“So raise a glass to a turning of the seasons. And watch it as it arcs towards the sun. And you must bear your neighbor’s burden within reason. Your labors will be borne when all is done.
And nobody, nobody knows. Let the yoke fall from our shoulders Don’t carry it all, don’t carry is all. We are all of hands in holders Beneath this bold and brilliant Sun
Don’t Carry It All - The Decemberists
https://youtu.be/67Ud_vzYaQw?si=zgOnJyZ8vWGndxBg
“So raise a glass to a turning of the seasons.
And watch it as it arcs towards the sun.
And you must bear your neighbor’s burden within reason.
Your labors will be borne when all is done.
And nobody, nobody knows.
Let the yoke fall from our shoulders
Don’t carry it all, don’t carry is all.
We are all of hands in holders
Beneath this bold and brilliant Sun
And this I swear to all.”
Song saved my life.
I worked for Mayo for 11 years. They have the best employee benefits I’ve ever seen.
I also grew up in Rochester, MN.
If one of your parents DIDNT work for Mayo, it was considered odd.
63,000 employees in a city of 120,000.
I WENT TO MAYO HIGH SCHOOL FOR SOBBING OUT LOUD. EVERYTHING IS MAYO.
(And yes, we’ve heard all the mayonnaise jokes)
Woof— I’m kinda glad my brain can’t comprehend that!! Sorry you’ve experienced it, but thank you for the work that you do. You’re vital ✌️
Gaaah!!! I know what rotting human flesh smells like because of an honors bio science class in college— does the dead liver smell worse?! Givin’ me the willies 😖
My buddy who passed away showed me a picture of his removed liver and it looked like it had been charred on a grill! The black webbing is an image I’ll forever remember—Oofta.
Oof… jaundice— I had a buddy whose liver transplant didn’t take and yeah, he was strikingly yellow before he passed away. Even the whites of his eyes. One of my former housemates in sober living (we had the same first name so it was weird) went from being so jaundice that she looked like she was coated in iodine to having absolutely flawless skin and super shiny hair after she got sober. It’s crazy.
My ding ding dong
Thank you!! Yeah, addiction was prevalent on both sides of my family with my grandfather on my mother’s side dying of cirrhosis.
Genetics, man…
I have a nurse friend who, when he found out about my history said, “Dude, you should be dead.”
I grew up around the Mayo Clinic and my childhood nanny is a cardiac nurse—
NURSES SAVE THE WORLD.
Doctors? Psssh— it’s the fuckin nurses who do the real tough stuff.
I love you for going into healthcare and for taking care of sick people, truly ♥️
Thank you, friend ♥️
I was undiagnosed ADHD from kindergarten (the school psychologist was like, “um, she needs Ritalin”) and once I began Concerta my junior year of high school I graduated with a 4.0.
Undiagnosed ADD and ADHD can cause so many problems down the line— I’m glad you caught and addressed it!!!
Thank you!! 🥰
Alcohol is a multi-trillion dollar industry… The fat cats don’t care if people are dying as long as their pockets are still being filled. The whole alcohol vs. marijuana thing is ridiculous to me. I live in Minnesota and weed was just decriminalized last year… no matter what anyone says, weed isn’t addictive— it’s the relief that being high/drunk brings. If someone says they’re addicted to weed, they need a therapist because they find being out of their heads more enjoyable. That needs therapy
“Organ harvester” sounds so badass though!! My grandpa on my Mom’s side died of cirrhosis when I was 8. My Dad, his two of his brothers, and their uncle (my great uncle) have all gone to rehab. My Dad still drinks occasionally, but his brother has been sober for 38 years.
It was genetic in both sides.
I actually heard the number of alcohol related diseases and deaths has been steadily increasing since the 80’s— would you say that’s true?
Hahahahhahahaa that’s great!
