Charles D.

Hepatic Encephalopathy

I am a Vietnam war veteran and three weeks after being discharged from the Army I was rushed into the Boston VA hospital with jaundice and was diagnosed with Hepatitis B.

That was in 1970 and in 2016 I received a new liver via transplant at the Pittsburgh Pa VA hospital.

I do not drink alcohol and I had been smoking cigarettes 7 years prior to my 2016 liver transplant. I have begun riding motorcycles again, which I hadn’t done in years before my liver transplant. Due to hepatic encephalopathy I stopped riding motorcycles as I had about 10 hospital admissions.

Since the 2016 transplant I have decided to begin riding motorcycles again. I wear the correct clothing and always wear a helmet. My concern is whether the strenuous activity of riding a motorcycle which I do for fun and a form of exercise harm my liver in anyway.

Due to my experience in Vietnam and the after war lifestyle which encouraged my liver disease, I firmly believe that my faith in God got me through my many bouts with hepatic encephalopathy and also enabled me to be chosen to receive a liver transplant in 2016.

One year after my liver transplant I made a decision to buy and ride a new motorcycle, and although people think that I am losing my mind for doing that I believe that riding my motorcycle cuts down on my depression and anxiety. Due to some strenuous activity needed to ride a motorcycle doing so is a form of exercise.

“Live life to the fullest without the use of alcohol or illegal drug usage and pray like you never prayed before “

I am 68 years old and I want to enjoy whatever is left of my life doing things that make me happy such as riding motorcycles and going for long walks. I have always believed in God and also believe he was responsible for me to be chosen to receive the liver transplant in 2016 due to certain circumstances. Life is not a dress rehearsal so give the best play of your life by doing things that make you happy such as I do by riding motorcycles at the age oh 68 which is a form of exercise for me along with walking and thanking God for a second chance at doing life the right way.