DTM, welcome to the forum. I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. Does your mom also have a drinking problem? It would be best for her to not keep alcohol in the house and to at least not drink around your dad.
If you look at the top of the forum page, you will see a folder entitled Hepatitis Resources. There is a lot of info in there on liver disease. The throwing up of blood was probably from bleeding/ruptured esophageal varices (enlarged veins in the esophagus) and the diorientation from hepatic encephalopathy (ammonia buildup in the brain.)
Your dad's doctor has been very honest with him. If that doesn't scare him into sobriety, he will probably die from his liver disease--sooner rather than later. Drinking is the absolute worse thing he could be doing to his liver. He also needs to be on a low sodium diet, with fresh fruits and veggies, and no red meat. Is your dad a diabetic? I suspect he is, since you mentioned neuropathy. If he is diabetic, alcohol also plays havoc with his glucose levels.
It's very difficult to watch someone you care about basically killing himself. You have a lot of company here, I assure you. You will find a lot of support here. The best thing you can do is to learn what you can about liver disease. You may not be able to "fix" the problem, but you will know what to expect in the future. Has your dad ever been to AA? Would he consider going?
Again, welcome. We're glad you decided to join the forum.
Hugs,
Connie
DTM, I suspect your parents do know, intellectually, that your dad's health is deteriorating, but are in denial. To accept it would mean to acknowledge the damage alcohol does...and the need to stop drinking. If you've read many of my posts, you know that I'm a recovering alcoholic with over 23 yrs. of sobriety, so I know the mind games that alcoholics play with themselves.
We are here to support you and you can feel free to vent at any time.
DTM, his continued drinking will hasten his liver failure. Nobody can really determine how long each person has to live, as liver disease is such an individualistic thing. There is some information about this in the Hepatitis Resources folder. I really shouldn't even still be here--but thanks to great treatment at Mayo, here I am. Also, I had been sober for 7 yrs. when I was diagnosed with hep C in '93. The cancer was the result of hep C. Since cancer surgery, I completely changed my diet to do everything I can to build up my immune system and protect my body. This includes the dietary changes I mentioned previously. I also stopped smoking cigarettes about 7 yrs. ago.
Donna, that's terrific! You will definitely live longer and something would have come out of a bad situation.
