Hello all! New to the Caregiver thread:) I'm definitely not in the worst situation that we could be in but it feels like it! My BF of 9 yrs found out that he has alcoholic hepatitis and going to the Liver Specialist on Tuesday. He went to the ER 3 wks ago (12/8/11) for 2 cracked ribs (which is another story) and got the pleasure of staying overnight because he was severly jaundice. After an Ultrasound and CT Scan, he has Fatty Liver at the least and his liver is too big for them to see if he has any Cirrohsis.
He only had to stay one night but they sent him home with Oxycodone for his cracked ribs and Lithium for his DTs. He hasn't drank alcohol or smoked since 12/8 because of his liver. Needless to say - quite a handful. With not eating or drinking fluids, he was hallucinating quite a bit and had no clue what time of day/night it was nor what day it was - among other very challenging hallucinations.
After many calls to the Drs to gain advice, they told me to stop the Oxy - which I had to actually hide that evening. He proceeded to completely tear the house apart looking for it and finally realized it was gone about 5AM with his brother and I awake the entire night with him.
He's very grumpy and argumentative about anything that his kids or I say making it difficult just to cohabitate. I'm learning there are good days and bad days. Couldn't keep him awake long enough just to go get his blood taken for the stomach scope he had done on 12/22. We're past the point of him sleeping all the time and he is awake all day now but still in pain. And, at least eating now which took about 2 wks.
This AM I was making his life miserable (for whatever reason - maybe making him take his vitamins/meds). I'm physically and mentally absolutely exhausted and don't know how I'm going to be able to handle this going back to work on Tuesday, make all of his DR appts (not sure if he should be driving), and make sure the kids have everything they need emotionally and otherwise.
I left for an hour last night to 'get away' and went to our friends house 3 blks away (in my PJs). He called me 5 mins after I left extremely ticked off that I left to begin with and that I woke him up when I left (by opening the garage door). I got one hr out of the house and that one hour ended up being extremely stressful worried about the kids with me not there.
Sorry for the long post and appreciate everyone letting me vent! I'm very early into this journey with him and am already wondering how I'm going to handle this till the end for all of us.
Hope and prayers!
Hope