Liver Testing

To bring things up to date with the liver issue... The pancreas and liver scans are clear. I was even surprised to learn that I don't even have signs of fatty liver! It is determined that I do not have biliary cirrhosis. Woo Hoo!

Of course, this still doesn't answer why my liver enzymes climbed. Though I was also happy to learn that the alkaline phosphatase is now down to 257. So, the next steps are:

Lake Tahoe

Ultrasound abdomen R/O stones, sludge in CBD (Feb 11)

Blood tests:

Hepatic function panel
GGT
Lipid panel (now that I'm off statins, we want to see how it's doing)

I've got to look up some of the following:
Anti-Smooth Muscle Antibodies
ANA
Anti-Liver Kidney
Quantitative IGG
Ceriloplasm, Ferritin

Possible planned ERCP depending on what the results are.

Dr. also mentioned if this is not easily diagnosed, then she may send me to a colleague who focuses only on liver. I cannot imagine what else it could be!!!

In the meantime, I am no longer taking non-essential medicines that are processed through the liver. I miss my estrogen! HOT FLASHES!!! Yuck! And I miss Tylenol. I always knew that it took the edge off my pain enough that I could bear it. But, now I know just how much pain I'm really dealing with, so I'm changing my lifestyle a bit. Seems best to not experience too much cold, so bundle up more. Use heating pad a lot. Massage areas I can reach. Use Lidoderm patches. God Bless the person who thought those up!!! They don't kill deep pain, like in my SI joints, but at least make it more tolerable. So far, I have been able to avoid taking Tramadol except for a few times, and only twice have had to take Dilaudid. I am too cautious, I am told about taking them. But, I'd rather not go around in a stupor. If I were bedridden, yes maybe. But, I'm still up, though having to use the walker more. Funny how pain seems to make the act of walking so much harder.

California Cyclone Weather

January 4, 2008

We are being inundated. According to the weather channel, we are having hurricane force winds they are saying though I don't think that 75 mph counts, really. Trees are down everywhere. Half of Santa Cruz county is without power. (the trees fall on the power lines, especially up in the mountains). Two main highways are closed due to trees and lines down. The electric company has drawn their employees off the job as it is too dangerous to do repairs right now.

My neighborhood (and others nearby) are under flood warning. I live a few blocks from the Pajaro River. Even though there is a levee, it has been crossed over and flooded before. I was living here in early 80's when Watsonville was flooded.

So, I sit here. No car, sick, senile cat, and waiting for evacuation order. I hope not. Damn, I hope not. What a pain in the ass. Right now, lots of water in the yard as it can't soak in fast enough. That I can live with. Water seeping into the garage? Can't do anything about that right now, In two hours my housekeeper will be here and maybe we can get some stuff out of the way and block the garage front door where it is seeping through.

The most annoying thing is fever and not feeling well enough to handle this if I have to go somewhere. Kats is up in the bay area where they have closed one of the major bridges into SF. So, it is unlikely he can get here to be with me. Even the side roads are not passable.






North American Superstorm Complex