Re: Mac

May 30, 2006

Abijann,

Your Dads beautiful words rang true in my heart especially today.. It is my Dads

birthday, he would be 55 today.. He was 48 when he died of cirrhosis.

I really feel and believe that when our loved ones leave us they also leave

with us " the love they gave to us can pass from us to others "

Mac I read your post earlier and wanted to send you my thoughts and the courage

and strength to hang in there.. Your pain & heartache is still very raw and at

some stage when it is right for you. That pain and heartache will hopefully ease

some. Just so that your days are that bit gentler, I wish you that peace and

comfort. Your wife will always be a part of you and your daughters lives. You

will always carry her close to your heart.. I hope your daughter grows up

knowing just how special and wonderful her Mum is..

Dennis I am sorry for the loss of your wife and so unexpectedly. It was sudden

like that for my Dad, very sudden and unexpected. He had been in a much more

critical condition at other times yet suddenly and without warning this last

time was to be his last. I had been to visit him and left the hospital just as

any other hospital visit, he suffered a few bleeds (varices).. I no sooner got

home that hospital called me to say get back now..

Dennis that is the hard part isn't it getting though the days, surviving without

those you wish could be here with you. I lost my daughters a couple years after

my Dad and I didn't think I could survive another day let alone 4 years! I just

found that I had to go with how I feel and for me it is important to include my

dad and my girls very much as part of our lives even though they are not with us

on this earth. We talk of them, remember them and honour them.. Just gently and

specially..

Today my uncle who is terminal with cirrhosis of the liver, he who has defied

the odds and hung in there god only knows how.. We together will go visit my

Dad, his brother's special place at the cemetery to just let Dad know we wish he

was here...

Trudi

xx

Grandmother died of cirrhosis of the liver at age 36

Dad died of cirrhosis of the liver 1999 aged 48yrs

Uncle who is terminally ill with cirrhosis of the liver( but is defying

the odds)

Mac

My mother died suddenly. My dad raised me. Mom died of a

cerebral hemmorhage. She had an aneursym in her brain, which

is a weakened wall on a blood vessel that breaks open suddenly

when the blood pressure goes higher. She was fine when we

went to school, she went into a coma that day and by evening she

was gone. My Dad got thrown into taking care of me and my brother.

Dad said we were, what had kept him going. It seemed his whole

world had closed in on him. He took one day at a time and watched

us kids continue to grow up. Watching all that he went through was

hard caused it showed us how much he missed our Mom...yet, we

learned from that, what true love was. He had wrote on her

stone at the cemetery these words: This memorial speaks not

of grief, but of love so enduring...it is here enshrined forever.

I read on a card one time these words: Those we love never truly

leave us, the live on in the kindness they've shown, the love

they brought into our lives, and the memories they left behind.

There is other versions of this....but the main fact is: the love

they gave to us can pass from us to others.

I hope your little girl comes to know how special your wife is,

through you, like I did from my dad and how great of a man her

father is for raising her the best he can when his own heart

is truly breaking.

June 11, 2006

Thanks! I think everything we post helps. I just wish I would have found this

group earlier. The more I find that's beneficial, the more I'll post.

Always,

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Thanks

for posting the links. There is one that I am going to add and

that is the " Rxlist " . I looked at the ones you posted, I knew about

two of them but didn't realize Walmart had one also. I think it is

great to have so much information at our fingertips. Sometimes I

don't know what I would do without a computer now. When my husband

was on IV medication...it was easy to find those drugs and know their

reactions,etc right away.

__________________________________________________

June 13, 2006

Hopefully they will one day pin point what it is that's in coffee that helps

protect the liver from damage and then develop better treatments.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Thanks

for posting that article. I guess it isn't so far fetched.

They are finding out now that people who have colitis should use

nicotine to help it. It is surprising to know that some things

we think should not be used may actually be beneficial if used

within reason.

__________________________________________________

August 9, 2006

Thanks!

I will...and on that note, I hope that everyone is doing well.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: That

was very interesting... if you have more, please post.

Too much of a good thing, really isn't good when it comes to

what we eat....but what we can learn from, is something we never get

tired of hearing and wanting more of.

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August 12, 2006

anijann wrote: Did your wife give you

> the legal rights to speak for her if she wasn't able?

I didn't need to under the current HIPPA laws. As a spouse you can

automatically advocate for your spouse.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

MaC

>

> How many years did you know that your wife had cirrhosis?

> You seem to be well informed on it, so I believe you have

> been studying about it a long time. What did the doctors

> say about transplantation to you? Did your wife give you

> the legal rights to speak for her if she wasn't able?

>

September 16, 2006

My sil is a huge naturopath person and does these cleanses and swears by

them, I belong to a group that has recipes and yes they are basic recipes, but

she said she got all kind of gallstones and things to pass that were nasty

looking and she stopped having issues after using these things, I would not say

it is not a cure but maybe would make you feel better for short term? I'm

going to try some of them on my husband because the recipe ones is all natural

and not something I would " buy " so I would know what was going in it and

nothing would hurt him.

