Gamblers Anonymous

Anne's Story
Anne : 10th June 1986

Well I notice that no women has put their story on line so I guess I would like to start

I was about 59yrs of age and I had worked all my life in between helping the family out.
My Husband decided to take early retirement so that was going to give us a large amount of money.
I also decided to retire and again I would receive a large amount of money.
We sold our big house in Melbourne and decided to buy property up here on the Sunshine Coast.

As both of us were keen lawn bowlers at the time it was great, but as time passed on I started to get bored when not playing bowls so I thought I would play the pokies just $5.00 I immensely enjoyed it so then I started going any chance that I could.
The amount rose to $10.00 then $20.00 then $50.00 and as I always kept the financial side of our money it was no problem accessing it.
As time went on I was spending all my time at the pokies and telling my husband I could not bowl because my legs were to sore - lies

2 yrs went passed and I had then already got up to spending about $1000.00 a day and one day I decided to cash in my shares and my life insurance - no worries no one will find out ha ha
I went to the pokies and done the lot, which was a lot. I then decided to get a part time job as I have always worked in computers so it was easy. I told my husband I was bored
I used to encourage him to play as much bowls as he could so as I could play the pokies

I then got myself 2 credit cards, used up to the limit, but mind you it did not worry me I was in another world I would not even go to the loo or have a drink in case someone took my machine I just adored this machine mmmmm
I played the 9 lines maximum bet so I was going through money very fast

Then it got to the stage where the bank statements were coming in so I had to do a very quick turnabout. I used to copy them on the puter and then edit them and add up the interest so it would come out correct.

It was a race to see who could get the mail first or answer the phone
By this time there was only 34c left in the bank and so I went and got a loan for quite a few thousand dollars - before I knew it was all gone
By this time I was working and trying to pay the phone and light and everything because my husband still did not know what I had done and there was no way I was going to tell him

Well it was not much longer when the shit hit the fan - the bank sent a telegram to my husband and that was it all over
My husband tried to commit suicide at that time - not me as I was still in a state of denial about what I had done
It has taken us both a long time to come to terms with having lost everything as I was a Liar, Cheating, Stealing, Borrowing and everything else that I did - so now I attend all my meetings and my husband walks me down every Tuesday

Anne

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