Dear Gwen, Your situation sounds so familiar. My friend, Mary was diagnosed 2 years ago last July. At that time and for many months after I thought she was going to die within a few months. Actually,...
Dear Joann I'm so glad to hear your news. Take each day as it comes! Joan...
Dear Helper of Mankind, Your quote about brothers and sisters is so fine. I have a twin brother and two sisters. I love them dearly, but also love the distance we live from each other too. Dear Barb...
Lisa and all who wrote so far, My friend Mary continues to decline. I can't write about that right now but reading these posts made me feel a lot of love. We can always use some of that! Thanks. Joan...
Dear Clare, Even if she has been drinking, it's her decision. I would bet though that if she has truly been drinking she would have been hospitalized or extremely uncomfortable from it. My dear...
Hi HoM It's really hard watching someone you love do harmful things to themselves. I have a twin brother, we both just had our birthday Wednesday. He lives in another state, but I think of him all...
Hi Parisdr Mary just got listed Mar 27. We've done our share of waiting. Mary was also told to call hospice and that was 2 years ago. You sound calm and collected and that will serve you well in...
Dear Worried Girl, Connie's noting of the ism of alcoholism is right on. It seems like this is just happening to her, not you. As sweet as my friend, Mary is, I absolutely know that she is not aware...
Penny, As always, thanks for giving us hope and insight. Camping and fishing with your grandson sounds like the perfect thing for you guys to do! Joan...
Connie, Where do you go to get these forms or talk to someone about them? Would her doctor's office have these things? Thanks! You do a great job on here, girl! Joan...
I think if I was facing death I would be pretty irritable at times too! As Connie said, it is probably the ammonia levels. I lost both of my parents when I was pretty young and some other people whom...
Also be aware that once she's approved for SSD she will have to reapply for medicaid. It's a sorry law that was put in to place to actually "let some slip through the cracks." Just take one thing at...
Dear Worried Girl, I can tell you that what you describe sounds like where my friend, Mary was almost 2 years ago. Once her meds were adjusted she has been able to maintain a minimal, but stable...
Dear for the love of marc, I'm so glad you posted again. I read these posts to you and that is why I keep coming back to the forum. There is so much compassion here. Pink Grandma, I've seen so many...
Welcome to the forum. You might want to start your own thread, because I fear others will miss your post because it's on PSCWIFE's thread. I am truly sorry for what happened to your husband. Hospice...
Mer, Thanks for sharing that info! It helped me understand a little better how some of this works. Joan...
Hello Jenny! I can't give you answers probably, but I sure can sympathize. My friend, Mary, had been working sporadically the last 10 years and had actually stopped working about 5 years ago. So she...
JoAnn, Good for you to get that sleep!!! I've been on spring break (I teach special ed and am going for my Master's degree) and I feel better than I have in months! We all need to take care of...
Dear Amee, Just hang in there, girl! I'm glad everyone understands what is going on now. Keep posting and we'll keep reading and writing back! Joan...
I just got Dr. Palmer's book from Amazon.com. It is brand new and I paid $5 plus about $3 shipping. It is very easy to read and she gives examples that I was able to understand about how things work...
Dear Beachygirl, Thanks for reminding us to keep our sense of humor through such hard times. Every time I see my friend, Mary, laugh at one of my stories I know that helping her to laugh is part of...
Dear Mer, I've learned so much from this thread. My friend's children are grown (18 and 27) and I can't imagine going through all of this with a 4 year old too! From your posts I knew you were pretty...
Dear Poly, You've been through so much. It sounds like you're keeping your head about you though. So many times I've had to just "put one foot in front of the other" just to keep going. I'm glad you...
Dear On-Hold, Thank you for sharing your experiences so articulately. I believe it helps to explain what we're going through. It also helps others to realize that feeling "on hold" or just tired of...
Dear Cindy, My friend Mary has been having sleep trouble for a year now. Don't mean to sound pessimistic, but sleep problems seem to be a prevalent problem with this disease. There's something to the...
