Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes, 33, has been moved to hospice care at his dad and mom’ house in Georgia two years after being recognized with liver illness.
Hayes informed ESPN earlier than getting into the hospital final month that he had been positioned on a ready record for a transplant on the Mayo Clinic and Northwestern Medication in December after being hospitalized over 20 occasions previously 12 months.
“The primary analysis they gave me was alcoholic cirrhosis,” Hayes stated. “However after we dug in deeper, it grew to become simply power liver illness, as a result of I do not drink like that. If I did drink, it was similar to wine or one thing like that. However my physique is made totally different. And that is what [my doctor] stated — ‘Everyone’s made totally different.'”
“I went from 220 [pounds] to 150,” Hayes stated. “That was after I was first recognized.”
Whereas alcoholic liver cirrhosis is on the rise in individuals ages 25-34, in accordance with a 2018 College of Michigan research, Hayes stated he suspects using nonprescription ache medicines is what triggered his situation, mixed with a household historical past of liver illness. Hayes stated he took over-the-counter ache medicines throughout his enjoying profession however by no means greater than the quantity directed on the bottle.
“I did not do like common guys do with the Toradol pictures … I simply took [NSAIDs],” Hayes stated. “I believed it was safer. However as soon as I received out and began doing analysis, I used to be like, ‘Oh … my physique shouldn’t be arrange for this.'”
Hayes, who performed for the Bucs from 2008 to 2011, the Chicago Bears in 2012 and Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2014, was recognized with the situation whereas being handled for an unrelated medical concern.
The FDA advises that taking an excessive amount of Tylenol (acetaminophen) may cause liver injury, and people with liver illness or who eat three alcoholic drinks every day ought to seek the advice of with their physician earlier than taking the medicine. So far as Aleve (naproxen), it has been related to circumstances of drug-induced liver harm — 1-Three per 100,000 customers, in accordance with the Nationwide Middle for Biotechnology Data.
“At first, I did not let my youngsters come round after I was within the hospital,” stated Hayes, who has youngsters ages 13 and eight with spouse, Shevelle. “Over time we eased into them understanding about me, and now they know the best way to deal with issues …”
“I went right into a melancholy for actually three months … supreme melancholy,” stated Hayes, who initially stored his analysis non-public earlier than opening up, believing it may assist others. “I needed extra to know however did not wish to be a burden.
“Being in my place, I used to be all the time so non-public that I closed myself off to individuals.”
He stated he hoped his story will assist individuals study to understand all the great that they’ve — life’s easy pleasures — like being stunned in mattress by his daughter or listening to her laughter, and his son’s after they’d snatch his telephone and take photos of him sleeping, posting them on his Twitter account.
“I am having fun with life, I am spending extra time with my youngsters and I actually wish to assist individuals,” Hayes stated. “My primary aim is to simply encourage, to encourage the following particular person, it doesn’t matter what they are going by, irrespective of who talks dangerous about them — household, mates, social media, all of that crap — it do not matter. You handle you. Be sure you’re straight. That is all I wish to do.”