By March 2020, Mailinn Hamre, then 28, had accepted she was dying. Alcoholism had consumed her life, leading her to drink up to four liters of vodka daily, survive for months without eating, and experience daily vomiting of blood. Her health had deteriorated to the point where she gained nearly 100 kilograms and her organs began to fail.
Before being admitted to the hospital, Hamre wrote goodbye letters to her family, wanting them to know her death would not be their fault. Upon admission, doctors found her oxygen saturation at 70 percent, her lungs failing, and multiple organs shutting down. She was placed in a medically induced coma with a high chance of not waking up. Hamre stated she was not shocked, having already understood the severity of her condition and feeling a sense of relief from the constant pain.
Hamre began drinking at age 13, initially not enjoying the taste but soon relying on alcohol for confidence, happiness, and to quiet racing thoughts. This reliance escalated, and by 2013, she was drinking daily. After a trip overseas, her family noticed her unwell appearance, and she admitted to herself that she was an alcoholic. Her attempts to seek help were met with limited options, as many treatment services required sobriety before admission, creating a cycle she could not break.
By 2017, Hamre described her existence as revolving around alcohol, from obtaining it to drinking it. She rarely slept more than two hours without severe withdrawal symptoms. At the peak of her addiction, she consumed 18 to 36 half-liter beers or up to four liters of vodka daily, surviving on alcohol alone for months. She experienced daily vomiting of blood and no longer recognized herself in the mirror, believing she would not live to see her 30th birthday.
In early 2020, her health had declined so dramatically that she could no longer stand. Home-care nurses, unable to lift her, had to call the local fire brigade for assistance. Despite past instances of leaving the hospital against medical advice, Hamre returned critically ill. This time, a doctor took an unconventional approach, allowing her to continue drinking while stabilizing her condition, urging her not to leave. This strategy allowed her to remain in the hospital long enough for treatment to begin.
Placed in a medically induced coma, Hamre awoke two months later to discover she had developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition that left her paralyzed. Unable to move or speak due to a ventilator, she also learned the world had shut down due to COVID-19, a name she found darkly ironic given her condition. The weeks that followed were challenging, filled with fear, confusion, and delirium as she struggled to recover and communicate.
After being transferred to Nordås Rehabilitation Centre, Hamre began the arduous process of regaining her physical abilities, relearning basic functions like sitting and walking. She felt seen and supported, with staff believing in her recovery and helping her understand that her life was not over. Today, nearly six years sober, Hamre has lost the 97 kilograms she gained, undergone skin removal surgeries, rebuilt family relationships, and is working as a peer support specialist, helping others with addiction. She expressed gratitude for her second chance, stating that if sharing her story provides hope to even one person, it has been worth the difficulty.