Mom needs a liver & is losing home

 

 

My name is Angie and have been married for 17 years, my husband and I have 7 kids (6 of whom live with us).  Last January I came down with what I thought to be the flu and was down and out for 2 weeks.  I finally went into the doctors even though I had no insurance but I had no choice I wasn't getting any better.  My family doctor treated my illness as a UTI on a Monday by Thursday I wasn't any better so they prescribed a stronger more aggressive antibiotic with instructions to return on Monday.  Over the weekend I got worse but by Sunday I had finally broke a fever and thought I was on the mend.  Upon arrival at the doctors on Monday I had put on 10lbs and gone jaundice was immediately transferred to U of M via ambulance (INR was 5.8 so I no longer had the ability to clot and was at a high risk of stroke and/or bleeding out).  I was told I would need a liver transplant however, they couldn't do biopsy due to INR so I was scheduled for 4 days of plasma infusions.  On Thursday they were able to do a biopsy to review the severity of my condition.  Friday morning we were informed that if I didn't receive a liver by the weeks end that I would no longer be here.  This was a complete shock to us since I lived a healthy lifestyle and had never had any serious illness before and quite honestly was in complete denial and thought the surgeons had clearly made a mistake.  A miracle occurred and I received a FULL liver Sunday night.  I healed very quickly and was sent home in a week with success.  The liver failure was ruled Idiopathic Sudden Acute Liver Failure which in translation means they have no idea why it happened but it did.  By August I had been in rejection 3 times and new liver was 55% dead and it was found that I had Autoimmune Hepatitis Disorder and my liver was not rejuvanting or recreating itself.  By September my kidneys were starting to show signs of distress and pancreas was shutting down.  I was admitted back in hospital for the 8th time in December told I was in liver failure again and that the pancreas had decided it could no longer handle the pressure the liver and kidneys were leaving on it.  I was put on Lantus, Humalog and Metforrim to control my diabetes but the Metforrim metabolizes in the kidneys and once again the kidneys start to protest.

 

I have just been discharged from the hospital after 11 days with horrific news that my new liver is full of chirrosis now and I will need another full transplant.  Sadly, the likelihood of receiving a liver before I am too ill is slim according to my team.  I am given 2 yrs if I don't get a cold or any other virus.  Doctors say realistically it will be a year.  Unfortunatley, my liver pressure are so low that it can no longer hold fluid and pump bile and what not out for it.  So I continually fill with ascites which makes it difficult to breathe and walk.  The toxic fluid has caused perissis in the belly (my stomach is paralyzed and doesn't contract to rid my body of food hence doesn't release the proteins and nutrients into my system.  This always causes intense pain in stomach and vomiting) the kidneys are drowning in fluid yet are severely dehydrated due to the fluid being on outside and not in them.  I take over 40 pills a day just to function and this will continue to get worse up until I am able to receive a new liver.  The mental capacity continues to decline and will until I am essentially a vegetable due to the toxins that the liver releases to the brain.

 

I am obviously unable to work and now it is becoming difficult to care for the kids in a way which I am accustomed because I can't go in public often at the risk of infection.  My husband was doing the best he could to provide for us.  Bill sells cars at Brighton Chrysler but he is torn between 3 places work, home with the kids and me at the hospital.  This has added a ton of stress to my husband and kids.  We are falling further and further behind.  He has been put on family medical leave nd it is unpaid making rent impossible for us to meet not to mention all the others bills and my medications and upkeep.  As I said I am full of pride and this is difficult but I have put enough of that on my family.

 

I know this is minor compared to what many are and have gone through I thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Angie