Squeezing in a Doctor Visit

Today I was able to squeeze in a doctor visit at my clinic.  I did have to beg and use my condition.  After all I did need to get it on record with the paperwork I have on hand.  See the Primary card doctor they have me seeing isn't a doctor at all but a Nurse Practitioner.  They are good but I need to see a doctor.

Besides my PCM NP was busy today they told me.  Meanwhile I got the first of the Hep B shots done.  I'll need one or two more in the cycle.  I'll know more about that with each visit.  If you know more readers tell me.

So I got to see the doctor.  The actual doctor that I had my first appointment with at this clinic the first time I was here.  He admitted right off when he saw my spouse that he the doctor needed a haircut.  The Army has appearance standards.  I offered to shave his head for him.  Just a bit of laughter for all of us there.

The serious part now.  He is putting in a referral for me to see a hepatologist in St. Louis, MO as he cannot put me on the donor list even though he knows I need to be on one.  His nurse mentioned I need to have a case worker also.  He said they'll coordinate my care one I've seen the hepatologist in St. Louis.

Yes, I'll still be seeing the gastroenterologist off post.  I hope to here from them soon.  I hope to be able to coordinate all my appointments over Christmas so that my spouse can go with me.  It would just make things easier.  Otherwise I'll be dropping off the little one at a friend's house or daycare and driving alone to St. Louis.  Two hours there and Two hours back.  Yuck!

My doctor palpated my abdomen on the right side today to do the liver check.  It was really tender.  I had him check the left side too since I've been getting some odd pain there as well.  Not in the stomach either.  He got the spot easy enough.  It could be my spleen.  So to check it out he is scheduling a contrast CT, but not STAT.  So maybe that too can be done over Christmas?

Family was wondering if we were going to fly home.  Um, no.  I'm not well enough.  I'm hoping they eventually realize just how serious this situation is.


I'm a fighter I'm going to fight this.

If you would like to see if you could be a possible A Positive Live Liver Donor please contact me.

The Doormat Speaks

These past few days have been ones of wonder.  The family that I thought would take my disease seriously seems to have brushed it off.  I do understand a bit.  I'm not going to say it doesn't hurt.  It does.  The family that has come to my aid the most has recently experienced a loss to the same disease, Alpha 1 Antitrypsin deficiency .  I really appreciate their efforts.  They have gone above board for me.

I still need plenty of offers for an A Positive Live Liver Donor if I am to find that perfect match.  If you think you'd like to be a volunteer let me know.


Today I made the decision to stop dying my hair.  I mean why add more chemicals to my body at this point.  Sure hair dye proclaims that it is safe, so does nail polish and all of a sudden bam in the news you hear about some sort of chemical in it that isn't safe and we have to ditch our supplies.  I recently had to throw out all my old makeup because of the Talc issue.  I'll be throwing out my nail polish today too.  I mean why not?  I'll start over with the safe stuff.

I cut my hair today.  I've been cutting it for years.  I haven't cut it since sometime in the spring and it really needed it.  I think this is the shortest I've cut it in years.  But the curls are coming back nicely.

Yes that is me.  Big change from the other photos.  My hair is longer in the back.  I look so old from being sick.  My nose is still pink from where Eily bit me.  The lump is going down at least.  Man does she like to use all her teeth!  Right on the bridge of my nose.  Don't worry it is just a phase that some 2 year olds go through and she doesn't do it all the time.

While Eily sleeps I get to do some housework, jewelry making, computer work, cookie baking, reading or other things that need to get done.  Last week I set a smokey topaz into a rose gold semi mount ring.  This week I'm working on a kyanite and white sapphire necklace.

Eily went as a Princess for Halloween.  My husband took her Trick-or-Treating while I stayed home and handed out candy.  I was just too tired to walk with them.

So to end this blog post folks I'm still in need of an A positive Live Liver Donor.  If you think you'd like to volunteer to be a live Liver donor and a possible match for me please contact me.

~ Thank you.

My Cousin Died

Last week my cousin died.  He didn't get the live liver donor in time to save his life.  He died from another bleed out while on the operating table.  We were all to late in our efforts to help out.

