Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Was I drugged?

I went out for cocktails with one of my best friends from middle school and her sis-in-law. We went to Casa Galardo(sp?) for margaritas. I told my husband we were probably just having a couple of drinks and I'd be home. I live about 1 1/2 hours from where we were going to be, but my husband was going to be in the same town doing something with his dad and I thought I could always call him to come and get me if I needed to or my sister lives in the same town and I knew she'd give me a ride home. I wasn't worried about drinking and driving, but I really wasn't planning on drinking all that much.

Anyway, I arrived at Casa at 5:30pm and we each had 3 margaritas. We ate appetizers and stayed there until about 8:30pm. We were having a good time talking. I did not feel drunk at all. I felt relaxed. (I drink occassionally - I have had entire bottles of wine (or two) by myself and not been drunk. Recently, I drank and entire bottle of margaritas (already mixed) and was quite drunk - but I knew what was going on (and I was at home). Anyway, we decided to go a couple of blocks to a nightclub that had a band we really like 'The 80's Band". We arrived there about 8:45pm. On the way, I called my sister to see if she wanted to meet us at the bar and she agreed.

When we got there, Sally, my friend's sis-in-law order a round of drinks. I had 1 Schmirnoff & Red Bull and a shot of Goldschlager. We were dancing and dancing, having a great time. It was so much fun. There was an old man (probably 60'ish) with gray hair and big square glasses dancing around all the girls. He was sort of a creepy little guy, but I didn't see any harm in him dancing with us. He didn't touch any of us (well, not me at least). About 30 minutes after we got there, a waitress came around with Jaegermeister shots (wow, I can't believe I can't spell any of this stuff today) so Sally and I each had one of those. My friend Karen is a little bitty thing so she can't handle as much as Sally and I can. We've got some extra meat on our bones. Anyway, I bought the shots and split the two of them into 3 cups - giving Karen very little. We danced some more, having a really good time.

My sister arrived about 10:00pm and when she came in, I ordered another round of drinks, a Schmirnoff & Red Bull and another shot of Goldschlager. I did the shot but did not drink the drink. I carried it over to the table and we all went out to dance again. My sister, Shelly is not a dancer, she has to be drunk, drunk, drunk to dance so she waited at the table. So this is her story from now on.

She began thinking while sitting there that it was a breeding ground for anyone wanting to drug somebody because everyone was just leaving their drinks on the tables as they danced. I was dancing and just smile, smile, smiling - really cheesing it she said. She says she could tell I was a little tipsy when she came in, but did not suspect I was drunk. After a few minutes of watching me dance she said she saw a complete change in me. Suddenly, she said, it looked like I had taken a Xanax or something, my eyes were glazed over and I came over to the table and said 'I have to go to the bathroom, NOW!" She went with me (I remember the bathroom) - On the way out I said "I have got to go outside, NOW! I'm going out! Gotta get out of here, NOW!" so she went with me - she said I stopped to hug an old man with gray hair and glasses on the way out (I have no recollection of this). We went outside and I sat in the car - she went back in to tell the other girls what was going on and I began to violently throw up outside my car. I was 'out of it' when she returned. She called my husband to tell him she was taking me to her house and he should pick me up there (I do not recall giving her my cellphone or the number to call my husband). There were two guys parked next to me when she returned and commented that it was a good thing I had someone there to help me.

She made me climb over the seat (so I didn't have to pass by those guys) and get in the passenger seat ( I do not remember this at all) I don't remember her driving me home but I woke up in the passenger seat and had to throw up again. Her two kids were sitting on her stoop and I remember looking at them and smiling (really big) and waving. Then I threw up. My nephew told her later, "Man, Aunt Shannon was so happy, she couldn't stop smiling."

My husband came and she said I just looked at him and smiled real big and said 'Hello' - I don't need you anymore, I'm OK now. (I do not remember seeing my husband at all) He took me home, no more vomiting - I slept on the couch cuz he was perturbed at me and I had one hell of a headache the next day (I even had to hold an icepack on my head for awhile).

I thought I was just shitfaced, but then I started thinking - from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm (4 1/2 hours) I had 3 margaritas, 1 Schmirnoff & Red Bull, 2 shots of Goldschlager and 1 partial shot of Jagermeister. I know that's a lot, but like I said, I can usually hold my liquor pretty well and I do weigh close to 200 pounds, so I'm no weakling. I never even thought anything else until Shelly said, 'Man, it was like night and day, one minute you were fine and dancing and the next you were violently ill!' It's like someone put something in your drink or something. Then we started thinking about that old man & I'm kinda creeped out and so, so glad my sis was there. It's hard telling where I would be if she hadn't have been there. I would have probably gone outside by myself and not know what in the hell was going on. That old guy could have gotten me or maybe the two guys parked next to me.

Even if I wasn't drugged (I doubt there's anyway to find out now) I will be so much more careful now. I am not wired to think that way, but my sister is. I will have to start being wired that way. This thing really scared me. I probably wouldn't have even thought of the old guy except that he was outside the bathroom (my sis said he looked like he was waiting for someone) then I hugged him, wtf? Why would I do that?

I very seldom go out without my husband, but now when I do, I'll be extra careful.

3 comments:

kathi said...

Okay, this even scared me. If I drink (or use to, don't anymore) before I get food in my stomach, it doesn't set well with me and I get violently drunk/sick. I'd have to have food before I started drinking.
Please, please be careful.

Jenn said...

Sounds like you were to me. That's a lot how it felt for me, too.

I'm really glad you were safe.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'm a man in his late 20's. Of course it wouldn't be likely that someone would drop a drug in man's drink but I think I may have picked up the wrong drink at a party once. I had attended a work friend's party a while ago. All went well as I drank beer throughout the night until the beer ran out. At that point, it was on to the mixed drinks. I can safely say that I have had a tremendous tolerance for alcohol since College and although I did drink a lot that night, something seemed off about it this time. I remember the party coming to a close. People were leaving and there were only a few of us left (including my work friend, her roommates and a some other guy). I was definitely three sheets to the wind but in control. I remember saying to her roommate, "I think it's about that time to get out of here". The moment that her roommate agreed with me, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember saying, "Whoa, I think I'm drunk". As I began to pick up my stuff it felt as if I'd been getting more and more drunk by the second. I don't remember what happened immediately after that but the next thing I know, I'd been placed in a cab outside and one of her roommates was asking what my address was. I clearly heard the question and remember it vividly but for some reason my mind couldn't process the information. I'd felt practically brain dead. I eventually was able to come up with my address and blacked out during the cab ride. I do remember feeling nauseas and getting sick in the car but everything after that was a blank until the next day. The next time I saw my friend, I apologized for getting so drunk and she said not to worry about it. A while later, I'd thought about it and realized that something seemed off about that night. I never mentioned it to her but a few of my friends agreed that it sounded weird. Anyway, what are your thoughts?