MArlene

October 7, 2006

You're right about the process being political. Most people never realize or

see all the bureaucracy that goes on in a hospital. Anyway, as far as my course,

I went to Keesler AFB for a one week course in personnel management. It was a

good course and I had a wonderful time but it was sad seeing all the destruction

of the gulf coast that was left from Katrina.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote:

Always enjoy your posts. You said you are taking a course.

Do you mind if I ask what kind?

I have to say that I'm not an expert, but the more I learn about

this disease, the more I have come to understand how serious it is

and how fragile life is.

An article I read this morning mentioned that the transplant centers

have to meet a certain number of transplants done a year. They

stressed that the surgeons perform more so they keep their skills

active, advance more in the knowledge of how to perform them and

what other options may become available, to perform them better.

They say many transplant centers are not meeting these numbers and

they are thinking of eliminiating them or lowering the expected

required number of transplants done. It really showed me the

political side of this.

When I asked our Transplant Surgeon

why the advancement, of what they are doing there, ( with performing

a Triple Swap kidney transplant, so more lives could be saved ),

wasn't advancing to other areas...he said, " its politics...if they

could get pass the politics, other areas would jump at the

chance of doing operations like this. " They, themselves, have

done at least eight of them and probably more now and have been

successful in saving peoples lives who might of not had a

kidney transplant otherwise. One of the ladies had a very

rare blood type, and by this process, was finally able to have

a transplant she probably would not of gotten.

The surgeons are doing the best they can...but things are placed on a

chopping block so everyone can theorize what they think of

it, and whether it will work, and whether or not anyone else should

do it...to the point that many people are dying in the process

of it all. Public opinion is very important in these circumstances.

So the surgeons try to make everything they do or find, public, so

they have someone stand behind them, to push it forward in

development and research.

I have learned alot from talking to families who have someone

with the disease and the patients themselves. It gives me more

information than what I would read in textbooks and brings

what I know to real life. I find I learn the most from others

who have " other " medical conditions, and how it interacts with the

liver problem. It really shows me that there is a lot of room for

error, and it is humans trying to help other humans, and it brings

everything down to earth. Like I said, It shows me how fragile life

really is.

I would love to view a real life transplant operation myself. To

be right there watching them do the surgery and seeing first

hand more of the amazing body we have, would be terrific. It would

be so much better than waiting in the waiting room.

Thanks for adding more information to follow up my last post.

It is beyond belief how the brain controls the functions of the

human body and the communications of the body. It makes you

realize that someone had to create it all, that it was in no

way left up to chance like many believe. Some have this big bang

theory about how the universe was created...but if you think about

that also, who made the " power " and forces for the big bang to

happen, if it did?

Well, better end here...I'm yakking my head off again.

Best wishes with your course...hope you top it off.

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November 4, 2006

Hi,

I have liver disease as well as psoriasis. Both can cause intense itching.

I use benadryl or atarex for itching. They are antihistamines. You might also

try Sarna cream or some of the other creams that you would use to treat allergic

reactions or a skin disorder. The aterax.has something for calming purposes as

well, and has to be prescribed by a doctor. Benadryl is over the counter. You

might ask the pharmacist for other topical creams with an anti-itch

agent,(which is what Sarna Cream is), that would be good for itching. They do

help.

I hope he gets some relief soon.

Judy

abijann <no_reply > wrote:

Mac...Thanks for the information...I'm going to have to look

into this histamine as I never heard of that being the case

before this...in alot of ways it makes sense..

Anti-histamines are usually used when someone has an allergic

reaction and the body releases histamines which causes

inflammation and make someone miserable. If the toxin building

up causes a reaction like this, this could possible be a step

in the right direction.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the

world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

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November 26, 2006

Thank you for your reply MaC, I really appreciate it.

My sis isnt drinking anymore ( that I know of) she s too weak to get out of

the house to get any. I realize she needs pain meds but I was told they were

weening her off the vicodin to go onto a more liver friendly med but they sent

her home with vicodin & I know she cant control herself with them.( or anything

else for that matter) she was a drinking alcoholic intill her first

hospitalization.

I don't know if her sluggishness & sleepiness is from her illnesses or from

over medicating herself? What exactly are the symptoms of encephel? whats the

word ?

