She Drank a Liter a Day. Her MELD Hit 40.
She Drank a Liter a Day. Her MELD Hit 40.  
Podcast: TheWillpowerPodcast with Will Gordon
Rating: Explicit Published On: Fri Oct 09 2026
Description: She drank a liter of vodka a day. Her MELD score hit 40. And she still thought she'd never be able to quit. Welcome to Season 3 🎙️ of The Willpower Podcast. I've been away since June, and this is the conversation I wanted to come back with.Tia is 44, from Albuquerque, and nearly three years out from her liver transplant. She found out her liver was failing by accident, when an urgent care visit for a sore elbow turned up iron levels so high doctors sent her to an oncologist. She's honest about the "duh" that came with the diagnosis: not surprised, and completely surprised, both at once.In this episode we talk about:- Growing up in an alcoholic family, and why drinking never felt like a choice- Weekly fluid drains, the yellow bile, and the moment she couldn't roll over in bed- Watching her aunt choose to drink until the end while Tia fought to keep her own life- Two transplant calls that fell through, including one on Christmas Day- Coding on the table, a missed bile duct, and a second surgery- Fourteen days in a coma, and waking up to a decorated room and a birthday she'd missed- Her donor, Chad, and the letters we both keep writing to families who may never write back- How she and her husband rebuilt a marriage after the bottleAnd because this is what The Willpower Podcast is for, I shared a part of my own story I've never told on camera, from the night I had a 4% chance of surviving. A near-death experience story I've never told publicly before until today. If you've ever felt like there was no way back, or you're carrying shame about how you got sick, I hope this feels like a conversation with someone who gets it. Tia said it better than I could: "we're not evil people, we're just people, and we deserve to be saved as much as anyone." 💚 To every organ donor and donor family: thank you. If you're not registered, you can sign up in a couple of minutes at registerme.org.💚If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol, the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357 (24/7). This episode is personal storytelling, not medical advice. Please talk to your care team about your own health.If this moved you, a like, a share, and a subscribe help this message reach someone who needs it. I edit and produce the podcast myself, so donations are so appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.Donate here 👈 🙏CHAPTERS00:00 Raised in It02:59 Under the Table05:52 Iron at 30,00008:52 She Already Knew11:55 MELD 4014:50 Her Aunt Chose the Other Ending18:08 A Liter a Day20:00 The Marriage After the Bottle24:25 She Hid It at Work26:48 The Shower Prayer37:46 The Calls That Fell Through39:52 She Coded, Then They Missed the Duct43:21 The Bracelet47:58 Fourteen Days in the Dark51:41 The Laugh That Brought Him Back57:15 We Are Not Evil People#livertransplant #alcoholism #organdonation #alcoholicliverdisease #sobriety