Please, please can you spare any positivity and thoughts?

Your friend is very definitely in my thoughts.

I went to webMD.com and DrKoop.com. The only article I got on swollen hands that made any sense was about Lupus. Everything else was pertaining to having babys.

Thankyou all. He doesn't seem at all bothered by his defects. He is in better physical condition then a lot of people. He doesn't seem depressed at all either. He always wants to keep the peace when things get stressful. He's always wanting to make everyone happy. He likes to see people laughing. He's really caring, and selfless. I'm not sure why he would drink that much. Not that it would take a lot.

I haven't heard anything yet. That's probably good. He is the one who most try to fit in with. He's got a leader kind of attitude. But... I only see him at work.

Thanks everyone. He and his family really need all the prayers, positivity, and board magic they can get. He's such a great guy to work with. He's one that nobody ever complains about, except when he and his brother goof off too much.

SIGH...

Thanks.

He's stable. The doctors are now waiting to see if there is any brain damage.

Thank you for this update, Tia.

Just got off the phone with one of our drivers. He woke up, and asked what was going on with work. He was worried about us... He's back out now. Just like him to think of work first. I feel better now. Just a bit upset at the whole situation. I'm glad that the people I work with are so close. The driver I talked to wasn't scheduled in until 5 tonight. She went in, and everything at work is running smoothly. And he woke up. UGH!

Thanks guys, you guys are each a little miricle, and all of you together are so powerful. Thankyou. I hope he comes out okay.

Thank GOD!!!

I just saw this thread. I am so happy to hear that your friend seems to be alright, however, I think he might have a bigger problem on his hands. For someone with a baby on the way, he seems to be making some pretty irresponsible and selfish choices. It's almost as if he might think that what he does to his own body will not effect anyone but him.
Again, I am very happy he is ok. Thank you for sharing this with all of us. He, his family and you will continue to be in my thoughts. HUGS!

I just got home from work. While I was working, my boss called up to the hospital to talk to his mom for an update. She hung up the phone and called his little brother over and told him that they had released him. Pretty soon I looked up and saw him walking in our door. I ran over and took the oven from the boss so that she could go talk to him. Then once there was nothing coming out of the oven, I ran over, and took his lilbro's pizza from him and told him to go talk to his brother. He just said cool, and ran over there.

I was so glad to see him. He came out of it well. He had us all so scared. I went over to him and told him to start taking better care of himself.

The only problem now is his dad wants him to move to New Mexico with him. I don't know if his gf would get to go or not. My boss is going to offer to take him in, and help him out, so he can stay here. Like she said, running to a new state won't help him get over what problems he has. He will just have less supportive(less, as in fewer) people around.

So, he's okay. Until I get my hands on him I'm only kidding, I do want to smack him though. I really hope he will start thinking. I am happy he's okay. He did go home, and he will be resting.

Tia... You are a very caring friend ... This guy is very lucky to be living today because of people like you and others like you that chose to care about him when he didnt care about himself... Hopefully this episode will serve as a wake up call to him and he'll head straight to AA... His life and family are depending on it.

So sorry to hear stories like this...I hope he gets well.

Oh I'm so glad to hear he is home now - he will remain in my thoughts!

So relieved that he's home, Tia. Hope you guys can talk some sense into him!

Originally Posted by MyRage

A couple months ago, my boss rehired this 17 year old guy. He's a great worker, but was they had to fire him a while earlier, maybe a year or two, because he was found in the employee bathroom on the floor in convulsions.

He recovered, and finally got the chance to come back to work.

He's got a fiance who is pg right now. He's one of our best workers. A huge bright light at work. He can cheer anyone up. He's just so happy. Everyone loves him. He's got a great attitude, and sense of humor, AND WORKS HARD!!! He will come in anytime. He will stay however longer it takes.

I guess last night he was drinking again. He drank himself back into a similar state. He's in ICU right now. He might not make it.

I really care about this guy. He's one of my best friends at work. He... He really is a great person.

Oh please, can you all help him, and his fiance. She's 16. Those kids grew up fast, and he was really trying to keep himself out of trouble. Why/how he got ahold of alcohol... nobody knows. He wasn't supposed to be drinking at all. Eventhough he did bring this on himself, he still needs some help. He made a bad choice, I fear he will again.

My boss got to go in and see him because his mom told them she was his aunt. She said his hands are purple and hot she said. She has worked as an EMT, and cannot think of what this means. She's completely beside herself right now. She takes everything with her workers very seriously, and personal. She could also use a few thoughts.

I'm sorry, I know it's not directly my problem, but I am scared right now. I'm having a little problem composing myself right now. All I can seem to do at the moment okay is cry.

He's an apache, and both of us having native blood in us... I feel pretty close to him. Oh I hope he makes it. We always have so much fun at work. HIS Little brother is covering his shift tonight. I'm expecting he won't be operating at 100% tonight. I hope he's okay.