( please excuse my brain fog, I get it from the fibromyalgia)

I was told that ALL of her problems were due to the Hep C. Even the PH. Which

in turn caused the right heart failure. Drinking & drugging didn't help but I m

more concerned about how to help her now, not bashing her for her past behavior

( I ve been sober 17 yrs ) I ve read some of your past posts & I think you

understand. ( i m sorry about your wife)

I was told that she s not even a candidate for Hep C med treatment, due to

her heart probs & drinking history,so I assumed a transplant is out of the

question. I know she s dying. I m trying to help, so I really appreciate your

insite, I ve never been thru something like this. The ICU doc told me if she

does EVERYTHING PERFECTLY she could last 5 yrs????? ( I know that s not gonna

happen, she cant control herself)

We are signing her up for SSDI but we know how long that can take, I know, I

m disabled. I ll call her social worker & see if they can offer some help. Mom

was supposed to call the united way but Mom doesnt seem to be able to do

anything lately ( she s so stressed, I dont think she remembers)

Since she s been out of the hospital she hasnt been coherent enough to even

make an appt with her doctor. I ve offered to go with her to appts but she s in

so much denial, she doesnt realize WE KNOW ABOUT THE DRINKING & THE DRUGS. so

she wont let anyone go with her. Its very frustrating.

They did a liver biopsy & she does have cirrhosis, I dont know how bad. The

PH is severe. She s on oxygen 24/7. Has ascites in her belly & adema in her

legs, plus the weeping sores, bleeds easily,is confused & not acting like

herself, nauseated, dark urine, reddish skin color ( the hands are the worst) &

sleeps all the time now.

If you have any idea s on how to make this easier on her & my family please

let me know, I know theres no easy way to deal with this but any insite is

helpful. & what should my mom be looking for, in the way of symptoms that she

should be seen for? We dont even know that. But if we knew what to look for we

could get her in by ambulance.

thank you very much MaC

hugs,

I co own a yahoo group, based on chronic pain patients trying to help their

pain with humor. I thank god for these groups, its one way I can reach out

without the pain of leaving my house.

MaC wrote:

I read this portion of an article online about right sided heart

failure. Did the doctors say whether the heart problem was causing the

kidney and liver problems? This happens with right sided heart

failure. Did they say if your sister was a candidate for a heart

transplant? If you are not with your sister when she goes to the

doctor, see if you could. Someone may need to advocate for her.

MaC

The information below is just that information.

****Predominant right-sided heart failure****

Ascites, congestive hepatomegaly, and anasarca due to elevated

right-sided heart pressures transmitted backward into the portal vein

circulation may result in increased abdominal girth and epigastric and

right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain.

Other gastrointestinal symptoms, owing to congestion of the hepatic

and gastrointestinal venous circulation, include anorexia, bloating,

nausea, and constipation.

In preterminal heart failure, inadequate bowel perfusion can cause

abdominal pain, distention, and bloody stools.

Distinguishing right-sided CHF from hepatic failure is often

clinically difficult.

Dyspnea, prominent in LV failure, becomes less prominent in isolated

right-sided heart failure because of the absence of pulmonary

congestion. On the other hand, when cardiac output becomes markedly

reduced in patients with terminal right-sided heart failure (as may

occur in isolated RV infarction and in the late stages of primary

pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary thromboembolic disease), severe

dyspnea may occur as a consequence of the reduced cardiac output, poor

perfusion of respiratory muscles, hypoxemia, and metabolic acidosis.

************

* In patients with CHF, the risk of cardiac sudden death from

ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation is

considerable, and the degree of risk is correlated with the degree of

decompensation and the degree of LV dysfunction. Recognition of the

role of ventricular arrhythmias and advances in their treatment have

resulted in decreased mortality rates in individuals with CHF.

*** Progressive renal insufficiency due to decreased renal blood flow

and GFR are common in patients with long-standing CHF.

*** Liver dysfunction due to passive hepatic congestion is

particularly common in patients with right-sided CHF with elevated

right ventricular (RV) pressure that is transmitted back into the

portal vein.

Mild jaundice, mild abnormalities in coagulation, and derangements in

liver metabolism of medications, some of which are used in the

treatment of heart failure, may result from this liver dysfunction.

Toxic levels of medications such as warfarin, theophylline, phenytoin,

and digoxin can result from delayed liver metabolic clearance of these

drugs in the presence of decompensated CHF, thereby leading to

potentially fatal bleeding, cardiac dysrhythmias, and neurologic

abnormalities.

love ya

November 26, 2006

You are in a tough situation. Our doctor told my wife that she could live to 52

if she would stop drinking. Another said a year. 2 1/2 months later she passed

away. So it's hard to say. I do know that if you have cirrhosis and acites

(swelling in the abdomin) along with swelling in the legs, heart problems and

renal problems, the prognosis is dire. She should probably be in a hospital now.

Encephalopathy has five stages.

0) Minimal behavioral or memory changes

1)Short attention span, lack of awareness, mild confusion.

2)Lethargy, disorientation,slurred speech, obvious changes in personality.

3) Unable to perform mental taks, disorientated about place and time, occasional

fits of rage, incomprehensible speech.

