We had a patient return to the Mobile Medical Clinic recently who had received care approximately three months ago with multiple symptoms. He appeared in good health during this latest visit and much more energetic than last time he was seen by Dr. Jimenez. While in the waiting room, she asked him the purpose of this visit, and he told her that he was here for follow up from the last visit, as she had requested. She asked how he was feeling and he stated that he is feeling much better and that he hadn’t had any alcohol since September 8th. After congratulating him, we looked up his last visit in our records. He was seen on that very day, September 8th. Once on the van, he was asked what it was that made him quit drinking, and he said that Dr. Jimenez was the first person to be so direct about his drinking. He shared that she was clear that he needed to stop drinking immediately! He took her very seriously and quit that same day.
The patient was very sincere and very appreciative of what Dr. Jimenez had said to him. He told us that no one else had taken the time to talk seriously about his alcohol addiction, and that he now knows he can be a better example for his children, who had never seen him without a beer in his hand.
Prior to quitting, the first thing he would do in the morning was crack open a beer, and fall asleep at night with a beer still in his hand. His addiction made him miss many of his children’s football games and school plays which he is now able to attend. His children, mother, grandmother, and his friends are all really proud of him. He has even motivated some of his drinking buddies to quit and they are all really impressed with how strong he has been through this. He has noticed that he is much less irritable and has a much better outlook on life.
His shared that what he did was “Go to a place like Wallace, get help, listen to your doctor’s advice and listen to your heart.” In his final remarks, he thanked God and The Wallace Medical Concern for helping him become the man he is today.
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