Alcohol and Liver Disease

So many documentary programmes these days seem to deal with the subject of alcohol, alcoholics and abuse of alcohol. I know a lot of the families who have been through what we have been through are very angry that some people go through it by 'choice' when, in our case, it was genetic. I don't feel that way although I do understand why some people do.

But I just have to get it down somewhere, get it out of my system, that it's so incredibly frustrating to see. It doesn't make me angry, it makes me sad. I want to go to each and every person who is binge drinking and feel they have it under control, or those who are where they are just because of a boozy lifestyle, and show them what we went through. I want to show them what they are going to put their family through in the future, how those around them may suffer even more than the drinker because it's so unbearably painful to watch someone you love suffer so much. I want to show them photos of Bethany with tubes coming out of her body, explain how she will always have to take medication to keep her alive, how she has to be so careful of infection and has a restricted diet, how it's weakened her body and how the drugs she has to take can further weaken the body causing various complications.

I've never been a person to say, "You've only yourself to blame." Everyone travels their own path and no one knows what it's like. I remind myself that if the worst you've ever had is a cold then a cold feels just awful and that if my friends complain about something I feel is trivial then it's still important to them. I think some people have stronger personalities than others. I could be an alcoholic if I wasn't so pig headed! Everyone has a vice, my present one is crisps! But seriously, it's not the fact that they are drinking or that there could be blame that hurts, it's that I know what they are about to go through and that it can be avoided. Some of us didn't have that chance.

I often wish I had the chance to speak to people on adult liver units and explain what lies ahead if they dont stop. I appreciate that some people don't want to be helped and some desperately do but will never get to the stage of being free of alcohol. I appreciate that I might not make any difference at all. But I think, as with the organ donation awareness too, if I make a difference to one life then it's worth it. My heart aches for those who have either a transplant or a slow and painful death ahead of them due to alcohol. My heart aches for the families who are going to watch them die. My heart aches for all of those affected including the staff on the ward who live it every day. My heart aches for us because we didn't have a choice and that's why I wish I could take that away for someone else before it's too late.

Next time you joke about alcohol, about how funny it is that your liver hurts because you had such a good night or how you need to detox because you've drunk so much this week please remember that someone could be listening or reading who knows all too well the consequences and aches to show you that your joke isn't funny. It hurts. And please remember that you can't always fix a broken body, you don't want to find out too late that this also applies to you.

Having a Blast in Kendal and Lake Winderemere

We started our trip in Kendal, meeting up with friends and discovering Kendal Castle (ruins). Eloise had great fun running around the ruins, finding the dungeon, being the Queen of the Castle and playing in the playground. Bethany took it easy and found all of the seats, testing them out for size!

We headed to Gummers How in the Lake District and met up with some different friends. It's great having friends all over the country, wherever we go there are people to meet and we always get the best advice about local attractions! Gummers How is a huge hill overlooking Lake Windermere. It's very difficult for a child who gets aches and pains in her legs but we all eventually made it to the top and it was a wonderful vantage point. It felt like we were sitting on top of the world.

On one of the days we went to Brockholes National Park. Eloise was her usual mad self. The girls went on a bungee trampoline. Eloise bounced as high as she could, trying to make shapes with her body and do mid-air tipple overs. Bethany was nervous but stayed on for the whole time and bounced a little higher before her time was up, I was a very proud Mummy watching her fight her nerves. The scenery was beautiful and we spent a full day happily exploring the grounds, playing in the adventure playground and lazing on the balcony eating ice cream. I think we would have gone back there for another day if we'd had more days available. I hope we get chance to go again.

And so endeth another adventure.

Kendal and Lake Windermere, Nature and More.

I think I ought to rename this blog as a photography one. We spend so much time having fun that I don't have time to update. Old age and poverty... as the saying goes!

Here are some photographs taken on our recent trip to Kendal and Fell Foot, Brockholes and Gummers How in the Lake Winderemere area. As you can see it is a beautiful area and I have more photos to share of the girls having fun. I couldn't resist getting some extra pictures of the beauty surrounding us.