Alcohol and family

As most stereotype of Mexicans is that they can drink and males are either quiet or loud drinkers...
I know I got my first taste of beer when I was like 5 or 6 ... it didn't taste good but since my dad in the evening would go out for a drink (we would just hear the can opening) I would go and see what he was doing and my little sister would always tag along... I remember tugging and begging and he was always saying no. I wanted to try it but he would say no... but I'm sure here and there we would get under his skin and I got a sip....
I remember my parents always having arguments mainly because my dad drank. My dad has always been a quiet person. It takes time for you to be accepted by him but once he likes you, just don't do anything to ruin it because he wont like you anymore. Anyways, My dad has never been a person who believes in punishing kids (or in that type of disciplined -which being as we are we sure needed a few spankings- we're stubborn kids- he believed in talking, didn't always work because he was too nice) the person who always put their foot down was my mom. He has always been mellow. Never would do anything to put harm but still the alcohol bothered my mom. I guess it was the fact that he was hurting himself. He's been basically drinking since he was 12 when he use to go play music with older men around town in Mexico to make money.
He started drinking even more so about 10-11 years ago when he was in a pretty traumatic accident... He was in a work related accident and severed most the left hand fingers... a few torn to the bone and he lost use and sensation from them.. being a musician well you basically need both hands. He always loved playing the violin and I remember seeing him trying and struggling and being frustrated because he would put his fingers on the strings but he couldn't just move one they would all move... it was sad time... (I didn't get my quinceanera... and many defining moments happened... he felt less of a person and became depressed. He wont openly admit it but his character changed a lot. Still quiet he started drinking more and going to sleep earlier... he couldn't work for a year and his job was construction he was now a liability so his work started giving him less and less work... we were struggling to stay afloat... barely making ends meet. My mom had to leave to go work so she took care of twins. I was basically the mom of the house while she was gone. I cooked and clean. I do admit while my mom was gone thing were very peaceful, we only saw her during the weekend... but my sister started going out and would just come home late... i had no control... I was losing my sibling... they were all going through their stages and I had always been the listener the goody-too-shoes , the one that was willing to sacrifice because I knew what was going on... I would try and tell my siblings to do their homework listen but it was hard... My mom came back when she realized that her being away was making the family fall apart. My dad loved us but he knew they didn't listen to him much and I was struggling... He just did his own thing as well. I guess I just made sure there was food made for everybody to eat.  And I think the worst after that when my parents were on verge of a break-up they wont admit it but my dad was telling me he was going to leave to Mexico... like he really would since he's been here since he was in his teens. And I had a feeling we were going to be on our own... My mom was in a car accident... she really looked like she was going to leave us... the face of my dad when we both saw her lying on the hospital bed moaning in pain... I know that was heartbreaking... He started drinking more... then they lost their house and he lost his pride... he didn't feel like a provider anymore... we were kicked out 2 more times from homes... we've almost been kicked out from here but things are finally getting better... Life happening took tolls on my dad and his only outlet was to drink.
Just a year ago my car broke down which my dad was using and he didn't live with us for like 3 months... we almost thought that was the perfect way to ease his way out but thankfully he came back. He missed the food, the home but parents basically became separated but living together. which makes me a but sad but what can you do. They sleep in seperate beds and any conversations just led to small arguments.
So in the last few months we started noticing his alcohol consumption rise even more... He was drinking at least a 12 pack a day or more...my mom was counting the cans every day after he left to work in the mornings. At night he just smelled of alcohol but he kept to himself and was mellow. Everyday he drank and went to sleep  early and left early. Many times we didn't even know whether he was working or not because he never had any money to help out. times were hard. i tried looking for jobs here and nothing is/was hiring. And I was taking my mom to all her appointments... I was multi-tasking on everything... I was doing everything I could plus taking my bros to school and picking them up and taking bro to work... I was doing what I could...Thank goodness they graduated.
Its been one week my mom has noticed my dad has not touched alcohol. He's been even more quiet, wont say a word. Comes home from work and watches tv, eats and goes to bed. I don't know if he's going out cold-turkey or what changed that suddenly he hasn't drank. I mean I'm happy as you can imagine but a quiet person like my dad worries me. I have been wanting him to go get checked for a long time just to make sure everything is ok but he refuses. My grandpa died almost 3 years ago with cancer, he fought it for years and he disregarded it for a long time... so he didn't take care of himself. May he rest in peace. Everybody says that my dad looks exactly how my grandpa did when he was younger... and we know how cancer can be carried through genetics so I worry about my dad.
So I mean I've had my moments of drinking and whatnot... but are I keep maturing. I've had a drink here or there but it's not appealing anymore... the taste is gone. When people mention alcohol, I think I prefer not drinking than joining. I didn't have crazy crazy times in college but just like my sis and I went through our phases... And we don't really drink or smoke anymore... it's out of our system and we're glad  that's over with.
I think a happy family is one without alcohol. Well, I don't know ... but it makes sense...