Declan’s Journey To Recovery: Part Four
The following article is the forth part of Declan’s Journey To Recovery. To read Part One click here, to read Part Two click here and to read Part Three click here.
So Declan continued to drink oblivious to the rapid physical deterioration that could be no longer ignored by those close to him who were very worried and feared for his health.
Declan recalls not being able to focus on anything at that time. He continued to struggle and attend AA meetings though still drinking in between and all the time getting sicker and sicker. Friends and family feared that Declan would die in denial of this disease.
On asking Declan about his moment of truth he talks about being hospitalised at least four times due to physical sickness and concern for his drastic weight loss. Declan’s last drink ended with him being admitted to St Luke’s Hospital. Declan’s weight loss had plummeted to 6 ½ stone, he recalls 2 nurses having to support him on the scales.
Declan was very ill, physically and mentally a broken man.
Staff at St Luke’s were very concerned having taken blood from Declan, they deemed his body was starting to shut down and he was at the risk of cardiac arrest. He was admitted to Craigavon Hospital that very hour.
Having been seen by the consultant immediately on arrival he told Declan he wasn’t trying to scare him but was going to be straight, the consultant told Declan “you’re a very ill man and if you’re still here in the morning we may be fit to save your life.”
Declan is emotional whilst sharing this experience with me. He said even though this was an extremely painful and frightening time, this was to be the turning point in his journey from addiction to recovery.
At the end of this week Declan will share the final part of his journey to recovery as he talks about life without the bottle.
To be continued.
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