Hubby had another blackout out last night. By the time I got off of the phone to 999, He was out for about 20mins or so. They called an ambulance, while I was still on the phone and hubby was just starting to come around when they arrived. Hubby was complaining his head hurt, so we assume he hit his head when he blacked out.
Hubby has been trying to cut down since seeing the specialist 3/6/21. He is down to 3 cans per day, but is really struggling. The alcohol nurse has been in touch to help hubby and was going to call him again this week to see how he was doing.
Yesterday he was complaining of pain in his abdomen and saying he did not feel right.
I have spoken to the A&E dr this morning, hubby is still in A&E majors. Hubby has pain in his head, neck & back, plus numbness in one of his legs. The dr is worried he has fractured another vertebrae, as hubby also has osteopenia, so they are going to do a ct scan. Hubby has told then that he has been detoxing, so they are also going to give him something to help with the withdrawals. The dr is going to call me once they have the ct results, to discuss what happens next.
I am hoping that they will offer to detox him and keep him in hospital
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The hospital will most likely have an alcohol counselling service, it’s important if they do, that he engages with them. He has to be the person who asks for the help. They will have him on a yellow drip, to replace the vitamins and minerals that he is lacking in. He should also receive medication to help with the withdrawal. Fingers crossed that he responds to the opportunity. Take the time that he is in hospital, to give yourself a break and take care of yourself.
Ok so the latest update that I have from A&E is this:They got the stroke team to assess hubby, but they do not think he had a stroke
He had a ct scan that shows rib fractures and his previous fractures.
They are waiting for the spinal team to come and assess him now
They think he should be home later.
I have since also contacted his specialists to let them know. He has two in elderly care looking into his blackouts. Plus I have let his liver specialist know. I have also spoken to the liver team alcohol nurses. I have a tel appt with hubby's gp tmrw to update her as well.
The alcohol nurse is just finishing with one patient, she is then going to see hubby. She said she will then also speak to the liver team to see what they can do to help, as I told her hubby was struggling. She said she will give me a call in a few hours.
I am really keeping everything crossed that they are able to keep him in and do a 7 day detox with him 🤞🤞🤞
Quick word of warning if they do keep him in. He may phone you to say they've discharged him and you can collect him. Don't get sucked in like l did. The nurses will let you know when he can leave not your husband. I got to the hospital only to find him shouting at 2 nurses at their station who were trying to make him stay but refused point blank and signed the self discharge forms to say if things went wrong he couldn't go straight back in. I knew nothing l said would make any difference so all l could do was appologise to the nurses, take him home and tell him he was a f****** w***** !!!2nd time he went in he stayed .......
So far I have not had a single call from him, whereas last time he was taken in he was calling me every half an hour and then did the same as your hubby and discharged himself. I am deliberately not calling him either
Hubby has been moved to a neurological ward and the Dr's are going through his scans, as apparently he has had more than one? I have been told to call back in a few more hours to see if they are going to keep him in or discharge him. Not heard back from the alcohol nurse yet, but the new ward saud they would call her to let them know hubby has moved wards. Hubby still has not called me yet, which is a good thing, as he is not asking me to pick him up yet? I hope they persuade him to stay overnight 🤞 he has no cider here, as he said he was going to go cold turkey today and finished his last 4 or 5 cans yesterday. Everyone is telling him not to do as it is very dangerous, but he says he cannot cope with cutting down, as it is too easy for him to drink more if he is having a bad day, so he says the only way he will be able to do it, is to completely stop drinking. Hence why I am so keen for him to stay in hospital
Ok has now been moved to the spinal ward and they want him to have an MRI scan and stay in over night. He has broken 9 ribs and has a weakness in his right hand side, so they are worried he has trapped his spinal cord, hence the MRI. They have done lots of tests on his numb feet as well. The alcohol has seen him twice and has told the staff to keep an eye on any withdrawal symptoms he has and to give him medication to help. He is on some sort of painkillers to help with his ribs. Hubby called me and asked me to pick him up later after his MRI. I said that he may have to stay in overnight, as they got me to drop some stuff off to him. Hopefully he will stay put
It sounds like hubby is having a really difficult time giving up the booze, I do understand it’s very difficult to do. I hope your right and the hospital keep him in for detox it’s the easiest way, but he still has his part to play. I have always said it’s not until the person has it in there head that they want to give up they won’t, I now know how insulting it is to the family that they are not enough to give up for the wife and I have spoke about it . It was the thought of missing out on seeing my grandkids which I had none of at the time which finally got me , once again very insulting to the family I had then . But hopefully I have done my best to show my family I do love them it’s just a matter of beating the addiction so stick with it and I hope he finally gets it into his head he doesn’t sound like a bad person just addicted. Good luck all my best wishes to you, hubby and your daughter’s 💕Stay Safe All
Thank you. My hubby says he is not ready to die yet, he still has our 3rd daughter to walk down the aisle and we have another grandchild on the way. Hubby told the alcohol nurse, that that's it and he had his last ever drink Sunday.
