wernicke-korsakoff_syndrome : Message: Re: [wernicke_korsakoff

I think we're getting away from the problem here. This group is for WKS
sufferers and their families/caretakers. WKS is usually, not always, a direct
result from alcoholism, so it's natural that we would talk about alcoholism in
the course of our conversations. However, this is not an AA group. I do not
want to hear about alcoholism being a sickness or a disease or any other
excuses. WKS,Diabetes, Heart disease, cancer, these are diseases and
sicknesses. Alcoholism is a choice. It doesn't happen overnight. There are
many ways it hurts their family and friends before it becomes a problem. I
agree alcoholics don't say today is when I'm going to tear my family apart, but
there are many times there are warnings or close calls and times you realize
it's a problem and need help. I agree many of them want to stop and try. In
many cases of alcoholics, they have a supportive family, they have the resources
to stop, they have the friends who have been there any time for support. Each
time my dad makes the effort to stop drinking, his family and friends are right
back. My dad made the choice for two months not to drink when he lived in the
Salvation Army because he knew he would lose a place to sleep. When he was
offered a home, at my mom's expense, he chose to drink.

The results of making that choice for many years is often WKS. If the person
continues to choose to drink, the result is what my family is dealing
with,portal systemic encephalopathy. It's a terrible disease. There is no
cure. My dad will get worse. He will die. At this point, he has no choice.

The biggest frustration to me through my dad's bout has been no one will tell me
what to expect. Doctors, nurses, AA, no one will tell me. That's why this
group has been such a mind saver to me. Some of you have it and can give
insight to what my dad was feeling. Some of you have loved ones that you are
caring for and have suggestions on what to ask the doctors and where to go for
financial help. That has been such a relief to me. I knew what to expect. For
all of you who expressed yourself to the best of your ability, my heartfelt
thanks goes out to you. You helped me prepare myself for what was ahead. That
was invaluable to me.

For those of you diagnosed with this disease, WKS, that have fought it and made
progress, I admire you tremendously. You show that whether your disease is
caused from alcohol or from nutritional deficiencies, you can overcome it to a
great extent and live a life that brings you some joy. You are our inspiration.

I just want those who still drink to know if you have WKS and you continue to
drink, your life will become my dad's. Anyone you love will live my life. You
have support, you have knowledge, you can make the choice to not drink. Do it
while you can.

Use this group not to make excuses or debate whether alcoholism is or is not a
choice, use it to glean the practical information you will get. Use it to vent
to someone that will understand exactly what you're going through. That's what
we're here for.

This is what I think. Please don't debate me over the issue of whether
alcoholism is a disease or not. Do that privately at my direct email
accp@... so everyone who is trying to get help dealing with the actual
disease doesn't have to be subjected to opinion debates.

Amanda
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "jonell" <jnllcllns@...>
Reply-To: wernicke_korsakoff_syndrome@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 03 May 2006 04:27:41 -0000

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>
>
>I joined this group to learn about this disease as I was taking care 
>of a gentleman in the Long Term Care facility (nursing home) that I 
>work in. I had never heard of it the young man was only 47 and it 
>was devastating. I have learned lots here and learned where to go 
>for other info. It does make me a little sad though to hear some of 
>the things that have been said.I personally do not consider 
>alcoholism an illness, not a physical one anyway. Yes we all have 
>certain genes that predisposes us to certain things but then we are 
>born into that. We have inherited that from Adam and Eve. Having 
>said that and even though I disagree with you Trevor about the 
>illness stand point, Trevor by far has the more compassionate 
>viewpoint. I applaud you for what you are doing and your approach. 
>Just because I don't think alcoholism is a physical illness, does 
>not mean that I am right it is just my opinion. My father died an 
>alcoholic (did'nt want to be one, just could not stop himself), my 
>mother was one, (she recieved deliverance from the Lord, Thank you 
>God.), my sister is a practising alcoholic, and I have been married 
>to one. They did not get up one day and say oh gee I guess I will 
>start wrecking my life and the lives of everyone around me. They 
>don't want to be this way but they really cannot help it. I don't 
>want to smoke either and I try to quit and sometimes for a time I am 
>successful and sometimes I fall off the wagon. So yes Trevor I KNOW 
>about cravings and how totally inanimate things can talk to you. We 
>might apply the same reasoning to anyones over weight problem. I as 
>a nurse can tell you those extra pounds are unhealthy for you and 
>can kill you dead. But no one WANT'S to be fat. I don't want to 
>smell like a cigarette and most alcoholics (If they can even admit 
>it) don't WANT to drink themselves to death.We as a species are 
>pretty tough, but on the other hand we are so very fragile at the 
>same time. We need to belong, we need to feel good about ourselves, 
>we need to think our lives count for something. Whether we use 
>alcohol, food or cigarettes or some other thing to self medicate 
>ourselves to mask or rid ourselves of pain that we usually inflict 
>upon ourselves does not make us bad people. My heart goes out to you 
>all that have family members that drink and continue to drink and 
>get further and further away from you from a health viewpoint, But 
>they are not deliberately trying to inflict pain on you. They are 
>only trying to rid themselves of their own. Telling people that they 
>are only making excuses is not really helpful to them and not really 
>encouraging. They usually already know that. Trevor my hat is off to 
>you..............jonell 
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