When he was born, he was born deformed. The middle of his ribcage, where his ribs meed goes in. His heart isn't fully developed. His organs operate at 50%. WHY? Why...... WHY was he drinking. I just wish he was okay so I could hit him upside the head and ask him ::censor::censor::censor:: He was thinking.

Thanks for listening.

Click to expand...

Alchoholism is a disease (an addiction), unfortunately, I don't think he can stop on his own. He needs some help with that. I hope he recovers. Do you guys have any programs for people with alchoholism to send him after he recovers?

So good to hear that he came through this scare and is back home with is family. Let's hope he takes the warning seriously and manages to sort his problems out.

Originally Posted by tulip2454

That is so sad and tragic. I read somewhere about some 'study' on alchol and native americans and about how the alcohol affect people differently and in this case badly!
I truly hope you can all pull through this and I think your boss is fantastic for taking the time and emotional strain of her employees. You are all in my thoughts.
Alchol looks so inoccent and is given such a good press but the down side is forgotten about unfortunately.
Take care

Click to expand...

Native Americans are genetically predisposed to alchoholism.
http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v17n3/p18.html
I think he needs to be send to some sort of treatment center because this doesn't look like a problem he could just fix on his own.

He's drained today. He moved back in with his mom. He will be staying here (there was talk of him moving with his dad to New Mexico) I heard also that while he was having a seizer(SP?), his gf kicked him in the head. I also heard that she left him today. My boss and I were shaking our heads. His mom was yelling at him because (She is on felony probation for child neglect) of this and is scared that her 12 year old twins will be taken away. My question to my boss was... IS that so bad? There is a lot more to the situation then I imagined.

It turns out that his sister (she's older then him) gave him the alcohol, and after he was having seizers took him for a ride around town, 'cuz it would help him feel better' OMG... I feel so bad for him. My boss wants to help him, and between the two of us, we will be working on him. Talking to him. Letting him know that we will both listen, etc. He's a really great person. I only see the part of him that is at work, but honestly, he is a great worker, and has a wonderful personality. So does his little brother (15, and not in school, with a baby on the way)

You guys are probably right. He might be unhappy with his life, and everything. he may have a drinking problem. In all the time I've worked with him, I wouldn't have guessed it would be a 'problem'. He's alive. He's safe. He knows he scared us. If anything, my boss and I find him to be very valuable. I just really feel bad for him. Thanks for listening, and suggestions.

I have heard that it's a blood sugar thing with natives and alcohol. At least I am aware of how bad alcohol is for my blood. I don't drink on a regular basis. I do drink though sometimes. For myself, I listen to my body. I can have anywhere from 1 to maybe 4 drinks at a time. I usually down 'em quick. (I don't know why) Once I start craving water, I stop alcohol and start water. I tried one night drinking another drink after I craved water... I felt really sick. So... I stop when my body says enough, and I don't get sick.

I know there are alcoholics everywhere. I know they can only help themselves. I hope if this is the case, maybe two people he knows can help him to see the value in himself. He's 17, he has sooooo much life ahead of him. He can do so many things. He wants to join the Navy. I don't think they will take him. ...

Thanks guys.

Oh Tia...........your story has brought tears to my eyes. I will say a prayer for your friend!!

Tia - you're a wonderful friend. This poor young man, and his siblings, seem to have so much stacked against them in their home environment, it's lovely that he has people around him who care. But there are dangers in this for you and you should be aware of them - as lovely as it is of you and your boss to help this lad; things may not go as you would like them too. If they don't (and I sincerely hope they do turn out well) you should be prepared for this and not feel responsible for what might happen.

Take care Tia

Well... He's back at work. Working hard as ever. I just think he's such a great person.

His mom is just straight... NOT mother material. She has (in the last couple days) Refused to sign any papers for him. She won't take him to his alcohol counjseling, or sign any papers for court or anything. She even told him that "You and your ******* kid can go die!"

He was supposed to go live with his dad, and he's not sure where that is going now. He doesn't wanna go to New Mexico either. He would rather stay here with his girlfriend (Who is pg).

His mom has been just evil to him since he got out of the hospital. She demanded that he stay with her, so he did. Then sher proceeded to treat him like krap the whole time he was there recovering. SO he started staying at his own house. She was mad about that, but he don't care. He sees no reason to be near her since she can't be nice to him at all. She has even threatened him, that if he displeases her in anyway, she will get back at him. He told her the same thing back. She is on felony probation for child neglect. ONE phone call, and she's up the river. She doesn't realize that. My boss wants to make that phone call, so that her other kids don't have to deal with the krap anymore.

He is doing good, and wanting to do good. I'm just glad he is alive, and back working with us. At least there, he gets some positivity. He and his little brother both. They are both good kids. They make mistakes like all kids.

Geeze... makes me wonder why good people can't have kids, and those people can?