I am a recovering alcoholic and I am certain that some of my excessive use of alcohol caused some neurological disorders. My speech aphasia showed up about two years after my wife died and I was admitted to the emergency room at a New Haven hospital with slurring of speech. The good part about Medicare is that hospitals will run every test knowing that they will get paid. After keeping me there for three days the doctors told me that I entered the hospital with the signs of a stroke and that is their warning bell for perfuming all the tests. At least three doctors were gathered around my bed at the time of discharge and they told me that I DID NOT have a stroke at the time of admission, BUT the I DID HAVE a stroke sometime earlier.
The aphasia was a single occurrence but I still feel that I could trigger another episode if I let myself get dehydrated. That has been an issue for me and I was reluctant to stay hydrated because of frequent demand for urination. Along the way I also contracted bladder cancer , but again was saved from the malady with the good medical care available in New Haven.
I did not drink during the time of my wife's illness and death, but I was off to the races after she passed away. I am thoroughly convinced that my excessive drinking cause some problems. Heavy drinking and binge drinking can result in permanent damage to the brain and nervous system. I noticed in you post that you had planned a "chocolate and tequila" event during your travels to Mexico. For me , the best decision of my life was quitting alcohol. At age 76 I am more fit than ever with regular gym workouts, hiking trail crew maintenance, tent camping over 60 days each year, and the best medical report I've ever had where my doctor was astounded . Like the alcoholism, acceptance was the answer and as far as fitness goes I just did the same as began saying that I am an athlete. It works for alcoholism ---it words for fitness.
If you think I could be of any help to you please say so or PM me here. Good luck to you and I am sorry for your loss and I am happy for you that your daughters are still in your life.
For Bruce Willis his continual bouts with alcoholism is a key factor in his aphasia--https://www.google.com/search?q=was+Bruce+Willis+an+alcoholic&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS984US984&oq=was+Bruce+Willis+an+alcoholic&aqs=chrome..69i57.13069j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
= new reply since forum marked as read