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end stage liver disease and blood loss

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Posted 8/10/2005 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, i am new to this but need help.  my husband is really at the end.  transplants are no longer possible.  his ammonia levels are fairly normal but he has needed a transfusion almost every other day for the last 2 1/2 weeks.  now he is refusing the transfusion, does anyone know approx. how long until he loses conciousness?  His hemoglobin is now at 7.5 and it was 9.5 on monday.

he refuses hospice care and is just beligerent.  basically refusing all care and concern.  and of course he is taking it all out on me.

by the way, it is alcoholic cirrohsis that he has.

thanks.

Posted 8/11/2005 4:49 AM (GMT 0)

Whittaker,

I am so sorry. This is so difficult for you, I know.

No one can, honestly, tell you what's going to happen next. It could be hours or days or weeks.

Do you have medical power of attorney? If so, you can have him hospitalized. Ammonia levels can get very high, very quickly as liver function deteriorates. This can cause unpredictable behavior.

Do you have anyone who can help you? You really shouldn't be alone. Maybe call a neighbor or family.

Please keep messaging.

Let us know what's going on, how you're both doing.

Posted 8/11/2005 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
thanks, i have been asking for help and people are supportive but only by phone. And, most people don't understand so that is why i thought i would see what people had to say here on this site. he just wants to get back to his regular hospital/doctors (we are out of town right now) and i want to get back to my life. we are now trying to figure out how to do this.

he did take the blood transfusion today so that should help strengthen him up a bit. And his ammonia levels are still fairly low for him. so if this can hold for a few days, we may be in luck.

I don't have medical power of attorney and now at this point he wouldn't give it to me.
Posted 8/11/2005 6:22 PM (GMT 0)

It's really hard to be sick and away from home.

We flew from Phoenix to Portland for transplant evaluation in May 2004. Mark was very, very ill and it was the worst week we'd had in a whole lot of bad weeks.

Maybe things will settle down a little, when you get home.

If you have any questions or just need to talk, please let us know.  There are a lot of great people here.

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