If God Were an Apple Tree

My name is Doug Llewellyn at this writing I'm 73 years old, my wife Wendy and I have 8 children one died at a week old. Wendy had 7 children her oldest died at 23 by an impaired driver, the same age. Wendy was born in Winnipeg in 1955 and I was born in Montague, PEI in 1950. We first got together about 41 years ago. We met through our recovery from addiction about 8 years after we met, we got married. It was the best move I ever made. I come from a family of 8 4 girls 4 boys one of the girls died at a young age, a twin. I grew up as a middle child with all the ramifications of being the middle child from the start. Trouble and I became close over the years. We were inseparable for many years where you saw one you would soon see the other. When I drank the alcohol literally owned me and whatever my alcoholic mind thought up was carried out. I went to jail a lot, I broke out more than once in my hometown. I broke into jail once. I started a riot in Georgetown Jail, participated in a riot in the old Dorchester Pen when it was Maximum Security in the 70's, as well I broke out of Cape Breton County Jail as well. From 1967 to 1978 I went to 12 Step programs but just couldn't seem to grasp the idea that I could live without alcohol and drugs. I believed I was different from other people. I didn't want to stop drinking and using drugs, I didn't want to live. I highjacked a car ferry. Finally, everything came to a head and a judge sent me to a halfway house in St. Eleanors PEI under the threat of being charged under the Dangerous Offender act which can be a life sentence. From that point on my life began to turn around.