Dear Ringzemall, Hang in there. I certainly wish he would stop drinking. It only makes everything worse. My friend continued drinking for about 6 months after she found out she was in ESLD. After a...
Penny, There are GOOD people everywhere, I believe! Loved the story of the hospital visit. We probably don't know how much we affect others, but we do. From your posts, I know I would have been...
Hi Karen, Good to hear from you. I am glad you're taking care of yourself. There's a saying, some of the best lessons are learned at the worst times. I think taking care of yourself is one of those...
John, Another of your fans (me) is hoping you'll write soon. Joan...
Jo Ann I'm not sure what to say, but just hang in there, girl. Melt downs are probably as necessary in all of this as keeping our sense of humor. Joan...
Dear Penny and everyone who posted on this thread, I just read your informational post on another thread and then went to this one and read it start to finish. Thank you for putting all of this...
When my friend had her last drink (well into knowing she had cirrhosis) it was at Christmas a year ago. Many months after it she told me what she'd done. She said she had searing pain in her liver...
Dear Susan, So sorry to hear your news. It is a nasty disease and yes, I think most of us can put ourselves in your shoes and understand how hard this is. When there's hope for transplant, that...
Hi Dakota, Hep C had a great explanation of enzymes (a couple of posts above) and when I was trying to understand cirrhosis, I went to google and typed in cirrhosis. I used google images also. Note...
Dear Big Toe, What you said about getting comfort and finding it hard to read some of the posts sounds so much how I perceive the forum too. Dealing with ESLD is so hard. The forum gives me a chance...
Laurie, Your husband was probably thinking of you when he made his living will. He knew what he wanted. He didn't want you (or anyone else) to have to make that decision. You may feel sad, but don't...
Dear Mo, I thought your post was so insightful. I guess each day I have these conflicting feelings for my friend. I can see how tired she is and frail. I made a decision to tell her everything I...
Dear Helen, I am sorry to hear your news, but glad his suffering is over. Joan...
Dear Shelly, You said "Most importantly, be educated about[b] her illness. That way no one can fool you about her care."[/i] I've been reading on the forum since April or May of this year and it was...
Dear Tripp, You've come to a good place to talk, learn and vent. My friend who suffers from cirrhosis and esld often does not seem to realize how her illness affects others in her life. I suppose...
Just read the above. That's the kind of exchange that makes me keep come back and learning. Joan...
Dear Sad Daughter, Thanks for your noting that pain can be caused by gas. My friend often winces when she moves. I know she has back pain but it never occurred to me that it could be gas related. I'm...
Dear Autumnrain, I am truly sorry to hear of your loss. Don't second guess yourself. Your news is what we dread and sometimes hope for, but we are never ready. Take care of yourself. Joan...
Dear Joann, I don't know why it seems that when we're at our limit, something else comes up. You will manage to care for Jerry and see your brother, but it must seem like everything is piling up. I...
Dear Long Journey My heart goes out to you! I can't add to the great info you've been given and have given us, but I must concur that the more you know, the more you can help your husband. We think...
To PG and Connie and all of us who make this.... Before I wrote, I read. Once I wrote others wrote back. I'm not alone now. Thanks to both of you for taking the lead and all of us too for being part...
Dear Connie, Thanks for your post. I am trying to be proactive, but not alarmist. Her information the other day bothered me and your thoughts give a little more concrete to my mix of confusion. More...
Yesterday my friend, Mary went for an appointment with the transplant doctor. Here is what he said: There's no point putting you on the transplant list now with the holidays and anyway, once we do...
Dear Connie and Shadowsghost, In my study of this disease I got the impression that many transplant centers were no longer offering live donor transplants. As you mentioned, Shadowsghost, due to the...
Windhover, Once your wife gets SSI you will have to re-apply for medicaid. (That's if you are using it.) It used to be an automatic change that Medicaid benefits continued once you went on SSI, but...