Connecticut Lady
I never knew how gambling made my life unmanageable. Things were stressful with work and in my personal life. Gambling was my escape. It gave me a connectedness to my mom and brother who have both passed away now. I enjoyed going gambling with them. My dad says that my mom taught my brother and I bad habits: gambling and shopping. From July 2008 to APril 2009, my gambling got out of control. Prior to this, I was winning and brining home over $12,000 in a night. There was a 2 week period where I won over $25,000. You think this is going to happen again but it doesn’t. I would get my pay cheque early and I was for sure thinking I was going to win and then I would blow my whole cheque. I panicked as I didn’t have money for my bills. I started to submitted false travel and training claims to my former employer which totalled over $32,000. Things came to an end when the book-keeper noticed discrepancies and reported it to my boss. I was terminated and there was an investigation. I was charged with theft over $5000. I self reported myself to the College of Nurses and I was connected to a union LEAP Coordinator. This was the best thing that I could have done. They paid for my assessment, I was diagnosed as a “Pathological Gambler’. They funded me to go to treatment. There I was connected to GA. I put myself in self-exclusion from gambling establishment for 3 years. I haven’t gambled in 596 days. I see a problem gambling counsellor every 2 weeks. I go to a GA meeting 1 1/2 hours away every Tuesday. I just finished with court and the Judge gave me a ‘conditional discharge’ with 1 year probation and 80 hours of community service. I need to continue with counselling during my probation and I also need to do a public apology to my former employees. I am happy with this outcome. I didn’t want to lose my RN license
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