My fatty liver

About a year and a half ago I started feeling a little strange after eating and especially after drinking.  I thought it was a problem with my stomach and didn’t pay attention until I began to see some patterns. Last Christmas, after have some typical champagne, I felt very bad but after a while I felt better. It was a nauseous sensation which also brought pain close to my stomach. For New Year’s day I had the same problem. I had some drinks and came home late and spent time vomiting and in agony.

“Am I getting old?” I thought to myself. What is wrong with me? But like we all do, I got better and did not go to the doctor. But what really worried me was when I went to a bar and only had a pisco sour and some beer and when I got home I started throwing up and couldn’t stand the horrible nauseous sensation. It did not stop and I had to call the ambulance at about 8am after four hours of suffering. Now I was worried.

When I was young I had hepatitis so I was worried that I had something terrible there. I thought it could be cancer or cirrhosis so I took my blood tests and went to the doctor. Once there I had some extra tests and finally the results came. I had a “fatty liver” (also called in Spanish “higado graso”).

Fatty liver is a condition where large vacuoles of triglyceride fat accumulate in liver cells via the process of steatosis. Huh? Well in normal terms, there is fat around my liver. For some reason my liver cannot break down fat very well.

As you can see in the picture the “fatty liver” is bigger and has a different color. Without a diet it can become more serious so it is important to take care of what I eat now.

So now what? Well, since then I can’t have starch. These include, rice, potatoes, bread etc. Also I can’t have any sugar and evidently no fat or alcohol. Can you imagine? WHAT CAN I EAT THEN? When the doctor told me this I was about to cry. PERUVIAN FOOD IS SO DELICIOUS. And what about alcohol? NOTHING. This is like the most important rule. NO ALCOHOL AT ALL.

It was horrible news but my wife kept telling me that it could have been worse. I mean, it could have been cancer right? Basically I would survive but at what cost! At meetings, social gatherings, weddings, family reunions where they serve wine, pisco and beer I would have to pass. OUCH!

So now I eat low fat everything. Low fat yogurt, milk, cheese and no fried food. I eat abundant salads, fruit and whole wheat bread. Since then I have lost nine kilos! I look better and feel better but I miss eating. When we go out I just feel like a sick walking person. I can see my family eating meat, french fries and desserts while I am like a rabbit eating vegetables.

Anyway, this is life and I have to thank God it wasn’t something terminal. It is just so difficult because I love food and enjoy going out with my wife and friends to have some drinks. One thing I am glad of.  Fortunately I CAN STILL HAVE CEBICHE PERUANO !!!