Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks so much for sharing! It's amazing what you've been through. So glad you are back to your best self. Ruth UC - 2000, Colectomy - 2007, PSC - 2008 > > I have been a member of this group for quite a few years and haven't > logged on in quite a while. I wanted to share a little of > my " success story " . > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks so much for sharing! It's amazing what you've been through. So glad you are back to your best self. Ruth UC - 2000, Colectomy - 2007, PSC - 2008 > > I have been a member of this group for quite a few years and haven't > logged on in quite a while. I wanted to share a little of > my " success story " . > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks so much for sharing! It's amazing what you've been through. So glad you are back to your best self. Ruth UC - 2000, Colectomy - 2007, PSC - 2008 > > I have been a member of this group for quite a few years and haven't > logged on in quite a while. I wanted to share a little of > my " success story " . > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Wonderful story - thank you for sharing it.Marie I have been a member of this group for quite a few years and haven't logged on in quite a while. I wanted to share a little of my "success story". In 2001, at the age of 50, I was diagnosed with PSC. My MELD score at that time was a 14. During the following years, I developed severe ascites, nose bleeds, severe ammonia levels, etc. I couldn't afford to not work, so I continued my employment as the Network Operations Manager at Fort Meade, however, during a three year period, I had three hernia surgeries (due to ascites), got to work, but couldn't remember my name or the date on three occasions (high ammonia levels), and on one occasion didn't make it home, ran out of gas, and was arrested while walking to get gas by a policeman who thought I was on drugs (high ammonia levels). On August 16th of 2007, my doorbell rang at 2:30 in the morning and it was the Harford County police saying that I needed to get to the University of land Medical Center within the hour to receive a liver transplant. I had no warning or no notice that I was that high up on the list .... I knew I was sick and getting sicker, I knew my MELD score was now a 25, but I had no prior notification. I received the liver transplant and after about a week I was able to at least walk with a walker in the hall of the hospital ... It was difficult but I could do it. After about two weeks, my tempature started to rise dramatically and my family was informed that I had 48 hours to live unless a new liver became available. Miraculously it did, and on September 8, of 2007, I received the new transplant. This time it was far more difficult to recover ... extreme swelling, low blood counts requiring transfusions, and it took me nearly two months to be able to walk. Although I can still remember the bad times, the days before, the difficult times in the hospital, the pain, the fear and all of that, my doctor, Dr Campos said that I wouldn't even remember the bad stuff in a year. It has now been a year, and he was almost right. I don't remember unless I specifically think about the "bad times" and I now continue life far better than I did as far back as 2002. I am back to work full-time and now realize how much I really was affected prior to the transplant. My mind is now fully back in the game ... you might think you are fully engaged at work as PSC and Cirrhosis worsens, but you may want to reconsider ... I swore that I was fully functional only now do I know that I was not. This is not intended to be a testimonial or to be a story of hope ... it is however as story that I would like to have been told during my bad times ... the times that I had given up hope. Please remember that someday your doorbell may also ring. Never give up. Get thousands of games on your PC, your mobile phone, and the web with Windows®. Game with Windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 Wonderful story - thank you for sharing it.Marie I have been a member of this group for quite a few years and haven't logged on in quite a while. I wanted to share a little of my "success story". In 2001, at the age of 50, I was diagnosed with PSC. My MELD score at that time was a 14. During the following years, I developed severe ascites, nose bleeds, severe ammonia levels, etc. I couldn't afford to not work, so I continued my employment as the Network Operations Manager at Fort Meade, however, during a three year period, I had three hernia surgeries (due to ascites), got to work, but couldn't remember my name or the date on three occasions (high ammonia levels), and on one occasion didn't make it home, ran out of gas, and was arrested while walking to get gas by a policeman who thought I was on drugs (high ammonia levels). On August 16th of 2007, my doorbell rang at 2:30 in the morning and it was the Harford County police saying that I needed to get to the University of land Medical Center within the hour to receive a liver transplant. I had no warning or no notice that I was that high up on the list .... I knew I was sick and getting sicker, I knew my MELD score was now a 25, but I had no prior notification. I received the liver transplant and after about a week I was able to at least walk with a walker in the hall of the hospital ... It was difficult but I could