4) Coma

People can go back and forth into different stages at anytime. Also if the cause

of the encephalopathy is removed it can be completely reveresable.

Someone needs to check on your sister daily. Whether it be a family member,

friend or a neighbor. Her condition can worsen at anytime. Abijaan, mentioned

hospice. This might be a good avenue for her if it's available to you.

On a personal level. I would just talk to her and tell how much you care and

love her. Call her on the phone if you can't go there. She may not be telling

everyone the whole story because of guilt. Let her know that the past is water

under the bridge and let her feel comforted that she's loved. If she's having

problems picking up medicine, see if you could do that for her. (She should be

taking lactilose for the encephalopathy) Maybe have your local meals on wheels

bring her a hot meal.

Maybe look into a counselor coming by to see her. She may need help realizing

that these are her end days. She probably has a world of emotions she's trying

to get through. That may be the reason she chose to cope with drugs or alcohol.

It's not as easy for some to deal with the emotion and reality of dying.

Let her know you are there for her and that you love her. See if you can get

your number on her speed dial or somthing similiar. That way if ther's an

emergency and she's confused and doesn't remember how to dial the complete

number she can just press a single digit. Maybe color the speed dial with finger

nail polish so it's easy to see if her eyes become blurred.

Lastly,

If her mental ability is impaired enough to call 911 or save her own life and

there is no one that can watch over her, then you can see about getting social

services involved to see if she can be placed into a medical facility. But what

drove me to bring my wife to the hospital was that she kept falling asleep and

couldn't stay awake then became very confused. (Couldn't find the bathroom,

didn't know where she was). I hope some of this helps you in any tiny way.

MaC

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December 8, 2006

I'm sorry you couldn't view it. It was very informative. :-(

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Thank

you for posting that.. I cannot view it. We have dial up

and also a very old computer with Windows 98. I am surprised if

I'm even able to get on here to post. We tried to get broadband,

they have it over in town, but we live far back in and way off

the main road so it is doubtful that we will ever be able to get

that.

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December 19, 2006

Thanks a bunch!

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote:

Cannot answer all your questions as now...since I'm waiting for

an important phone call....here is some information:

Cholesterol is needed in the body for the all cell membranes and it

stabilizes the function of the membrane and facilitates in across,

membrane transport. It is also required for biosynthesis of hormones

(steriods) and for the synthesis of BILE ACIDS , of which, the bile

acids are crucial for the absorption of dietary fat in the small

intestines.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are " insoluble " particles and must be

packaged into lipoproteins such as LDL and HDL, in order to circulate

in the plasma of the blood.

LDL is the main " carrier " of circulating cholesterol within the

body. LDL carries the majority of the cholesterol in the blood

plasma to the cells and tissues. LDL is known as an atherogenic

lipoprotein particle. Small, dense LDL is thought to be more

susceptible to oxidative modification and more toxic to the vascular

endothelium which results in immunologic and inflammatory events in

the arterial wall contributingto atheroscleosis. The LDL is taken up

by the " receptors " on the cells, free cholesterol is released and the

cholesterol accumulates within the cells.

There are also other high atherogenic lipoproteins such as VLDL and

IDL. All of these are also known as NON-HDL cholesterol.

HDL is used to remove and transport the cholesterol from the (LDL)

atherogenic lipoproteins and the tissues (cells) and " return "

it to the liver. The HDL particles are then sythesized and

catabolized in the liver and intestines. Lecithin is a circulating

enzyme that helps the HDL particle take up the cholesterol. There

are subclasses of HDL particles, including HDL2 and HDL3.

The HDL is associated with decreased in heart disease or protective.

When there is a problem with patients genetics, there maybe a lack

of LDL " receptors " on the cells (that is what accepts the LDL so the

cholesterol can be freed, then there is a rise in cholesterol levels

( which is known as hypercholesterolemia...hyper mean high or up and

emia means blood) in the blood. There may be a problem with an

enzyme deficiency or an over production or lack of clearance of

the lipoprotein particles which can cause dyslipidemia .

Dyslipidemia can also occur because of certain medication, defects in

metabolism and other medical conditions. Whenever there is a

impaired clearance of LDL, there is greater increase of cholesterol

in the arteries. Some of the disease that can cause this

complication are diabetes, OBSTRUCTIVE LIVER DISEASE, and

hypothyroidism. Lifestyles can also affect this if patients take in

alot of saturated fats or have a sedentary life style.

Medications such as thiazide diuretic and steroids can also cause

this to happen.

There is significance in the fact that mos, if not al,l Statin drugs

that are used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood can have an

effect on the liver. They can elevate the liver function enzymes.

Physicians have to check blood work at regular intervals to

determine if a patient should remain on these drugs....some of these

drugs are Zocor, Pravachol, Lipator, etc.

I hope this is of some help in understanding cholesterol. If I find

I have more information on it, I will post it later.

