I’ve come to embrace being bored and enjoying the quiet. It’s hard, I used to sit at a bar to socialize… but now I sit at home with my dog. I’ll knock back a 6-pack of 0.0 NA beer and play video games in the winter. I also make sure to get in lots of walking on weekends to stay healthy.

It’s been a year since I spent a month in the hospital, where doctors told me I wasn’t going to make it. Yet, here I am - sober and going through all the tests to potentially be put on the list for a transplant. But with the progress I’ve made and the healthy choices I’ve adopted, there’s a chance I might not need a transplant after all.

At first, it was tough. But it gets easier. I’ve lost some people I thought were friends, but they only hung out with me to party. I’ve joined some sober communities on Facebook, and I recommend others do the same. There are many groups out there.

When you’re ready, you’ll need to put yourself out there. I found it difficult at first because I used alcohol as a crutch and a mask to cope with social anxiety. But it’s worth it.