The Harm That Alcohol Does

For a while, before I quit drinking, I experienced spasm like pains frequently - although usually in the morning.  I would get these pains in my chest area but mainly to the right hand side of my abdomen. I knew it was my Liver suffering from the amount of alcohol it was having to process and quite often I would scare myself stupid that I was either going to have a heart attack or my Liver was about to explode.

By all accounts, the Liver can repair itself if it's not too badly damaged and if you look after it..... Like, not drink alcohol.  According to our NHS website, every time you drink alcohol, you kill a few of your liver's cells.  Even if you binge drink, if you stay off the booze for a fortnight, your liver can go back to normal.  Now, in my opinion, (being an ex lush) that's a pretty moronic piece of advice.  Someone with a problem with alcohol may think.... I'll give it a rest for two weeks, then I'll be fine..... See, I don't have a problem with the booze!

Having said that, when I became sober, my pains vanished almost instaneously.  I have also been reassured from blood tests that my Liver function is normal -so, if there was any damage, my Liver has repaired itself.  Phew!

Now, to get seriously serious:  I have really pondered whether to write and publish the following.  It won't be pretty reading and will be graphic.  But, if I ever have doubts again about my sobriety, or if that wine witch comes calling, I will re-read this post over and over and if one other person that reads this post thinks twice about touching another drop then reliving today's events and writing them down will be worth it.

I haven't seen my best childhood friend properly for almost three months.  We've texted sporadically and bumped into each other ice or twice when out shopping, but that's it.  I had kind of given up because I thought she didn't want to bother with me much because I don't drink anymore.  

Anyway, on Saturday night I received a text from her.  Would I mind picking her up from home (her car is in the garage) on Sunday morning and we'd go for a walk along the beach and have a coffee... She had something she wanted to speak to me about.

Her husband, who has been a heavy drinker for as long as I've known him ... About 15 years ... Has advanced liver disease.  It is because of alcohol misuse.  His liver will not regenerate, it's beyound that stage.  He is 51.

Previously, during a catch-up, we had discussed his drinking.  She was worried about his health and he was suffering so much from anxiety problems that he had to give up working.  The last time I saw him, I had noticed that the white of his eyes had a yellow tinge to them.  My friend had also noticed this, but her husband brushed her concerns off.

She told me that she had forced him into going to the doctors, who immediately sent him to hospital.  After various tests, that is the outcome.  His Liver is fucked.  He has had to stop drinking alcohol.  He had to have medication to help with the withdrawal symptoms.  He has to have medication to help keep his liver as stable as possible, he has lost over 40 lbs in weight, he physically can't do very much anymore without getting tired quickly and he has to have his abdomen drained of fluid every two weeks.  He has also had various urgent trips to the hospital by ambulance because of internal bleeding.

When I dropped her off at home, her young daughter, who is 12, ran out of the house to us panic stricken..... Dad was lying on the bathroom floor with blood every where.

Obviously we both ran upstairs to see to him.  I can only describe it as stepping into a blood bath.  He  was vomiting blood, although, at first I thought he'd cut his own throat.  The toilet and the floor was awash with it.  He had also lost control of his bowel and bladder.  There he was lying there barely conscious.  My second thought was "that's not him, that's some with stage 4 cancer who is about to die.  He was always big built... Not anymore.  He is this peculiar shade of light mustard yellow.  

It was horrific, everyone was panicking, the kids were crying and hysteric... Somehow, I found myself ringing for an ambulance, which seemed to take an eternity to arrive.  It didn't of course.  Whilst I was doing this, my friend took the kids out of the way.  After hanging the phone up, my eyes rested upon a half empty Evian water bottle almost hidden behind the toilet.  I picked it up and smelled it.... Vodka.

I will not forget her face when I gave it to her and told her what it was.  It was a look of many emotions.  I will not forget today ever.  These images will always be etched in my memory.  I feel sad for them, particularly for my friend and their children.  What must they be going through?  I am beginning to feel a burning anger too... At him.  He knew the risks, knows what the consequences are and he still choose to drink alcohol.

When the paramedics arrived, my friend explained the problem.  They asked him if he had had any alcohol.  He mumbled "no"!  I did what I know is the right thing.  I told them he probably had and showed them the water bottle.

I spoke to my friend earlier, her husband is still very poorly but he is 'stable' .  She said the doctors have said it is 60/40 as to whether he pulls around.

Today has been a real eye opener.  This could easily have been me... Or you.