__________________________________________________

December 19, 2006

Thanks Abijann,

I think what I read was that sometimes doctors overlook high cholesterol as an

indicator to liver problems, or don't check for liver problems because of high

cholesterol. So I was curious as to the relation.

Thanks again,

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote:

Cholesterol is made in the liver. When you do not receive enough

cholesterol for the cells of the body, the liver will make up the

difference. A cholesterol diet can be found on the web. It

usually consists of avoiding saturated fats, like red meats and

milk and milk products. A person on this diet, should drink a lot

of liquids so that the kidneys are able to flush out any particles

of cholesterol and eliminate it. Otherwise, a stone formation

could develop inside the kidney and cause serious, painful problems.

People usually loose weight on this diet. Gallstones are sometime

known to be cholesterol stones also and can develop because of

weight loss...so this is more to think about. I do know that stones

from the gallbladder can move into the biliary tubes and block the

bile from flowing to the intestines and can also block the pancreatic

enzymes. This obstruction can cause the bile to back up into the

liver and cause damage that can lead to cirrhosis. The doctors can

usually remove the stone during an ERCP procedure.

If you come across information on a direct effect that cholesterol

may have to the liver, please let me know what you have found.

I'm always interested in learning.

People are usually placed on a cholesterol diet first before they

are put on medication. (A family history of heart problems and

cholesterol will give a clue.) This gives the physician a good idea

if it may be from genetic reasons or food sources. Why?

Because if it is genetics, the cholesterol level will go down some

but not much or not enough...if it is from food sources, it should

start dropping right away and being on the diet will keep it at a

lower level and they may not need medication unless they start

eatting the way they once did.

I am glad I could be of some help. Maybe others on here can add

to it. If I find info on the web that may help...I will post it.

__________________________________________________

December 20, 2006

I think I may be blurring the lines between high cholesterol and fatty liver and

for some reason in my mind linking the both of them together. Which, may not be

the case. But you did provide excellent information and I'm glad I can always

bounce things off of you. Also have you heard there is a company coming out

with a medicine that will help prevent renal failure in patients with liver

failure and I believe is pending FDA approval. That will be good news for people

awaiting transplants.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: I

went back and read again your first post. Most of what you

asked, I cannot answer. The diet probably reverses the

lipolytics defects and the regurgitation of biliary lipids into the

plasma and the deficiency of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase

which is the enzyme that esterifies cholesterol. I have no idea

if it is in anyway connected to causing cirrhosis except for

what I have stated in the previous posts. I don't know of any

studies besides the heart studies done to determine the very

bad effects of cholesterol levels going up extremely out of control.

I'm wondering if this was ever studied for the liver. It probably

was and I cannot find information on it. If you find it, please

post it.

__________________________________________________

December 22, 2006

The system can be encrypted so only those authorized could log in. This would

limit exposure. Also, the Pharmacist wouldn't have access to the members

complete medical record. You could also not use a SSN and replace that with a

patient ID number to prevent identity theft. So when the pharmacist logs in,

they would only see the prescription. Since this would be web based, the

information can be stored in different locations so if a PC was stolen they

would not have any information since none was saved on the hard drive.

P.S. I am young, sort of, 38...(today)

And....you did make me smile!

I've never been described in a 46 word paragraph before, but you did it well.

kev

You are young, in the service, love to learn, love to be with

people, have a good sense of humor, are in your 30's, are

organized in your thoughts, like a challenge, like to read and

be informed, and take things as they come.....don't answer.

..............no smiling or ;-)laughing either.

__________________________________________________

December 22, 2006

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---- MaC wrote:

> The system can be encrypted so only those authorized could log in. This would

limit exposure. Also, the Pharmacist wouldn't have access to the members

complete medical record. You could also not use a SSN and replace that with a

patient ID number to prevent identity theft. So when the pharmacist logs in,

they would only see the prescription. Since this would be web based, the

information can be stored in different locations so if a PC was stolen they

would not have any information since none was saved on the hard drive.

>

> P.S. I am young, sort of, 38...(today)

> And....you did make me smile!

> I've never been described in a 46 word paragraph before, but you did it well.

> kev

>

> You are young, in the service, love to learn, love to be with

> people, have a good sense of humor, are in your 30's, are

> organized in your thoughts, like a challenge, like to read and

> be informed, and take things as they come.....don't answer.

> ..............no smiling or ;-)laughing either.

>

> __________________________________________________

>

December 23, 2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEV ( MaC) !!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with abijanns description, your also very loving & compassionit. I

sincerely hope you can enjoy your holidays & keep living life like you are. Your

a good man.

My hospital & clinic are already internet connected, I dont think they use

SSI numbers, just patient ID # So your idea is very good. I went in last week

for a saliva gland stone ( very painful ! )They had all my records available (

the 3 book version LOL) They also double checked everything with me personally.

