Jo, 35 developed liver cirrhosis after drinking three bottles of wine daily. When Jo goes on a bus, people give up their seat for her and strangers stop to ask when her baby is due.
Excessive drinking has caused her liver to become so damaged that fluid has built up in her abdomen.
She is suffering from cirrhosis of the liver – where healthy tissue becomes replaced with scar tissue.
The condition has caused Jo to develop a side effect called ascites – fluid retention that makes her look pregnant and makes veins bulge from her stomach.
Excessive drinking has caused her liver to become so damaged that fluid has built up in her abdomen.
She is suffering from cirrhosis of the liver – where healthy tissue becomes replaced with scar tissue.
The condition has caused Jo to develop a side effect called ascites – fluid retention that makes her look pregnant and makes veins bulge from her stomach.
Every three weeks she must travel to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough to have several litres drained off – a painful procedure where a needle and catheter are inserted into her body.
Her only hope of survival is a liver transplant – and there is no guarantee she will survive that.
Jo fell victim to alcohol addiction after working in a bar for several years. Surrounded by alcohol all day, her drinking spiralled out of control in the last five years and she ended up getting through three bottles of rose wine every day.
Over a week this equates to 210 units – a staggering 15 times the recommended amount for a woman.
Usually the process of draining around 12 litres of fluid takes a painstaking eight hours.
On this occasion, doctors filter off a staggering 23 litres from her abdomen and she is three stone lighter.
Now living back with her mother who cares for her, she is forbidden from having a bank card in case she buys alcohol and is locked inside the house when her mother Ann is out.
Ann explains that she was forced to take her daughter in after visiting her flat and seeing empty bottles piled high in the window.
Jo is now sober but the damage done to her liver is irreversible. As the fluid accumulates between hospital visits, she struggles to walk or dress herself.
Her only hope of survival is a liver transplant – and there is no guarantee she will survive that.
Jo fell victim to alcohol addiction after working in a bar for several years. Surrounded by alcohol all day, her drinking spiralled out of control in the last five years and she ended up getting through three bottles of rose wine every day.
Over a week this equates to 210 units – a staggering 15 times the recommended amount for a woman.
Usually the process of draining around 12 litres of fluid takes a painstaking eight hours.
On this occasion, doctors filter off a staggering 23 litres from her abdomen and she is three stone lighter.
Now living back with her mother who cares for her, she is forbidden from having a bank card in case she buys alcohol and is locked inside the house when her mother Ann is out.
Ann explains that she was forced to take her daughter in after visiting her flat and seeing empty bottles piled high in the window.
Jo is now sober but the damage done to her liver is irreversible. As the fluid accumulates between hospital visits, she struggles to walk or dress herself.
I hope those addicted to alcohol can learn from this..I wonder wat they enjoy from something bitter
ReplyDeleteWhat a hard n painful way 4 her 2 learn
ReplyDelete