h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The liver is a dodgy organ BK, take care - my other half had Hepatitis in the 80's and his liver hasn't been right since so tread carefully loads of and good wishes for your speedy recovery.

, thanks Fizzy.

I thought all was well, but then it takes a different course and lets you know like a kick in the teeth, alcohol was the bane of my life and dont i know it

You're not the first and I'm sure you won't be the last to suffer the effects - the other half still takes a drink from time to time and his liver kicks up hell just to remind him it hasn't forgiven him for 1982.

My sisters husband is an alcoholic and its just misery for her - but the doctors tell him he's ok although he looks like a sort of yellow skeleton - I can't work that one out - LFT's are all fine. She just puts up with it now.

Still ..... we're none of us guaranteed our next breath I just hope the pain eases for you and your normality returns

>>but the doctors tell him he's ok although he looks like a sort of yellow skeleton <<

If he has any sort of yellow skin it is due to liver damage, be it alcohol or any other toxin intake, so the doctor is a prat and the liver is not ok, if he is still drinking he is a serious risk of liver failure, he needs to see a different doctor and have his liver re-checked via biopsy to see if cirrhosis scarring has occured

You know alcoholics - he thinks he's fine and doesn't see a problem, unfortunately the doctors agree with him.

He's been in *drying out* twice, and even there they have told him 'he doesn't really have a problem'.

The problem is he doesn't fit the mold - he doesn't drink every day - usually only at the weekends when he drinks until he can drink no more from Friday at 3.00pm until Sunday whenever the drink/money runs out. He drinks straight from the bottle every time he regains consciousness over the weekend. My sister emptys bottles and bottles of vodka down the sink but he'll always have a secret stash before work on Monday.......which he usually makes on time

The saddest thing of all is that he is quite a decent bloke when he's sober.

Have been there, got the t-shirt.

Drinking every day or not makes no difference, going on a bender over the weekend does, seriously does.

Not admitting the prob, causing family arguments and stashing bottles away is a major problem, his liver will be ed.

More people die from bender or binge drinking than all day alcoholics, due to the fact the people like me who have been there steadly drinking every day over years, screws the liver up, binge drinking can lead to alcoholic poisoning where the body will just shut down.

This guy needs major help now, and i mean now

Everybody knows that here - except him, the GP and the alcoholic counsellors........ so what can we do

I personally have given up on him and can barely bring myself to speak with him - on any subject.

My sister of course has been married to him for 40 years and continues to put up with it, she has no wish to give up her lovely house and see him end up on the street.

She at least now acknowledges his problem to her friends - who she thought for years didn't know when all along they were humouring her.

I just get to listen to her on the phone at the weekends - it actually makes her ill when he's out cold - her blood pressure is sky high and she's in real danger of taking a stroke - but does he care Only if it gets in the way of his next drink - yet he'll cry and plead with her not to leave coz he couldn't live without her.

Its depressing to say the least

didn't mean to lump all this onto you - you being ill and all, but I know you understandthanks.

, no worries, i am a good listener its my job

He probably knows he has a drink problem, but maybe too scared to admit it, that is the first hurdle he has to overcome, if he cant do that then no one can

My sympathies go with your sister as i know what my wife went through when i was the same and its not nice.

But if he cant accept help then a brickwall gets erected and it wont get broken down...(sounds like Pink Floyd- The Wall)

Its his life not matter who else it affects, that is the stubbornness of alcoholics, although i dont see a long life being involved, harsh but true.

Bov

Thats my sentiments exactly - its sort of a George Best Syndrome - if he wants to do it let him get on with it.

In fact, I'd go so far as to let him have vodka on his weetabix just to get it over with not nice I know - but these long drawn out suicides just bring everybody down

Still on a different topic, how are you, feeling any better at all

Yea, i am feeling better again, just taking life one step at a time, i made my mistakes and boy have i paid for them, they always say you learn the hard way

Looking to resume work in about 3 weeks time, or when the wife lets me that is

Through all the sh*t that i put her through, she has always still been here and its a bond that has made us so much closer

when i think about the things i had done during my drunken days and am shocked that she is still with me......hey must be love

Thats enough about me though, how are you, who are you, what are you, lets get to know each other, you sound like a top notch person, tell me about you

I'm just an ordinary mummy and *better* half. Did more than my share of drinking in my youth - even drank myself sober a few times, but now I rarely touch it, coz I have to do that taxi thing all mummys do.

Didn't come to mummyhood until I was 34 but have to say I've enjoyed the past 10 years immensely despite the great changes involved.

My other half who I refer to as my instruction manual was also a hard drinker in his youth. But, the Hep I told you about earlier struck after we went to Spain in 1982 and that put paid to his drinking - certainly his serious drinking.

That's me in a nutshell, we all do things in our youth that we live to regret - unless we're complete bores that is. The secret is to live with the mistakes - we're all a long time dead so live every day like its your last, one of thes days it will be, whether you drink/smoke/drug up/workout/whatever

Ps........and I hope we get our just rewards in heaven

You are the true philosopher, well written and well said, you have just put life in a nutshell.

Bov, I have some friends in work who laugh at my attitude to life......................like I care

True again, always be yourself, speak your mind, if people dont like it then tough, thats their lookout.

I dont really hold back on things i say, i speak the truth in my eyes and if i upset someone then so be it, i dont con anyone as to who i am, i am me like it or lump it

The alternative will give you ulcers and high blood pressure so I am very take it or leave it in my real life, and don't worry a jot about what folks think, at the end of the day as long as my conscience doesn't keep me awake at nights I'm not bothered.

Do you not think too many folks nowadays run around worrying about what other people think - about their clothes, hair, make-up, house, car etc........I can't ever remember worrying about what people think - maybe I'm the one

It shows you are a true person and not one of those fake idiots who are frightened to fart.

Oh sorry i forgot...how are you doing and hi by the way

Doing great Bov, and you

Back at work today and the weather here is as miserable as ever. I can't believe its easter already and although it does look like easter outside it feels like winter

The *Manual* is trying to get us a week in the sun at the end of June, and even though he hasn't found anything yet I'm looking forward to it already Its been about 18 months since we've had a break and I'm just about ready for it

I suppose you're just looking forward to getting back to work and all that normality stuff When I'm at work I wish I was off and when I'm off I wish I was back

Yep cant wait to start work again, i get so bored at home, even though my work is based at home, but when i am off there is always so much rubbish on telly, the papers have been looked at by 8:00am, as i am an early riser, dog has been walked and fed, so has cat and fish, so by about 10:00am its boring.......

Where are you looking to go on holiday, anywhere nice, we are planning a holiday, maybe the Lake District or Swanage.

for now

The Manual's looking for Tenerife, but I'd prefer Majorca or mainland Spain for a change......still its his treat so I shouldn't complain

I costs us more to go to UK mainland from NI for a holiday than it does to Spain or the holiday islands. We'd love to get away even to one of those centre holidays for a complete change - but the prices are ridiculous when you throw in the *getting the car there*, so we always plump for the easy option.

Go on t'internet, book it, pack it, off.......

Hi Bov,

Glad to see you're back and can't believe we haven't spoken in such a long time.

Is life treating you well

...and if you've drifted offline...

I hope you and yours have a Happy New Year and continued good health.