier generally. It’s also given me the inspiration to get back to the gym, especially now that the weather here in Spain is gradually cooling.

As always, thanks to all of my sponsors so far. We’re still a long way off, so keep digging deep and thank you very much in advance. Thank goodness for coconut water..... Onwards! 

Sponsor me here; 

So, it’s October 1st and day one of my Sober for October has been a breeze! Even though I went out for dinner with friends and sat drinking water when there was a cheeky bottle of red well within my reach.

Let’s see how I cope with day 2.

I decided to do this to try in some way to help ease the suffering of many and to help find that cure that can’t be too far away now. Having beaten the beast twice myself and having had the best care possible, it’s time to give something back. 

By all means help me to raise my target of £500 by going to the gosober.org.uk page here.....