UPDATE

Hello everyone. Just thought I would drop a line to let everyone know what the latest is on my condition. I recently went to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis on May 26 to see Dr. Yusen and to be reevaluated. Dr. Yusen was very encouraged with my weight loss, but would like to see me continue to lose another 20 pounds. They were happy to see that my CT scans and x-rays had no change from three months ago, but cautioned us that they would not be curing me, that the only "cure" was a transplant, and that my condition is progessive. He reminded me that everything I am doing at this time is to get me in to "fighting shape" for the transplant. It is very helpful for me to think of this time as the "battle" to get in shape for the rest of my life. Unfortunately my liver did not like the medicine I had been on up to May, so I am now on another medicine plus prednisone. These medications are the meds I will be on for the rest of my life after transplant, so it is good to see how my body will handle each of them now, before I am dealing with the transplant. All of the meds can have serious side effects, so it is better for me to try them now. He encouraged me to continue to do what I am doing, and that he wanted to see us back at the end of July, first of August. Again thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers, and all that you have done for us to help us in this battle. We love you all. Hope to see you in June at the Blue Ridge.