So, let’s head back to school for a moment.
How much does everyone know about livers?
What type of Liver do you have?
1. Healthy Liver (Stacey age 18…maybe 20, maybe earlier due to genetics)
- Functions: Detoxifies blood, produces bile, stores nutrients.
2. Fatty Liver (Hepatic Steatosis) (Stacey starting age 21)
- Excess fat in liver cells (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).
- Often asymptomatic, may cause fatigue & discomfort.
- Reversible with lifestyle changes.
3. Fibrosis (Stacey age 32-35)
- Scar tissue forms due to chronic inflammation.
- Mild jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain.
- Reversible if treated early.
4. Cirrhosis (Stacey age 34, 35-41)
- Extensive scarring disrupts liver function.
- Jaundice, swelling, easy bruising, confusion.
- Irreversible, managed with treatment or transplant.
5. Liver Cancer (HCC)
- Malignant tumors due to chronic liver damage.
- Weight loss, pain, jaundice, nausea.
- Requires surgery, chemo, or transplant.
My liver came with consequences. I was born with a genetic condition that, for the sake of simplification, was starved of blood. So, before I even started drinking, my liver was taxed and showing damage. So, at age 21, when I started drinking, it was inevitable that my system would go downhill. My fate had already been sealed.
Now, only if I knew of the issues lurking inside my body, would I have not drunk at all? Who knows. All I know is that my liver was indeed healthy for only a small part of my life. How about yours?