Liver, Alcohol, and Shame

I drank. Yeah, I did. All through my young adulthood and through my "growing up" years. Sometimes to excess, because I never do anything halfway. Through all those years, give or take a few when I decided to "quit", it NEVER occurred to me that I would be diagnosis">diagnosed in my 70s with fatty liver disease (even though my father was an alcoholic, but died from emphysema).

My fatty liver disease diagnosis

When I got my diagnosis, I learned that I had to, in the words of my doctor become a non-drinker. My first move, as usual, when I received news I didn't understand, I dove head first into research. Most of what I read scared me to death. I learned that not just alcohol, but diet and weight plays a big part in protecting my liver and possibly even reversing the damage.

Making lifestyle changes

I decided to meet with a nutritionist, recommended by my doctor, and find out what I was in for. That totally changed my life! I have given up sugar, salt, red meat, fried foods, white foods (bread, rice, etc.), and more. I've lost weight. Still haven't been able to convince myself to exercise yet, but...

Prioritizing my liver health

Some days I resent not being able to run to Dairy Queen for a blizzard, but most days I am grateful that I was diagnosed early before scarring began. It's a small sacrifice to make, but I have to grit my teeth and make it every day.

This disease, in its early stages, has no symptoms. People usually don't even know they have it until so much damage is already done. I'm so thankful for a vigilant nurse practitioner who saw blood test results that made her encourage me to go to a hepatologist.

I plan to live a long(er), healthier life and try not to grieve over missed Blizzards.