Happy re-birthday!

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To B - 3/16/05

From the archives of 2005 (13 days post-transplant!)

Dear psc group this is b i just had my liver transplant the wednesday before last. Im 26 ive had psc ffrom when i was 15 and so far i feel ok . I was fortunate to get a 68 year old woman's liver in great condition rip to her she had died of a brain hemmorage. Recovery has been an ordeal but not as bad as i thought. The staples and the incision wounds are killing me i take percasate (sorry cant spell). its such a long story if people are interested to read it i feel i want to tell my story to inspire younger people like in my age group from teenager to adulthood that i feel what your going through. i recieved the call the wednesday before last it was 530 am and im on the pc reading yall posts. My mom comes in and says call for you, i was in a daze my coordinator says we got a liver come to mount sani. So i took a shower and we raced to the hospital. They prepped me for surgery and belive me it was the longest wait i ever had i was nervous and everything. They said ok your healthy vitals and everything . They explained how it going to go , the anstheislogist came in by the time i had the whole routine they had on the or table basically getting me ready. Its the strangest thing they got you spread out like your on the cross and they just putting these long needles into your body. they wrap your feet with warm wraps. Mind you psc has taken a toll on me i went into surgery at 5ft9 155 so my veins are a pain. Then the surgery came it was 8 hours really 10 because it's a long process. I came out in the icu just sedated i had no breathing tube though so that suprised alot of people. I immediately just felt good i dunno the liver took a liking to my body. With psc it's a autoimmune disease , your body is trying to kill your own liver. Anyway i was in icu doctors came in and said everything is good except i was bleeding excessively so the next night they did another surgery thats when my family got worried 2 surgerys in 2 days omg! Even i was like yo ok this is serious. After i came through i was in icu for about 4 days then they moved up to a regular room with 4 people the mointor room. The mointor room is hard to explain basically your watched very closely but not like icu. Then i got my own room which was basically your gonna go home. On the day i was to be discharged guess what happens my stomach start bleeding and imma explain why i had a FULL liver transplant so they had to take the new liver and make a new bile duct and sew it into my intestine. they shortened my intestine basically so their was bleeding in that area . So they endoscoped me2 times, the 1 time to see where the bleeding was (totally painless) 2 time stopped it completely (painless). I ended up coming home sat night that just past. For the people who read this and and everybody in this psc group i just want to tell you its a tough recovery but once u get that new liver youll be happy, yea the hospital stay is hard i went through damn tranfusions got blood drawn for every which place (groin neck) collapsed veins, mom looking at me crying and worried. My family was suffering, but i tell you what drove me faith in god and that will that once as a psc patient that new liver will give you a whole new life. As of now im 5ft9 138 ive lost weight but hey its only been 2 weeks my liver is perfect , im happy, still weak u know (after surgery) man lol walking 2 steps is a struggle but ig et stronger everyday. The last thing i want to say is to all the younger people try to keep yourself healthy with psc, you never know when u might get that call. Thats what i did i tried to be strong and healthy as much as i could while i had psc and i think thats why i came out the hopsital so early. You may feel down but always keep a strong spirit. The main thing im happy about is im going to finish college i got an assocates right now, im going to be a teacher and i have a girlfriend and i hope to be married in 2 to 3 years. The biggest adjustment to having a new liver is the medication i take 11 tablets which eventually will be cut down in 3 to 6 months to maybe 3 or 4 becuase i dont have any history of any medical problems other than uc and psc. Also to all the guys that have psc the docotor told me trust me your gonna gain weight (i have psc yea im vain lol trying be underweight for 10 years) but anyway if anyone wants to know anything more contact me imma be home for 3 months so ill be on alot my yahoo name is irvgottti2002 yahoo messnger name.

B