Help Overcome Cirrhosis: A Journey to Health

I am doing something now that I am very uncomfortable doing, but I am going to humble myself and ask for help.

This all started a couple of years ago. I had gained a ton of weight and was sick all the time. I had been to the doctor multiple times and never got anything straight. In August '23, I decided that I needed to get to the bottom of my medical issues because I was sick of feeling like crap, but I was scared to hear what they would have to say. I went through a bunch of different tests from August to November when they told me I had cirrhosis. They put me on meds immediately to lower my ammonia levels, which were critically high, and they told me I could not drink alcohol anymore. I thought I could cut down and stop on my own. I was able to cut back, but I couldn't stop. Not because of physical withdrawal issues, but because (as many know, this is something I have always struggled with) I liked having drinks. Alcohol had become (what I thought) my anxiety medicine, my comfort zone, my hiding spot, my safe place. But looking back, it was none of these things. It fixed my short-term problems, causing major long-term problems. It affected my relationships, my job, my family, and now my body.

It turns out I could not stop on my own, and I broke down in January and sent myself to treatment in Indiana. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I came home at the end of February and continued with my testing. I had quit drinking for days, but physically my body and brain were and still are failing. I have lost my sharp mind, my memory, my ability to talk straight, walk straight, and see. I thought for sure in March and April I was going to die at any time, but the testing and new meds continued. In May, I was sent to the University of Iowa hospital where they diagnosed me with stage 4 cirrhosis, and I had a 1/3 chance of dying in three months. I had to change my diet to no red meat, just chicken and turkey, a low sodium diet under 1500 mg a day, and add protein. I took this very seriously and felt the greatest I have ever felt in June and July.

I had to quit my full-time job at the school as a SPED para in November, and I switched to subbing, and by the end of the school year, I couldn't do that either. After feeling great for a couple of months, I decided to go home and work at one of my favorite places with my favorite people, the #10, for a couple of weeks. After two shifts, I got very sick again and had to send myself to the ER because I literally thought I was dying. I had to tell the Kheens and Kal Varland, "Thank you so much for the opportunity, but I can't work." Jeremy flew up and drove me home. I had a gall bladder attack, which they said had nothing to do with my liver. After more testing and seeing a specialist back here in Des Moines, they told me they could not do anything for my gall bladder because of the condition of my liver. I have felt up and down ever since. At my check-up in August, there was good and bad news. I had made the transplant list and then got kicked off. Why was this? Because I have been too good with my diet, lifestyle, and meds that my MELD score dropped below qualifying for a cadaver liver.

At this point, I contacted Mayo. Known as one of the best, I was frustrated with the University of Iowa, and they only do cadaver transplants. Mayo will do live donor transplants, and by the grace of something bigger than myself, I had found a donor. This is an incredible story that I hope to tell someday, but for now, just know that an angel came upon me at some point, and I have someone willing to give me part of their "pristine" liver! After a month and a half of waiting, my insurance has approved me to go to Mayo for a transplant. I am traveling next week to meet my donor in person, and I am beyond excited.

With all this being said, I need help. Jeremy and I cannot do this on our own. I haven't been able to work full-time in over a year, and now I cannot work or drive (per doctor's orders). Jeremy works full-time but has been having to take time off to get me to doctor appointments, and that is only going to get more often and more expensive. I need your help if you can. Anything will help, even just a hug or a good vibe, but those unfortunately don't help take care of finances.

I am humbling myself and asking the wonderful people I know for help.

Thank you for reading this if you made it this far, and know I love and appreciate all of you and did long before I needed a new liver.