Thursday, June 28, 2012
Hi Friends:
It has been a very long time since I have given you an update on what
has been happening on the health front. First I want to say, that I do not
presume to be important enough that I warrant any kind of attention sent my way or
that I am worthy of any kind of recognition. I am responding to close
friends and family who are concerned about me and some of the health challenges
that I have had over the past several months. I am not writing because I think
I am any more important or my problems are somehow more important than the
challenges that we all face on a daily basis. But I and my family are
constantly asked “How are you doing?” This is a time-effective way
to respond.
With that being said; since my last update, spelling and grammar aside,
the reason for the long delay, was that things were going good. I have felt
strong and even shot my first even-par round of golf. I have been able to walk
nine holes. I have had the problem of really low blood sugar while practicing
or after a good work out. This is something that I will have to adjust to as
time goes on.
I now have three very good doctors that I see on a regular basis. Each
one asks me for a blood test before each visit. One of my recent tests
concerned Dr. Box, who is my transplant doctor. He requested two tests which I
have had before. One was another liver biopsy and the other was a test where they probe my liver to test the blood flows and condition of the liver
from the inside.
The results of that test were just received and the transplant team at
the U of U had me on their agenda for their weekly meeting. It seems that the
pressure inside my liver is elevated and I have one of my bile ducts seemed to
be slightly restricted. They believe the reason for this could be long term rejection
or a return of the sclerosing cholangitis which is what caused my liver failure
the first time. I was pretty bummed until they said, “So nothing to
worry about right now." Don’t you love the way doctors talk?
Things were going good until last Tuesday. It started with a sore in the
roof of my mouth. I didn’t think too much about it. By Wednesday sores
had spread inside my mouth and the left side of my face. I was in quite a bit
of pain. I went to my son in law, a dentist, who prescribed an antibiotic mouth
wash. After one day things got worse. I went to his office for x-rays,
which showed nothing. I also called a good friend who is an oral surgeon. He
was out of town at the time. I did get a medication that numbed my whole
mouth but by then my jaw and spots on my head became very sore.
After taking time out during his vacation, he called and told me to go
to the emergency room. The ER doc there determined I had Shingles,
which I thought was an old person’s ailment. Turns out, I am an old
person. After some really, really good drugs for three days, things began to
improve. As of today, I think that I have turned the corner.
The problem with having your whole mouth numb is that you have no sense of
taste and nothing sounds good to eat. If you want to go on a crash diet and
quickly lose eight pounds, get shingles. My problem is that it took me about
eight months to put those pounds on. I know some of you are jealous, but I
would think of another way to drop pounds if I were you.
Right now things are going good again. As is times past, I am so
grateful for your prayers and good wishes. I am thinking I should be good for
a few years.
Gratefully,
Mike
