First, let me say, I've had the same thing for lunch for the past three days and it's awesome. AND it's acceptable on the liver cleanse that I'll start on Saturday. Brown rice, tofu in a curry sauce and stir fried veggies. Maybe I'll just see if the cafe can make this for me every day. There's probably an oil or something in there that's not on the cleanse, but oh well. For the most part, it's perfect.
Anywho.
As you know, I got the latest round of test results back - my hepatic panel. This is the standard blood test I've been getting every week or every other week since this started. It specifically looks at the liver enzymes.
While nine out of the 10 numbers are all fine and all within range, there's one little bugger that is going up. My ALT(GPT). The normal range is 0 - 33 and mine is currently 141. It started at 281, dropped to 77 around Dec 20th, then started creeping back up again (104, 139 and now 141). I emailed Dr. D, the liver specialist, and said "Uh, what does this mean and what do we do?" He responded pretty quickly with, "As you can see, your enzymes are going back up. Quit taking the azathioprine, that's probably what's doing it. See you at your next appointment."
I like Dr. D. I really do. But hello?
I know the interwebs are both a blessing and curse, and I don't believe everything I read on there. But it does appear, from what I've read (even on official pamphlets) and from what Dr. D has said, that the higher that number is and the longer it stays up there, the more likely that there is permanent damage being done to my liver and therefore, scarring. Scarring is bad. Scarring is loss of functionality. You cannot function without your liver. So starts the downward spiral.
Needless to say, yesterday, I was quite bummed.
Bummed because I'd been putting this crap into my body and it was making me bloated and tired and icky, and it wasn't doing a damn bit of good. So I look like shit, and my liver is no better.
Bummed because feeling crappy makes me really, really homesick and a freakin' plane ticket to Pittsburg is $500 right now. That's infuriating! I used to be able to fly there for $250. I could jaunt there for the weekend. I hate living so far away from my folks.
And bummed because I feel like I'm stressing out my husband and kids who have already had to deal with enough sickness to last a lifetime. I told Todd, when he asked me to marry him, that my greatest fear was that I would get sick. I'm already guilty by nature - how could I possibly deal with putting him, and the kids, through that again?
He said he was willing to take that chance, and if gawd forbid I got sick, he'd take care of me.
Yes, I realize every day how wonderful he is.
Granted, this little liver flare up isn't anywhere near cancer, and I'm not going through chemo and I'm not incapacitated, but there are triggers for everyone, I'm sure. Just look at my bloated face and the dark circles under my eyes. Sheesh.
Anyway, yesterday I was bummed. But I Skyped with mom at lunch and that helped, and today is actually sunny, so that helps. It's really just a day by day, up and down thing.
I'm very much looking forward to starting The Cleanse. Dr. O (the naturopath) tells me that the first seven days are tough because you're restricting yourself and not eating what you normally eat. But, she said, once you get past that, you start to feel energetic and lighter.
We shall see...
No comments:
Post a Comment