My partner Mike is 7 years and 2 days post liver transplant.
He was transplanted at Jackson hospital at the U Miami Transplant program after a long and difficult waiting period. His liver disease was complicated: He had Hep C from the late 1960s, alcoholic cirrhosis, liver cancer, and acquired hemachromatosis, AVMs that were bleeding in his small intestine, acquired diabetes, serious Hepatic Encephalopathy, failing kidneys, a bum heart valve, and...dangerously low platels that required transfustions, chronically low albumin, edema from his toes to his groin (no ascities in belly
, hair loss, muscle wasting, periodically dangerously low on sodium, lost 100 lbs in 3 years...okay you get it...we expected to lose him.
He did the 6 months alcohol free, actually LIVED, and was transplanted on May 1st, 2011. Since then he has has aortic valve replacement, 2 incisional hernia's repaired over his new liver, 7 or 8 orthopedic surgeries (back, elbow, shoulders), and still his kidneys are not good...but no dialysis yet. His kidney doc says she'd put him on a kidney transplant list if he was still doing so when if/when he went on dialysis. He has uncontrolled high blood pressure even though he is well medicated. But the diabetes just went away as did the hemachromatosis. His liver scans are good though his doc has worried out loud about
NASH as Mike has quickly regained about
half of the wt he lost. BUT...he is active, plays golf regularly, enjoys cooking, visiting with friends, getting out and about
. He walks about
an hour a day, works out 3 or 4 days a week...exercycle, light weights, lots of stretching..which incorporates the PT exercises from each of those surgeries...so I think he is on the right path.
He needs to take a bed rest each afternoon like before transplant, but he is active and resting mid day is fine with me. I'm old too. And I wish I could be as diligent about
the exercising as he is!!!
We have had 7 years we did not expect. These transplants don't work forever...but for now, we are doing well. Our website has lost 3 members who were transplanted about
the time Mike was...so that's a worry for sure.
Hope all in Hep land are doing well also.
Hugs,
Mama Lama