Cruisin with the Real"s

Cruisin with the Real"s
Joe and Nancy Grand Cayman 10-07

Loma Linda Medical Center

Loma Linda Medical Center
Where the magic happens........

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Appt with my hepatologist




WAIT, MAYBE I AM !!!!


I think it is time I update you on my physical condition. Thank all of you who have been checking on me. It really makes me feel good when you ask how I am...


It is such a hard question to answer actually. You might wonder *what in the world can be hard about such a simple question*?

So, someone asks me, "How are you?" They say, "Nancy, you are looking SO GOOD!".

I say, "Thank you, I feel really good!" And that is the truth. I do feel really good relative to how bad I HAVE felt and how good I feel compared to others suffering from Cirrhosis AND compared to how bad I SHOULD be feeling with my MELD scores still so high.

I am experiencing some of the symptoms of Liver Disease although I would consider mine to be mild. And some things happen to my body that I have no idea what the hell is happening to me at the time...

I am experiencing edema, fluid retention in my legs, ankles and feet. So far I have been controlling it with upping my diuretics when needed, really cutting the sodium down (1200-1500mg daily) when it happens, feet up, etc.

Also, I have started to get more signs of encephalopathy. I lose my train of thought, LOTS, find it hard to concentrate and finish tasks..a little more emotional and sensitive, stuff like that.

There is other stuff but I hate to bore you all with it.

That is the truth. I feel good. I feel lucky. I feel happy. I feel loved. I feel content. I feel peaceful. I feel relaxed. I feel blessed.

I FEEL GREAT !!!! ........................considering............................

Considering the fact that my liver is in REALLY BAD SHAPE, according to Dr M. and that looking at all the facts and statistic scares the hell out of me. REALLY, scares the hell out of me.

We had a long talk yesterday at my appt. and I had a lot of questions. Now, I know he is not God and he doesn't have all the answers. But my questions were mostly about "How can my MELD scores still be so high and yet I FEEL so good?????

His answer to me was a bit disheartening.

He said..." I am GLAD you FEEL so good." Enjoy it. But the fact is your MELD is so high because you need a new liver and sooner would be better than later.

He also said my spleen is enlarged and my pancreas has suffered as well.

My meld score has been slowly creeping down...To give you a recap....
When I was in the hospital last Sept it was 37.
It came down to 28 or so about a month later.
It has been creeping down 1 blip at a time sine then to 22 which is where it is now.

That sound good, right????? Well, yes and no...............again ..........confusing........

It may be GOOD in that I may have recovered a couple of cells in my liver but BAD in that if I do need a transplant sooner than later.....numbers like that could keep me from being *sick enough* to get available livers.

See why I feel like I am spinning on a wheel?

It's one thing to say to myself....It isn't up to me anyway so just relax and enjoy the fact that you feel good.

But that may mean that I end up waiting until my kidneys start failing, I fill up with fluids from Ascites, (think edema gone crazy...) I start bleeding internally in spots I shouldn't...etc. etc. It can get very ugly. AND that can happen very fast.

The other thing I say to myself is, Well, Nancy, you DO have some options. I can dual list at other transplant centers. San Diego Scripps is one that doesn't have such a long list of people waiting...

I don't want to get into all the reasons why or why not to dual list but when my Dr suggests off the record that I might want to look into the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fl...
Well, I get the hint.

I would love to go to Jacksonville....but my insurance is only good in CA....Unless anyone reading would like to sponsor a liver transplant I guess I am staying on the west coast.

We are lucky to have many wonderful transplant centers in CA and I am starting to schedule interviews.

Maybe it is just me but I feel as though my brain is being bombarded with so many different signals and messages that I am on a crazy roller coaster.

Now try and go about normal day to day life....looking on the outside like there is nothing physically wrong with you at all !!!! It is confusing as hell.

I know some of you with *invisible* illnesses know what I am talking about.

I really am NOT trying to throw a pitty party here...But, I need to write and I know you, my friends and family do what to know..

I guess that is enough for tonight. I need to turn in..

Hugs to you all,
Enjoy the summer,
Enjoy each other,
Enjoy the health you have,
Enjoy life!

4 comments:

BillyBob said...

Dear Nancy, I also feel like I am spinning my wheels. They stopped my transplant evaluation last March for no reason that I understand. But now I have this stupid infection, and it's all over my body, not just my mouth. Even my eyes are hurting. I am glad that you feel fine (fairly fine anyway)despite your MELD. I hope and pray it stays like this until you get the liver. And I have all the faith that you will. Just a hunch. But I like the idea of you "double listing" too. Love Bobby.

Anonymous said...

Dear Nancy,

We have been waiting and waiting for your health update and now that we have read it we want you to know that you are always in our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts and on our lips. We speak of you and Joe often and pray constantly that God will find a way to get you the liver that you need so badly.

Our spirits are lifted that you are feeling well, but we are saddened that you need to begin to look elsewhere for your liver. Of course if you do get a liver in San Diego our home is your home and Joe is always welcome to stay with us as long as he would like.

Take care dear friend.

Karen and Bob

Nancy said...

Thank you so much! I really appreciate both of your comments and it helps me to know you are there for me...

Bobby, I hope the Dr's will finally start treating your Thrush properly.....

Karen and Bob, you guys are the BEST! I know you worry about me and I am so bad about staying in touch...I do think of you often too!

Nancy

Mark Emmert said...

I'm in Troy, NY, and ready to go to Tufts for this procedure and would love to talk. Where are you?

Markemmert@gmail.com

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