My heart goes out to you and your wife— I’m glad she has you for support and that you’re continuing to stick by her. I truly hope her healing journey gets better ♥️♥️✌️
Thank you!! Yeah, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel any trepidation, but knowing my cousin and my boss have my back (they don’t know the full story, but they’re aware I’m healing from a brain injury), I feel much more at ease. Being the new person is so stressful!!
You can do it! It fucking SUCKS and yeah, I know that stink— walking into a hospital primary rehab unit before we’re shipped off to an extended stay facility— the whole floor smelled of it.
If you ever need to talk or vent or ask questions, I’ve been to rehab all over the US and have been studying for my LADC. You’re not alone, friend ✌️
I always warned my sponsees of that exact fact!! That even though an OD of opiates or heroin can kill you, withdrawal can’t. The one that can is freaking alcohol. It blows my mind that it’s still so prevalent and celebrated…
I started off with beer, too!! I realized that I didn’t actually like the taste and was only interested in the effect so I switched to vodka, thinking I could just take a couple of shots and be good for the night. I swear, vodka tolerance happens so fast…
The best way it was explained to me was from the nurse with a Good Charlotte tattoo 😆 he said, “Your brain tried to fix too much all at once.” I had to be sober for at least 1.5 years before the surgery, but I made it to three. That’s why I thought I was in the clear and it was such a shock. I’d done a lot of damage to my brain already with the drinking, I had started exercising after years of inactivity… it was just too much.
I didn’t drink until my 21st birthday in April of 2011. By that July, I was in my first rehab. It hit me like a semi truck, on fire, slamming into the garden center of a Walmart and bursting into flames.
I went through 16 rehabs (each one lasting at least 30 days).
At my worst I was downing a 1.75 of vodka nightly.
You’ll be okay— I promise.
Oh for fuck’s sake hahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahhaha
Thank you!! I was told by one of the docs that did my ECT that he sees a lot of strokes in the mid-30’s. He said something like (not a direct quote), “the body gets past that “young person” stage and suddenly the brain makes a drastic change and can’t handle the same amount of pain.”
Sometimes, yes! My aunt lost 100 lbs and her abdomen and breast skin shrunk really well. For me, because I lost so much weight super fast, I had about 6lbs of skin that hung over my pubic area. Like, my legs were a size 6 but because of the excess skin around my tummy, I had to wear size 20 in suit pants.
I didn’t want surgery at first but when I started to have back pain and chaffing I decided to go for it. The recovery was pretty fast, too! I’ll post pics sometime 😁
I didn’t realize how prevalent alcoholism really was until my first time at Betty Ford. I met celebrities, a Supreme Court judge, an Olympic runner, and I’ve sponsored girls as young as 15. I desperately wish addiction could get more of a spotlight— like, if colleges had some kind of warning during orientation?? Idk— I didn’t drink until my 21st birthday in April and by that same July I was in my first rehab. It was instantaneous.
I’m so glad you’re still here with us! It took me a hot minute to be able to blink both eyes at the same time, but hearing your story, I realize how lucky I am to only have a limp. Again, I’m so glad you survived ♥️♥️🥹
It was for depression/BPD. The stroke put me right back into wanting to give up on life and my psychiatrist pushed for ECT because he could tell I was going to spiral. I’m so grateful for him! The alcoholism was actually a symptom of the BPD and, despite doing AA, the 12 Steps 4 times (each round took two years to work though), the drinking didn’t get better. After treating the BPD is when I finally found reprieve ✌️
They’re reaching so far they’re up to their elbows in their own assholes…
HE TOOK STUDENTS TO CHINA AS A TEACHER AND EDUCATOR. Their curriculum while overseas was easily accessed by contacting the MN Education board. Two of my fucking cousins went with him!!!!! I saw the pictures!!!! They held classes every day and Walz was with the students constantly unless they were fucking sleeping…
This is absolutely insane. It’s laughable!!! They’re reaching so far they’re up to their elbows in their own assholes.