Hubby stayed in hospital last night. He met a builder that he used to work with, who is also in hospital with a back injury. So when my daughter called him hubby ended the call as his friend had just arrived to chat to hubby 🤭. Hopefully that will help hubby's mood, as yesterday the staff said he was really low.
Hubby has his ribs bandaged and he has a pain patch. The staff told me that the Dr's have put him on some detox medication, but from what hubby has said I don't think he is aware of that yet.
I have been told to call the ward at lunchtime for an update as hubby should have had his MRI by then and the Dr's should of had time to review the images. The alcohol nurse said she was going to see hubby again this morning as well.
Hopefully this all means that hubby has finally hit rock bottom and is finally ready to give up the booze for good. However I still don't know whether he will be able to stick with it, as it feels like we have been here many times before, so I am under no illusion, that this could all still go horribly wrong.
Thank you all for your support, I really do appreciate it and it has helped me get through the last six months or so
I’m glad you are under no illusion because it’s a bumpy road ,but I can understand hubby being grumpy, because we know it’s our fault but can’t knock the habit and it gets you down then I’m sorry we take it out on the one we love 😢Stay Safe All
You have a lot to cope with.It sounds like you have a friendly relationship with his Drs and nurses.
That's not always a good thing.
You don't need them as friends, you need them to help your husband.
Perhaps it's time YOU told THEM what's expected of them instead of them telling you!
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
I would be telling them you can't cope and refuse to accept him home untill he is stable and completed a medical detox and a full aftercare plan is put in place.
Don't just be told, don't be a patient but be a customer!
I absolutely agree with this approach, and it’s one I have adopted. It’s not, for me beneficial to get into the parent/child relationship with medical professionals, in my experience.
Hubby is still waiting for his MRI scan. I spoke to him earlier and he was in good spirits, he even said he would stay longer if needed. The alcohol nurse has been back to see him this morning and has given him something to help with his shakes. She is going to call me later with an update.
Hubby has just called. The MRI scan is clear, so hubby asked if he could come home but the dr wants him to see another specialist tmrw to look more closely at his numb feet aka peripheral neuropathy. So the dr told him no and he has to stay in again tonight
I have asked that they keep him in until he has had his pre-booked tilt test on Friday.
The alcohol nurse says she has suggested this to the ward and will speak to them again tmrw.
You are to me a wonderful very caring person and wife,my divorce was through me drinking heavy after a severe breakdown but my then wife gave me no compassion and just trashed me as a no good alcoholic, I was always a moderate drinker but never to vast excess,although at the time of separation she was not being faithful,well that was 6 years ago,I have been through hell alone,but I made it for myself,thats the big thing for your hubby to do,( do it for himself,) I've not drank for well over 18 months !, Dont miss it one bit,!my wife said I was in denial, I was !!! that I was in a failed marriage,I too have smashed both sides of ribs,smashed eye socket, foot drop,all was suggested alcohol abuse,my collapses was due to syncope, and severe knee nerve damage re foot, all diagnosed,!!,I truly feel for you and children,!! And your husband has a true rock with you to help,you should be proud of yourself,( like i say their is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel,and I laughed at the person my ex wife set up home with.it must be really hard for you,my two daughters was turned against me ,all fine now, after the truth,be strong, I found myself that when people told me not to drink it made me worse,I truly wish you all the best,I got through this myself,but its good to talk to people that have turned their life around.
