Hi Lucy, Welcome to HW. I am so sorry you are going through this! I am my husbands caregiver, he has HepC and cirrhosis. He is on the waiting list for a liver transplant. HepC is a blood borne virus, it can be contracted by blood transfusions, sharing needles, sharing personal items like razors or toothbrushes, and sometimes but very rarely it can be transmitted sexually. HepC can cause cirrhosis, it usually takes many years for it to do so. Cirrhosis can not cause HepC. Cirrhosis has many different causes, with alcholism being the number one cause. People with endstage liver disease (ESLD), have low platelets, albumin, red blood cells, hemoglobin, etc... This is what causes the easy bruising and bleeding. Many people with ESLD do have gall bladder problems, the pain can be quite severe at times. People who have HepC and or cirrhosis are at risk for Liver cancer. The sores that your mother has is probaly from poor nutrition, malnutrition, many ESLD have this problem. Another problem that happens often is encephalopathy, the signs are forgetfulness, sleeping alot, confusion, stupor, and coma. It usually means the ammonia level is high, infection is another cause, electrolyte imbalance can also cause this. It can be life threatening, lactulose is usually given for this, my husband also takes antibiotics for it. Portal hypertension is also another complication of cirrhosis it causes varices and ascites, propanolol or nadolol is usaully given for this. Ascites is fluid build up, it usually starts out in the legs and works it's way up to the abdomen. My husband has the appearance of a pregnant looking stomach. Many people do get a yellow color to them with ESLD, it means the bilirubins are high, or a bile duct is blocked. This causes the skin to itch from the high bilirubins. This is a very serious disease, and unfortunately in my husbands case a transplant is the only thing that will save his live. There is no other option.
If your mother continues to drink, she will not live very long at all! My husband had to have 6 months of documented sobriety, to be listed for transplant. He attends A.A meetings. I can tell you this the worse thing that I have ever had to go through in my whole life! I hope your mother will put the bottle down for you and your family!
I hope I have given you the answers, you needed.
I will put you and your family in my prayers. Hope to hear back from you!
Teresa