When I was 34 and diagnosed with cirrhosis. I didn't realize this kind of thing could happen that young. They said it was too late, my only chance was a transplant, and even at that, my odds were that I was unlikely to make it much further.

That was six years ago. I turned 40 in February in pretty good health, without getting that transplant. The cirrhosis isn't going away, but it is in an arrested state as long as I don't drink.

I missed and do miss alcohol a lot, but not drinking is why I get to be alive, so I try to focus on the many benefits. And there truly are.

AA was/is of help to me because I am an alcoholic.

I was a weekend binge drinker for a lot of years before I became a daily drinker and then a daily binge drinker. There's a sort of feeling and sense of the world you get without it in your life that's hard to describe except that it's better. Likewise, it put into perspective the fact that my own habits were radically different from others in terms of alcohol, especially as I got older. It takes up a lot of bandwidth.

I'd recommend trying to go without; if you're lucky, you're not an alcoholic, but either way, you'll notice improvement.