( the stone finally passed, no incredible inflatable face for xmas WOOHOO! but

the kids were looking forward to seeing it LOL it s amazing what the human body

can do)

I ve been listening to the Manahein (sp?) & TransSiberian Orchestra Xmas

music this week. If you like different types of music, try them too. The beetles

are great. No ie here thu.

warm hugs,

yes, you can call me tilly but only my mom calls me that. I used to

be a busy busy little gal & my nickname was tilly titmouse ( a busy little bird)

Now, with the fibro, they call me turtle or Pirate Turtle when I have to wear my

eye patch arrrrrrrr LOL= Laughing Out Loud

MaC wrote:

The system can be encrypted so only those authorized could log in.

This would limit exposure. Also, the Pharmacist wouldn't have access to the

members complete medical record. You could also not use a SSN and replace that

with a patient ID number to prevent identity theft. So when the pharmacist logs

in, they would only see the prescription. Since this would be web based, the

information can be stored in different locations so if a PC was stolen they

would not have any information since none was saved on the hard drive.

P.S. I am young, sort of, 38...(today)

And....you did make me smile!

I've never been described in a 46 word paragraph before, but you did it well.

kev

You are young, in the service, love to learn, love to be with

people, have a good sense of humor, are in your 30's, are

organized in your thoughts, like a challenge, like to read and

be informed, and take things as they come.....don't answer.

...............no smiling or ;-)laughing either.

__________________________________________________

December 23, 2006

Thanks!!!

THOMAS WITT wrote: HAPPY

BIRTHDAY KEV ( MaC) !!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with abijanns description, your also very loving & compassionit. I

sincerely hope you can enjoy your holidays & keep living life like you are. Your

a good man.

My hospital & clinic are already internet connected, I dont think they use

SSI numbers, just patient ID # So your idea is very good. I went in last week

for a saliva gland stone ( very painful ! )They had all my records available (

the 3 book version LOL) They also double checked everything with me personally.

( the stone finally passed, no incredible inflatable face for xmas WOOHOO! but

the kids were looking forward to seeing it LOL it s amazing what the human body

can do)

I ve been listening to the Manahein (sp?) & TransSiberian Orchestra Xmas

music this week. If you like different types of music, try them too. The beetles

are great. No ie here thu.

warm hugs,

yes, you can call me tilly but only my mom calls me that. I used to

be a busy busy little gal & my nickname was tilly titmouse ( a busy little bird)

Now, with the fibro, they call me turtle or Pirate Turtle when I have to wear my

eye patch arrrrrrrr LOL= Laughing Out Loud

MaC wrote:

The system can be encrypted so only those authorized could log in.

This would limit exposure. Also, the Pharmacist wouldn't have access to the

members complete medical record. You could also not use a SSN and replace that

with a patient ID number to prevent identity theft. So when the pharmacist logs

in, they would only see the prescription. Since this would be web based, the

information can be stored in different locations so if a PC was stolen they

would not have any information since none was saved on the hard drive.

P.S. I am young, sort of, 38...(today)

And....you did make me smile!

I've never been described in a 46 word paragraph before, but you did it well.

kev

You are young, in the service, love to learn, love to be with

people, have a good sense of humor, are in your 30's, are

organized in your thoughts, like a challenge, like to read and

be informed, and take things as they come.....don't answer.

..............no smiling or ;-)laughing either.

__________________________________________________

December 28, 2006

Thanks for the kind words. She just turned 5 on the 26th. My Birthday is the

22nd so December is a busy month! I would like to applaud all those single

Mom's who raise a family by themselves. It is hard work and my hat goes off to

them.

I try my best and life can get very busy around the house trying to juggle many

things at once. But, she is a beautiful daughter who I love immensely. I hope I

do all the right things but I know I'll make mistakes. And I'm sure I probably

spoil her to much as well! :-)

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Mac,

those pictures are lovely. I'm glad you posted them.

How is your little girl doing now? How old is she?

My Dad raised me, also, because my mother died very suddenly

of a cerebral hemmorhage. I fiqured out how old he was,

because I was posting this and it came to mind. He was 35 years.

It was difficult for him in alot of ways...it was humorous, too,

some of the things he did because he tried so hard to do the

right thing and explain things to me. He said a number of

times how he wish my mother was here to do this. I was very

fortunate to have such a loving man take care of me...he did

everything because he cared so much. I'm sure your daughter

feels the same way about you.

__________________________________________________

December 28, 2006

She received many gifts on both days. We had a birthday party for her on the

26th and just invited cousins her age to come and play. But it will definitely

be much harder to plan things when she gets older.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Wow!

two birthdays and a holiday...you must be really swamped.

How do you handle her birthday being so close to a holiday where

they receive lots of gifts? Do you save one for that day or

how do you make it special?

