Day 2 pre-Duffy

I've not had any food since breakfast as six hours of fasting are required before the Emetine Aversion Treatment, known as the Duffy. I'm not necessarily hungry because I've been drinking lots of fluids.

Today has been mostly quiet though I'm anxious to get this first Duffy behind me so I feel like I'm making real progress. I was hanging out near the nurses station with my old roommate Scott for a while and lucky for him he was scheduled before me so he got to go in.

Basically, a Duffy is a method for building aversion to or a lack of desire for alcohol. We are given something called Emetine as well as another drug the combination of which induce nausea and sweating and discomfort. Then I guess we drink a lot of alcohol and pretty soon it is vomit-city. When I'm done in the treatment room I'll be returned to my room where I'll continue to vomit as well as probably have diarrhea for a few hours.

See why this is called aversion therapy?

I wanted to mention that I've met a lot of cool people in the last couple days. The patients range in age from younger than me to some grandpa-types. There's a lot of bonding and chatting and laughing outside in the smoke shack as everyone encourages each other and shares their experiences of the day.

Also, the food is good. I've not lost weight yet though I think overall I may, one guy said he's lost 13 pounds.

I just want to get the "real stuff" going.