California Sober

bucky925

Around 2018 I was diagnosed with sjogren's syndrome.  It took a while but they got the meds straight and life was good.  I already had RA so the only irritants were dry mouth and eyes. 

Then came Covid in August 2020.  We were totally wrecked for a while, a LONG while.   I have had 5 blood transfusions that didn't do much.   I had a bone marrow biopsy that revealed I was making white blood cells.  They couldn't figure out why I was still low.  Then came iron transfusions.

Somewhere along the way everything kind of kicked in and things improved.   We did a LOT of liver tests that were skeery.  In any case I got the " not another drop of alcohol the rest of your life speech" and it worked !  I'm 9 months California sober !

I never thought of myself as a heavy drinker, but looking back clearly, I think I was just highly functional.  In anycase my gastro interneralist says if I stay away from the list of no no's I'll die of heart disease as a little old man.  I count that as a win !!!

Gulfcoastguy

I haven’t been told no alcohol but I have been told only limited amounts on rare locations. Kind of wish that I could move to Colorado.

Ozzie_Isaac

Congrats on 9 months sober and on finding out what was killing you.  Glad your health has improved.

dmchicago

Way to take care of your health. 

dmchicago

Gulfcoastguy said:

I haven’t been told no alcohol but I have been told only limited amounts on rare locations. Kind of wish that I could move to Colorado.

TSA isn’t looking for weed or gummy’s. 

Or so I’m told…

Gulfcoastguy

dmchicago said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

I haven’t been told no alcohol but I have been told only limited amounts on rare locations. Kind of wish that I could move to Colorado.

TSA isn’t looking for weed or gummy’s. 

Or so I’m told…

Yeah but our County Mounties certainly would.

JohnInCarolina

Good for you, Brent!   That’s not easy by any stretch.   I’m glad the covid thing is clearing up for you too.  

Botch

Stunning story, Bucky.  Glad you're on the path forward.  

nolaegghead

Congrats Brent!  It's easy when you get over the initial hump, and decades of habit, cultural conditioning, triggering events such as parties, football, holidays, breathing, etc. 

Stay the course!

bucky925

nolaegghead said:

Congrats Brent!  It's easy when you get over the initial hump, and decades of habit, cultural conditioning, triggering events such as parties, football, holidays, breathing, etc. 

Stay the course!

I ain't wired that way.  When I smoked my first cigarette I know exactly where I was and who was there.  I fell in love that day at age 12.  That led to a 1.5 - 2 pack of cowboy killers a day.  After a 40 year nicotine addiction I went and bought the MM.  Told Cindy I quit and the grill was motivation it went well.  With everything being semi-closed now it does make it easier than if we were going out. 

MasterC

Quite a journey, glad to see at the end of that tunnel 

lousubcap

@bucky925 - thanks for sharing your challenges and the drive to keep pushing for answers.  And most importantly when you got the hard diagnosis, you have taken it aboard and are following the recommendation.  Stay the course.