do it. After about two weeks, my tempature started to rise dramatically and my family was informed that I had 48 hours to live unless a new liver became available. Miraculously it did, and on September 8, of 2007, I received the new transplant. This time it was far more difficult to recover ... extreme swelling, low blood counts requiring transfusions, and it took me nearly two months to be able to walk. Although I can still remember the bad times, the days before, the difficult times in the hospital, the pain, the fear and all of that, my doctor, Dr Campos said that I wouldn't even remember the bad stuff in a year. It has now been a year, and he was almost right. I don't remember unless I specifically think about the "bad times" and I now continue life far better than I did as far back as 2002. I am back to work full-time and now realize how much I really was affected prior to the transplant. My mind is now fully back in the game ... you might think you are fully engaged at work as PSC and Cirrhosis worsens, but you may want to reconsider ... I swore that I was fully functional only now do I know that I was not. This is not intended to be a testimonial or to be a story of hope ... it is however as story that I would like to have been told during my bad times ... the times that I had given up hope. Please remember that someday your doorbell may also ring. Never give up. Get thousands of games on your PC, your mobile phone, and the web with Windows®. Game with Windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 -----Original message----- the > Network Operations Manager at Fort Meade, however, during a three > year period, I had three hernia surgeries (due to ascites), > Bob has appt. tomorrow to see about his hernia. I did not know ascites could be the cause. Any enlightenment would be appreciated. dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 I was taking 80 MG of Lasix everymorning to reduce the fluid levels however I still looked as if I was in my last month of pregnancy .. a former Marine ... always in shape ... and now so embarassed that I only wear shirts that would be loose fitting and not tucked in. Cirrhosis affects your stomach muscle tone and the swelling and fluid causes hernia's ... my first was an inguinal hernia and the surgery was somewhat uneventful although I was off of work for three weeks afterwards. The second was an inquinal on the other side, also an uneventful surgery ... out two weeks. The third was serious. it was an " belly Button " umbilical hernia that burst at work and I got an infection before or during surgery ... in hospital for a month. Lasix helped ... couldn't have made it without that prescription ... but it also started to affect my kidney function ... when reduced to 40MG the swelling got worse. At the time of my surgery, I was quite swollen with fluid and weighed about 240 ... prior to release from hospital after two liver transplants, weighed 163. Now, one year later weigh 190. I hope this helps ... Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 I was taking 80 MG of Lasix everymorning to reduce the fluid levels however I still looked as if I was in my last month of pregnancy .. a former Marine ... always in shape ... and now so embarassed that I only wear shirts that would be loose fitting and not tucked in. Cirrhosis affects your stomach muscle tone and the swelling and fluid causes hernia's ... my first was an inguinal hernia and the surgery was somewhat uneventful although I was off of work for three weeks afterwards. The second was an inquinal on the other side, also an uneventful surgery ... out two weeks. The third was serious. it was an " belly Button " umbilical hernia that burst at work and I got an infection before or during surgery ... in hospital for a month. Lasix helped ... couldn't have made it without that prescription ... but it also started to affect my kidney function ... when reduced to 40MG the swelling got worse. At the time of my surgery, I was quite swollen with fluid and weighed about 240 ... prior to release from hospital after two liver transplants, weighed 163. Now, one year later weigh 190. I hope this helps ... Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 I was taking 80 MG of Lasix everymorning to reduce the fluid levels however I still looked as if I was in my last month of pregnancy .. a former Marine ... always in shape ... and now so embarassed that I only wear shirts that would be loose fitting and not tucked in. Cirrhosis affects your stomach muscle tone and the swelling and fluid causes hernia's ... my first was an inguinal hernia and the surgery was somewhat uneventful although I was off of work for three weeks afterwards. The second was an inquinal on the other side, also an uneventful surgery ... out two weeks. The third was serious. it was an " belly Button " umbilical hernia that burst at work and I got an infection before or during surgery ... in hospital for a month. Lasix helped ... couldn't have made it without that prescription ... but it also started to affect my kidney function ... when reduced to 40MG the swelling got worse. At the time of my surgery, I was quite swollen with fluid and weighed about 240 ... prior to release from hospital after two liver transplants, weighed 163. Now, one year later weigh 190. I hope this helps ... Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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