time to stop and take a deep breath...

I just got a somewhat alarmed email from my friend who heard from another friend that my liver is messed up and that I might need a new one. She offered me part of hers if Mike or my dad are not able to supply some, so I thought I better put this little fire out before it gets completely out of hand!

Tim and I went and talked to another gastroenterologist about the results of the biopsy and labwork that point to PBC. This was not the doctor who called me and suggested that I could need a transplant within 10 years, but another more seasoned doctor who works more specifically with biliary problems. Here is what we now know:

a detailed reading of the biopsy results suggest that I am more stage 2 PBC than stage 3. M.D. number one didn't get that when she spoke to me, apparently. Stage 2 means not much scarring or inflammation. That is good! There is also a drug called ursodeoxycholic acid that PBC patients can take that appears to slow down the progress of the disorder. My mom was taking it for about the last 10 years of her life. I talked to the doctor about my mom having the same condition, and about the fact that she died from something completely unrelated. I pointed out that I have two grandmothers who show no signs of being anywhere near death and who both have reached beyond the age of 90. Dr. said that I could well be looking at a similar future: living a long life and dying of something that has nothing to to do with my liver. I will probably still hike to Mayo at some point and get more expert opinions on this matter, but otherwise it's really not on my mind much and I'm not feeling much need to spend time on it.

On the brighter side of things, I just got a part-time job at my kid's school starting in a week, so I will have even less time to devote to worrying about anything besides how to get everyone out the door by 8 a.m. every day. yikes.