From Addict to AA with Hepatitis C
My Story by Anonymous
Life Derailed: I was 24 years old. It was 1992 and my wife and son just moved away. You see, she warned me that if I didn’t stop drinking that she would leave me. True to her word, she took the boy and left. Today I have great respect for her – she did exactly what she said she would do. She did what was best for our son.
Soon after they left, I lost my job. All that misery with all that time on my hands…
I had a two bedroom apartment in San Francisco. I acquired a large quantity of alcohol and methamphetamine and invited two guys to join my misery party.
Misery loves company
We did drugs like we were never going to have to stop. I am sure it was in this environment that I caught Hepatitis C. I am not proud of this time in my life. I have learned to accept what happened and now I can share this time with others.
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” Rick Warren
Several years later I found myself living with a friend and his family in Sacramento County. I had a presence again in my son’s life and thought I could work on me. Now I understand how backwards that plan was.
Working on me took some effort. I really couldn’t do much since I was drinking every day and doing as much meth as I could. I found work in a huge HVAC company. After my first six months of employment my basic medical insurance started, so took advantage and scheduled myself for a complete physical. I was assigned a doctor who had just transferred to Kaiser.
After tapping on my knee, listening to my heart and looking in my ears he proclaimed that I was healthy. I carefully explained to him my drug problems through the years. He ordered blood work and ran every test possible.
Hepatitis C
The Diagnosis – About three days later I received a call asking me to come in to discuss blood test results. I made an appointment, but never dreamed how much that day would change my life. The Doctor walked in the room. He did not sit down. He did not shake my hand.
After opening my file, I was informed that I had Hepatitis C – He recommended I don’t take Tylenol products and I should try not to drink too much. I had no idea about HCV and all he could tell me was it was an inflamed liver problem. I asked about what I can do to treat my condition and he said nothing other than to ease up on the alcohol.
I realized later that his idea of not drinking too much probably wasn’t the same as my idea. I hadn’t admitted I was an alcoholic – but I was definitely a serious drinker. This diagnosis of HCV was in 1999. I am proud to say I have managed to lay off Tylenol completely since then – alcohol and drugs was another story.
Fast Forward
In 2006 I finally got tired of doing drugs. It was interfering with my drinking.
The Bottom – I became homeless and lived on the streets of Sacramento for the next five years. I drank my way into jail, the hospital and the local detox center – over and over. Alcohol was my full time job and worked hard at it!
I was committing suicide very slowly
They say in Alcoholics Anonymous or AA – “Don’t leave before the miracle happens”. My miracle started on April 17th, 2011 and is still happening today. I was sitting in a hard plastic chair, shaking from head to toe, yellow as a banana, bloated from ascites, swollen from fluid in an AA meeting at the Volunteers of America (VOA) detox center. I decided then that I had enough of life as I was living it.
“So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don’t sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.” ~ Lee Iacocca
VOA was my home for the next 4 ½ months. I attended to my alcoholism with the help of AA, and also my health, with the help of the great staff at Sutter Center for Liver Disease. It was explained to me in great detail that I have HCV Genotype 1A, stage 4 liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy, ulcers and portal hypertensive gastropathy. I learned how serious my health condition was, and what could be done to help me.
They continue to educate me today and so does everyone in my support circle.
From Addict to AA with Hepatitis C
I am in service to AA
I attend weekly HCV support meetings
I am the secretary for the Sacramento Task Force for the Outreach and Prevention of Hepatitis (STOP HepC)
I speak at meetings and in institutions regularly
Looking forward to the day my community will allow me to be of service keeps me motivated. I share my story, not to boast but to let you know what I do to keep the miracle alive.
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein
My miracle is life! Your miracle is life also!
I have learned that if I ask God for help, it may save my soul. If I ask you for help, it may probably save my life.
Thank you to my family. Thank you all my friends.
From Addict to AA with Hepatitis C – Today he is sober, his health is stable, and he is happy. He works with the community and actively helps others who are down on life. Have you shared your story of Hepatitis C with someone? It may be just what someone needs to hear.
pics via creativerobert.worpress.com, aa.org
9 thoughts on “From Addict to AA with Hepatitis C”
Your story is A lot like mine, thank you for sharing. I never forget where I come from and I always leave the door of my past open as a reminder. Thank you!
This site is really about finding support for diagnosis for Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis. But it is also about all the other areas of our lives.
Our health is just one part of who we are. I’m glad that we are all finding opportunities to grow so that our lives will be full of purpose and meaning.
Thanks for your comment. xoxo Karen:)
GREAT article! Also, Karen you have helped me more then you will ever know.:)
I forgot to add that its a little comforting in a sick way I guess to here of alcoholism plus hep c. I couldn’t decide how to begin to quit drinking after the blow I had of finding out about the hep c. I’m 9 months sober and so far hep free after treatment. I loved your story!
Lora, I admire you so much. You have had a lot to overcome with 2 things attacking your liver. 9 months sober. I think you have conquered the world! No hep c and alcohol free!
Now you can begin to live your precious life in every way that you can imagine! I hope that you are looking for ways to make your dreams come true. I know that I do. When we almost lose our life and fight to get it back, it makes it twice as sweet.
Thank you so much for reading and for the comment.
Love you dear one,
xoxo Karen:)
Lora – Your comment truly warmed my heart today. Joe did a great job in sharing his story. I hope that others will share theirs too. It always helps when we see someone else has overcome the same thing we are struggling with.
xo Karen
I am ever so proud of you and all the hard work you have done…sharing what you have been through is so very important.. I pray that it will help many others and give them hope…Love you
Thank you Erica – This is Karen replying. Joe is reading the comments, and is going to give a response for me to post. I’m very proud of him too, and of everyone who gets the benefit of his example and tries a little harder as a result of his encouraging testimony. His story got my attention earlier this year. I’m happy to see that you too are one his fans!
Thanks again for coming by to encourage everyone in their efforts to move toward victory over any addition!
xo Karen:)
Way to go Joe.
Sounds like a long road. It can be easy to see the neon signposted mistakes with 20/20 hindsight but its a little harder in the midst of the trauma of family breakdown, the need to escape your own thoughts, guilt, blame, resentment, grief …….
Alcohol and drugs (I no longer draw a distinction) and the comfortable? oblivion they offer seem like a cure all at the time, especially if they are already familiar from happier more sociable times. But if you attend any AA or NA meeting you soon realize however the journey into oblivion, no matter how or why it began leads good people into a life they would never have imagined for themselves. Alienation from their family and friends, abandonment of their core values and morals, financial desperation, isolation, worsening loss of mental and physical health, loss of self esteem……. again the list goes on. At a meeting this morning one member described his alcoholic years as being offered a $50.00 note or a punch in the face every morning and choosing the punch in the face. (he grew up in Glasgow, Scotland) so I omitted the expletives. A nice analogy though.
I understand the road you have traveled brother. I nearly bled to death from burst varices and still drank for a further 3 years. I had the good sense to do it next to a resuscitation room. I am currently regularly monitoring to see how my ammonia levels go regarding liver recovery and encephalopathy.
On a more positive note, there are so many stories, like yours, of redemption and lives being turned around. People who were at complete rock bottom reflecting that after 1,10 or 20+ years of sobriety who are amazed at the positive changes and growth they are still experiencing in their lives. After the meeting my ex partner dropped my daughter off outside the meeting and we drove up to Melbourne and brought home an adopted puppy. (It only had one day to go)
You have some more experience at this sanity thing than me but hearing how far you have come in less than 3 years is yet another inspiration. I wish you well Joe.
Guido
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