From a recent Chester Ray Client:
“Hello, my name is Vince. I’ve had a very long career with alcohol. My battle finally, and thankfully, brought me to the Chester A. Ray Center.
When I decided to go to Chester Ray, first I went to detox. The detox center said I was close to death, that I needed treatment they could not provide. Subsequently, I spent the next 5 weeks in Spectrum Health ICU and a physical therapy facility before arriving at Chester Ray.
It was discovered while I was at Spectrum Health that I had Cirrhosis of the liver, and end stage liver disease. There is a set of criteria that specialists use to determine the patient’s prognosis of life expectancy. It is called MELD – Model for End stage Liver Disease. The scores are numerical and go from 0 to 50, 50 being impending death. When I arrived at Chester Ray, my score was a 26. I was told I had to prepare for a 3-to-6-month slow deterioration leading to death. I was told a transplant is the only option if my MELD number doesn’t go down.
Chester Ray has made all accommodations for my disease. They have ordered a specific diet regiment that was prescribed by my specialist. I take numerous medications that they help me keep organized. They encourage and enable my physical therapy goals.
When I arrived at Chester Ray on January 23rd, I was malnourished, very weak, and not able to walk without assistance. I have been alcohol free since December 5th; today is the 12th of April. My MELD score is now 16. My prognosis for life is now measured in years, not months. I am able to live a normal life and enjoy my family, which was a terrifying thing to possibly have taken away.
I will continue with my sobriety for the rest of my life with the tools and spirituality that I have gained here.”