So the latest update is that his liver specialist has seen him this morning and so has the alcohol nurse. They have spoken to the spinal ward and are suggesting that he stays in for as long as possible, so that they can detox him as well. They have spoken to hubby about it and say he is open to staying a bit longer. They are just giving him the detox drugs as and when he needs them,rather than having him on then permanently. They said his shakes seem better, I told them he shakes all the time nowadays andvits not just first thing in the morning. I also mentioned that his dad had Parkinson so they are going to mention that to his Dr's as well
He is currently waiting for the neurologists to come and review him and his numb/neuropathic feet. They have said he might not get seen today and it might not be until tmrw, so he will have to stay in until they have seen him and run more tests. As they need to work out why he could not move his right leg or walk Sunday night
I have decided not to call hubby today,as I don't want him to ask me to pick him up.
I am keeping everything crossed that he stays in hospital for a few more days yet
As for me, I feel ok and have my grandson to keep me company during the day, while my daughter is at work, plus I have the dogs. However my hair is falling like crazy, which is normally a sign that my body is telling me that I am stressed, but not alone that I can do about that for now.
Thank you for you support, I really do appreciate it
I truly hope things work out for you,it is really heart wrenching,wish I had been as lucky as your hubby, all I can say is try and keep strong,for your self as well.
The neurologists saw hubby yesterday and did lots of tests on his feet. Hubby says it was absolute agony. The lady doing the tests says he could have the neuropathy due to his drinking, his diet or other reasons. She also told hubby that it might never fully heal and he may always have numbness. I guess they will write some sort of letter to let hubby's dr know ? Hubby says after the tests he felt very confused and could not remember what things were called or how to write the number 5 ?? By the afternoon all that had cleared and hubby said he felt fine again
They did more blood tests on hubby. The specialist doing the pre-arranged tilt test today, has postponed it for six weeks due to hubby's broken/fractured ribs.
Hubby is hoping he will be allowed home today. I guess he will be down to the ward Dr's, who see him later today on their rounds, to decide?
Now I need some advice from those of you who have been in hubby's position? Today is day 5 with no alcohol. Now I know this is not an exact science and that everyone will be different, but what symptoms is he likely to get when he comes home?
What are the next few weeks likely to be like?
What can we do to help, if anything?
What are your thoughts o Alcohol free drinks ie bottled ciders? Are they a good idea or bad idea, whilst hubby is getting used to his new alcohol free life? My daughters sometimes drink them and have suggested getting some for hubby, but I am not sure if that's a good idea or not?
The alcohol free versions of alcoholic drinks are a very bad idea in your hubbies situation - they just arn't going to cut his desire for the 'real thing'. They don't taste like the real thing and obviously don't have the same effect - they don't break that psychological link and if the don't 'cut it' for him he's sadly - more than likely going to just reach out for the alcohol version.
He needs to totally break his relationship with booze. If he were to be considered for transplant at some point even the alcohol free versions of alcoholic drinks are not allowed when the person has a history of alcohol related liver disease. This document that Richard has shared a few times comes from QEB regarding alcohol free drinks.
I have just spoken to the alcohol nurses to ask about hubby coming home. They have said that as he has now been alcohol free for 5 days, he should not have any more withdrawal symptoms. They have said that he has not needed or had any detox drugs for 36hrs now. They think that is probably because he had already started to detox at home after seeing his liver specialist 3/6/2021.
One of my son in laws has mentioned a drug called Acamprosate. I mentioned this to the alcohol nurse. Hubby's assigned nurse is off for a few days but they have said that when she calls him next week she will discuss Acamprosate with him then?
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Bloods results,Drs appointment.
Hubby discharged from hospital but so many issues
