Introduction

June 7, 2006

Thank you for letting me be a part of this group.

You are most welcome Anne

We are happy to have you here

June 7, 2006

Hi Anne,

Welcome to the group. We are a motley crew, but all dedicated to improving our lives by eating in a more healthy way and by exercising on a regular basis. Steve and his journey are our inspiration. It is not easy to make a decision to leave home and family and set off into the unknown as he did. Those who nitpick about what he did do not appreciate what effort it took to put one foot in front of the other when the impact of around 400 pounds (plus gear) was coming down on those feet. The people who argue about the miles west of Albuquerque, easily discount the miles walked in the desert between desert California and Albuquerque. What he did under the circumstances as he walked them still floors me to think about. He walked on blisters, he walked on stress fractures, and he battled depression. And still he walked. He is a monument to tenacity!!

What a privilege to make this journey in the company of nice people, and with inspiration of someone who did not give up. Glad you could join us.

W

Long Beach, Mississippi

Introduction

Hi everyone... I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Anne and I live in Florida. I started following Steve's story only a few months ago, but I have been a fan ever since. Steve, I know you are still fighting your own demons, and I know you've heard this before, but you really are an inspiration. I happen to be a psychologist and I happen to struggle with my own compulsive overeating issues. My husband is in the same boat, so our difficulties are often two-fold. One is in denial, the other is on the wagon so to speak. It's very difficult but I hope to find some strength here. Yes, therapists have their own issues too! :)Thank you for letting me be a part of this group.

April 21, 2008

Hi!

My name is , and I have joined due to my husband, (53),

being diagnosed with Cirrhosis last week. He has had severe abdominal

edema for the last two weeks. Now this has happened before, but

diuretics helped before. They don't seem to be helping this time.

In the ER on Tuesday, the CT showed Cirrhosis, an enlarged spleen,

portal hypertension, and gastric & esophageal varices. From that,

does anyone have an idea of how far this disease has progressed?

The doc wanted to admit my husband, but for various reasons, he

refused. He has spent SO much time in hospitals over the last few

years, and he is not what one would call a 'cooperative patient',

especially when he is in alot of pain.

I suspect he will consent to being admitted later in the week. But my

questions are many. What does he need to do at home to keep this from

getting worse? It is not from alcohol, I know that, so it is not an

issue for him to cut that out completely. He usually just has a drink

on Christmas & New Year's Eve.

Let me also add that he has been disabled for several years due to

severe back issues, so pain has been long term. Two surgeries, a ton

of blood clots and other issues have hospitalized him probably 15-20

over the last 8 or so years.

I am a college student, as is my oldest daughter. My younger two are

in high school, so our income is VERY limited. Even with Medicare

paying 80%, the 20% is too much for us.

Okay, I have said enough for now. Please let me know what ideas you

may have about the progression and also what he can do at home until

is willing to be admitted.

Thank You in advance!

April 21, 2008

Welcome . My name is Bobby. I am a 45 year old man with end stage liver

disease from alcoholism. I am so sorry that your husband is sick with liver

disease. I am not a doctor. I have cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and also

hepatic encephalopathy. One thing I do hear a lot is that people say " my husband

has turned mean " or " my wife is being uncooperative " . These might be symptoms

of hepatic encephalopathy. In cirrhosis, the liver becomes nodular and scarred.

Each nodule is like a little tiny liver, separated from it's neighbors by scar

tissue. The blood flow is slowed and there for it backs up in the portal vein ,

which is not built to take that much pressure. Off shoots then swell out of much

smaller capillaries made to handle less pressure. These are called varicies.

They can burst open and bleed. The mortality rate for the first bleed is 50%.

His disease has progressed far. He needs a liver transplant. He needs a

transplant evaluation and he

needs it right away. Like yesterday. But transplants do not work for

uncooperative people. They will not give you a donor liver if they do not

believe that you are going to do everything in your power to live, survive, and

treat that liver as good as you can. But I dont even know your husband and I

think that he has ammonia in his system that is making him uncooperative. It is

just a hunch. A guess. I think that almost every human if given a choice will

choose life over death. I am so sorry to give you this much bad news, but his

doctor should be explaining all of this to you. Too much sodium is going to make

the fluid retention worse. His doctor has a 24 hour pager. They need to advise

him on a sodium intake limit if they want one. Most of us with ESLD are put on a

2000 milligram a day restriction of salt. Salt is in places you dont expect it

so you need to read labels. But again, please do nothing based on what I say,

call his doctor and ask if it is

true, and ask, no request that they advise you on sodium. And tell them you

want a referral to a hepatologist at a transplant center near you for a

transplant evaluation. Bobby Aragon, moderator, Liver Cirrhosis Support Yahoo.