__________________________________________________

December 28, 2006

Thanks,

Interesting article. Note side effects noted in treatment with statins was

myositis and peripheral neuropathies.

The charm pendent you mentioned in the separate post was actually brought up by

my Mom also. We also have started a tradition of putting an Angel on the

Christmas tree each year in remembrance.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Thank

you for the links.

They must use it now for detoxification purposes. I was surprise

to learn that they considered it such a good test for liver

function and the way they made it sound, it could eliminate the

need for liver biopsy. It seems to have disappeared from being

used or it is unreliable to use since people consume caffeine

all the time and it is hard to get the correct results. Almost

sounds like they would have to watch the patient maybe in a

hospital setting to be sure they would be clear of any in the

body system before the test is done. I'm just guessing as

usual.

Anyhow, on the first site you posted...There is a section up

above with drop down boxes and one of them says articles.

My memory can't remember what section it has this in its

drop down box and I cannot go back to it without losing what

I posted here. Anyhow, if you find it and click where it say

articles...in the article section under Fats...it has an

article there on Fatty Acids and cholesterol and Statins which

lower cholesterol. I thought you might like to look at that.

If you cannot find it, tell me and I will try to post the

link to get you there.

__________________________________________________

December 29, 2006

I don't think they would ever replace a biopsy but maybe the tests were thought

to be a way of seeing how well the liver was detoxifying thus giving a better

picture of it's overall function. But since there are better and better blood

tests and scans to do this, this particular test never found popularity among

doctors.

But I agree, for it to completely work you would have to be in a hospital

setting.

And, since it looks like detoxification sites are using it, it may be an

indication that it may not be healthy or prudent to just go out and do a liver

cleanse or a detoxification process without knowing if your liver can handle it.

Since it takes the body longer to clear some toxins than others, I would assume,

you wouldn't want to " bombard " your liver by freeing toxins all at once.

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: Thank

you for the links.

They must use it now for detoxification purposes. I was surprise

to learn that they considered it such a good test for liver

function and the way they made it sound, it could eliminate the

need for liver biopsy. It seems to have disappeared from being

used or it is unreliable to use since people consume caffeine

all the time and it is hard to get the correct results. Almost

sounds like they would have to watch the patient maybe in a

hospital setting to be sure they would be clear of any in the

body system before the test is done. I'm just guessing as

usual.

Anyhow, on the first site you posted...There is a section up

above with drop down boxes and one of them says articles.

My memory can't remember what section it has this in its

drop down box and I cannot go back to it without losing what

I posted here. Anyhow, if you find it and click where it say

articles...in the article section under Fats...it has an

article there on Fatty Acids and cholesterol and Statins which

lower cholesterol. I thought you might like to look at that.

If you cannot find it, tell me and I will try to post the

link to get you there.

__________________________________________________

January 4, 2007

I'm not just talking about herbs, althought Milk Thistle or silymarin, seems to

be the most popular liver supplement. I think because it is completely non

toxic. But the ones that occur naturally by the body. Like, Lecithin, Alpha

Lipoic Acid, etc. which are antioxidants. Or other nutrients that support/aid

the amino acid processes like, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Taurine,

Methionine/S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe),etc.

Basically, I hear all the bad things for the liver but never things that are

good for liver function besides what a doctor prescribes. Everything I listed is

produced by the body because of a certain function. The body produces some of

these because of what we eat or how the liver functions. Most people, I feel

probably needs more of these nutrients to bring them to a level of a " healthy "

individual.

Now, this information is based on a lot of reading " stuff " . No one will say it's

scientifically proven to do anything. Which I think is a safe thing to say if

your selling supplements or recommending them. But, After spending months

reading information on these, I've come to the conclusion that there is some

truth in the results across the board. Which leads me to believe that if these

are natural occurring nutrients, it would be beneficial to take them. The only

problem is " how much " is beneficial.

Abijaan, if you still know anyone on the medical side of the house, can you pose

the question if taking these supplements do benefit the liver? I would assume

that antioxidants wouldn't be excluded nor natural nutrients that promote the

liver processes.

Am I off base?

MaC

abijann <no_reply > wrote: We

tried herbs when we first knew about the cirrhosis, wanting to

find some miracle cure. I believe we did more harm than good.

Milk Thistle is one we never tried. I have read that for

healthy people, it is good, but they were not sure exactly why.

Healthy people can usually adjusted much better to medication.

Therefore the doctors usually order the standard, recommended

doses.

With patients, this isn't so...it has to be adjusted according

to each condition they have and have to be watched closely

that interactions or allergic reactions happen.

With transplant patients, anything that would set off the

immune system response is totally avoided...patient don't

know what that is, but the transplant surgeon and his team does.

I don't know what all transplant patients are told, but we were

told that we were not to take anything, PERIOD, without either

the doctor we went to or we called ourselves and asked if it

was okay to take. We needed their authorization to do so.

