Hi all, I've not been around for a good three years or more now, and when I logged in to answer someone's question I found all these private messages asking how I'm getting on! Some were even worried about my radio silence, so I thought I'd better let people know I'm not dead, and that things have been happening - both good and bad - for me and my liver.
I started drinking again three years ago through massive amounts of stress (I'm obviously not proud of this, but mental illness quickly takes over when things are going horribly). It was a knee-jerk reaction to what was happening at the time, and nothing more. Still, I wish I hadn't.
Signs of cirrhosis began to show themselves at the beginning of last year, and an ultrasound also showed that my liver was already affected. At the time this happened, I'd broken my hip the previous spring (I suffered an abscence seizure and fell down the stairs) and alcohol was being used as extra pain relief. I know; not a good idea, and not one I'd ever recommend. Please don't do it!
However, I'm now eight months sober, and have become so immersed in drinking tea gongfu style that I don't have time for the ASBO juice even if I wanted it (I don't). I've found lots of very tasty alcohol-free alternatives, and even my heavy-drinking husband is trying to cut down (although he admits he has a problem, whereas I just eat and drink things because they happen to be there and for no other reason). Obviously I'll help him as much as I can, but the "being ready" has to come from him. He has a cyst on his liver that has scared him into thinking hard about it: a shame it came to that, and we still don't know if it's anything serious, as his liver is actually fine in and of itself.
I hope everyone is well, and I'll try my best to be a bit more regular here!