I have a similar story. My mom was a binge alcoholic and after my dad left when I was 8, it got worse. Drunk driving, etc. By the time I was 20 I knew I was going to lose her to drunk driving or liver failure, and started to try to let her go in my heart so it wouldn't hurt so much. Then when I was maybe 22 she quit. Went to AA, got sober. I think it was that or lose her job and pension, but I don't care. She got sober, she stayed sober, and I got my mom back. She's going to be 85 this year (I'll be 49) and I can't imagine life without her now. I'm so proud to be her daughter.

I just say my mom had demons, and she slew them. She was (is) such an asskicker in every other aspect of her life; it just took a while, because those demons were fierce.