There is too much at stake not to. You have to watch how the

drugs might work with the anti-rejection drugs, you have to

be sure the patient won't have some negative reaction to the

drug since this would make the immune system respond, you

have to be sure the doctors have a chance to weigh the pros

and cons of taking the drugs against what they know about all

your medical conditions, and you don't want to shock the

liver and place it in a more stressful way. I know that there

are alot more reasons than what I stated...

I should do more research to see if I can find more about it...

so far the only thing I have found is that it has some chemical

that helps the liver.

I wonder if anyone here is taking it also and how they feel

on it.

__________________________________________________

January 5, 2007

We tried herbs when we first knew about the cirrhosis, wanting to

> find some miracle cure. I believe we did more harm than good.

> Milk Thistle is one we never tried. I have read that for

> healthy people, it is good, but they were not sure exactly why.

>

> Healthy people can usually adjusted much better to medication.

> Therefore the doctors usually order the standard, recommended

> doses.

> With patients, this isn't so...it has to be adjusted according

> to each condition they have and have to be watched closely

> that interactions or allergic reactions happen.

> With transplant patients, anything that would set off the

> immune system response is totally avoided...patient don't

> know what that is, but the transplant surgeon and his team does.

> I don't know what all transplant patients are told, but we were

> told that we were not to take anything, PERIOD, without either

> the doctor we went to or we called ourselves and asked if it

> was okay to take. We needed their authorization to do so.

> There is too much at stake not to. You have to watch how the

> drugs might work with the anti-rejection drugs, you have to

> be sure the patient won't have some negative reaction to the

> drug since this would make the immune system respond, you

> have to be sure the doctors have a chance to weigh the pros

> and cons of taking the drugs against what they know about all

> your medical conditions, and you don't want to shock the

> liver and place it in a more stressful way. I know that there

> are alot more reasons than what I stated...

>

> I should do more research to see if I can find more about it...

> so far the only thing I have found is that it has some chemical

> that helps the liver.

>

> I wonder if anyone here is taking it also and how they feel

> on it.

>

>Hi to everyone nad Happy New Year,

Had to say a few words on " supplements " .As a reminder my husband was

diagnosed with cirrhosis in September(last stage-ascites)so we are

dealing with his condition for four months.

Now i have to tell you a story:

1986- My sister's father in law was chronic alchocolic and was

diagnosed with cirrhosis,decompensated,couldn't manage ascites anymore

so they were draining it twice a week,he spent a lot of time in

hospital.Finally he was realeased to go home and " die " .Three months

was life expectancy.

For a hundreds of years a " non denatured liquid whey " was famous for

it's ability to regenerate a liver.So doctor said go home and try it

and also a yarrow tea.He was over 50 years old at the time.His diet

was mostly liquid whey,whole grain bread and fresh made cheese.Which

he did for a whole year(surprise- he didn't died after three months).

Don't have to say that he is still alive,his wife died three years

ago???The most interesting part is coming-he stopped drinking only for

that year that he was on a diet???My sister told me that he was later

even drinking " rubbing alcohol " (when he had no other).What

happened?Seems that he made himself new liver???I want you take this

with caution-I'm just telling the story all we are different so what

worked for him doesn't mean that will work for all.

Now,let me tell you about my husband-he started drinking liquid whey

in October(my kitchen is cheese plant)and we found raw milk in

York,PA(it's illegal in Virginia).So far my husband is doing

fine,working 10 hours shifts as an electrician(doesn't sit in office).

Most remarkable change was in his AFP tumor markers-they dropped from

124 to 13 and last was only 10!!!His proteins were high in September

and came into normal(his last lab was in Nonvember),alkaline

phosphates are normal also(they were really high before).His meld

score came from 19 to 18,highest billirubin was 4.2 and last was

3.6.Albumin is still low and his ferritin levels hig also.His serum

iron is now normal and saturated iron is little down from

previous.Beside a liquid whey my husband eat healthy-raw juices

daily,vegetables,a lot of fruit also.He has a very good appetite,no

ascites(he is on low sodium diet,two bowels a day(no laxatives) and

working without any problems which is very important.

Next labs will be in a next couple of weeks so will see.It might be

worse-we don't know.But at least it keeps his energy levels at this

transition time before transplant.My husband has hepatitis C(it's

still there so he still has underlying cause)and also high

ferritin.Alcohol caused cirrhosis should be easier(in my opinion)to

deal with.You can check about liquid whey and it's abilities.I'm

against any of the products on market as herbal supplements(with any

of these other chemicals are involved).Liquid whey is just natural

supplement made from raw milk.

Take care /Elvira

>

> __________________________________________________

>

January 5, 2007

That is great news! I will have to read up on that. Please let us know how the

next appt goes! I'm eager to see how his next labs do.

MaC

elvirajakovac wrote: -