Hey Herb... Yep, it's been a long journey for sure. 9 years with Liver disease, which I knew would eventually need a transplant. They estimated 5 years, I made it 9 before it got bad. Anywho, it went bad this summer and they put me on the program to get one. Apparently, it was a longer process than I expected, tests and more tests. I'm on the final leg of the wait, they estimate beginning of 2007 and I'll be in the OR getting one. Right now I just manage what I can and ry to stay strong for the surgery and finish my final education and testing. It's a lifelong commitment type surgery, anti rejection drugs for the rest of my life, diet, etc... The surgery takes about 10 hrs, then a 1 month hospital stay, 3 months in a medical transplant community to address complications as they arise and about 6-8 months of recovery at home. Total 1 yr recovery. They say the liver transplants are more stressful to the body than any other organ transplant (heart, kidney, lung, etc...)... It just takes forever to get the metabolism back to speed.
It is getting real near the end for me though, right now I have to go get about 20-25 lbs of fluid drained weekly off my abdomen (That’s around 10 liters that collects in there each week). Definitely gets uncomfortable at the end of each weekly cycle; like carrying around 3 full gallon jugs in my belly. They've drained almost 200 lbs in the past 2 months-ughhh!!! Nothing like getting a big fat qtip sized needle stuck in my belly and watching a tube drain into a vacuum bottle once a week. Hey, it feels great about 24 hrs later-all that weight gone for a couple days. That's about all I do know besides rest, diet and take all my meds. One of the meds helps alot, because it causes the colon to draw poison from the blood into it; the side effect is constant diarrhea though (but it does help clean out the blood some).
Just waiting for 2007 to get here and keeping my mind active and attitude positive. That's it, the secret to it.
Thanks for asking Herb and Stormi, appreciate the concern and friendship.
Mike :)