A  Go Fund Me  has been started for his widow to help cover the expenses she has incurred with her travelling back and forth and time off from work.  Help out if you can dear readers.  Here is the link for Kyle Broadwell

I still can't believe my dear sweet cousin is gone.  He was only 42.  I'm in shock.  I'm going about my daily routine pretty much in zombie mode.  Because it was a holiday weekend, one in my family we'd celebrate as a Thanksgiving of sorts when I was a kid since every old person headed south to Florida, the three of us went about town.

The night of Kyle's death I ate comfort food, as in junk food.
 Friday night we ate out.  I couldn't eat.  I ended up crying at the restaurant.
Saturday night we ate out again.  This time I did eat and ignored the world around me.  I was still choking back tears.  It has been hard.  DH hasn't been supportive.  By Monday night I had to have a long talk with him about his nasty treatment of me this weekend.  He apologized.  I mean geez if it had been one of his family members we'd of flown home for sure.  I knew we couldn't because of his school so I took what I would have spent in hotel, airline tickets, car rental, and food added it up then donated it.

I know I'm rambling.

I'm a mess.

I'm now waiting for my results of the Alpha 1 antitrypsin to come back.  I'm not sure how long it will take.  I'm really hoping I don't have.  It is bad enough I have moderate NASH and Asthma adding the Alpha 1 in also would be like stamping an expiration date on my forehead.

I Bought a Gun

Yup I bought a gun on Saturday.  I saw it online and just had to have it.  It isn't politics.  It isn't for protection.

I just wanted it.  I had to have it.  So I bought it.

I won't be securing it from my child.  I doubt I'll even load it.

If I try to shoot it it will probably explode in my face with my luck.

So why, just why did I buy the dang thing?

Sentimental value.



This is my new gun:

As far as I can tell it is a Blunderbuss.  Most likely a "dragon" and from about 1750.  It is sentimental for me as I had to ancestors fight in the American Revolution on my paternal grandmother's side.

The seller wanted $500 and said similar went for $2000.  I had done my homework.  The similar were in much better condition so I was able to talk him down to $350 even though he claim he himself paid $500.

I will be putting this in a special display case in my home.  If anyone knows more about this gun please tell me.  I'm going to add it to my insurance.

Life at the New Post

I'm going to do this update as briefly as possible since it has been a few months.

• We moved in July to the Mid-West to a new duty station.
• Eily turned 2 in July
• DH is now in school at the new duty station with us
• Obviously we didn't go to Korea
• I'm making jewelry and will attempt to post photos
• Eily speaks in complete sentences now
• Eily can do some addition
• Eily can read a few words
• Eily can spell a few words
• Eily loves to swim and is a great jumper too
• Eily has her bottom 2 yr old molars in but not yet her top ones
• She is almost potty trained and she gave up the potty chair in preference for the toilet with a reducer ring.
• She is 36 inches tall and about 30 lbs
• She brushes her own teeth, can dress herself, and is doing good on learning to wash up too.
• She can use fork, knife and spoon and eat off of a plate with ease.  Well not so much the knife we are still working on the pressure to cut with that a bit.
• Eily helped me assembly and build the new bed frame when the moving company broke my old one.  She is pretty good with an Allen Wrench.

Now for photos:

blue topaz 8 inch bracelet

Eily age 25 mos

4 Days Post-OP

Thursday I had my gallbladder removed.  I'd say I feel better but right now that would be a lie.  I do look better.  My skin is no longer a sickly yellow that it has been for almost a year.  I'm now in the bloom of pink to my cheeks once more.

Due to my adhesions the surgeon couldn't do the normal four-five cuts on the right side.  He had to do one cut under my xiphoid process, another  two off to the left, 1 just above my naval.  Two look to be infected already but it is hard to tell under the layers of glue.

The strapping pain from the gas is the killer.  My shoulders hurt so bad.  I gained roughly 8 pounds from the gas and fluids of surgery and have 3 more to shed.  I had been losing weight before the surgery and eating healthy.  I was already down to a size 14 and working towards a size 12.  Right now the only thing comfortable is sweat pants.

We aren't going to Korea as a family.  Do to the mess with the N.K leader the area I would have gone to is now not allowing family members.  For now E is enjoying her time with daddy.

Ugh I need to go lie down again.  My arms are killing me.

21 Months

E has a cold.  This isn't the first.  She is cranky.  Not much new to tell.  Everything she says right now is "NO" even if she decides she does want it after.  LOL