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It's not all about the MELD Score

Transplants | Last Active: Nov 14, 2023 | Replies (217)
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@johnshaw

I have a good team, and they advise me to be prepared for anything. In Jan 2019 I was so sick that my family gathered for my final days. I was in a coma for 4 days had severe HE with weekly fluids removed from my abdomen. I had decided to get clean from alcohol and change my life style. By March I was ambulatory walking daily and eating a healthier diet. My labs continued to improve and my Meld score dropped. My doctor reminds me that I may still get sick and need a transplant, just not right now. I do a lot of Vol work with AA and the hospital as I am a LCPC and 30+ years working in a hospital. Although the damage to my liver was caused by alcohol abuse, I do what I can now, to stay healthy and help others.

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Replies to "I have a good team, and they advise me to be prepared for anything. In Jan..."
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jun 23, 2019

@johnshaw A friend told me just today that the secret to life is to help others. I am sure those whose lives you have touched, are grateful.
Ginger

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JK | @contentandwell | Jun 23, 2019

@johnshaw Your story is amazing. I never knew a person could turn things around like that once they had cirrhosis. If your MELD was that high I presume there must have been extensive liver damage. If the damage is still there, and it must be, doing so many of the right things has somehow allowed the remainder of your liver to compensate for the poorly functioning part.
You really deserve to be proud of how well you have turned things around.

Like @gaylea1 I was following all of my doctor's instructions regarding diet yet my MELD continued to increase.

@luckonetj I am now approaching three years post-transplant and my lab tests are stellar also. I had been going monthly for them but after the last one, they called me and said that since they had been so consistently good for so long I can drop to every other month!
JK

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jolinda | @jolinda | Jun 23, 2019

Someone told me once, "life isn't about how hard you fall but how well you pick yourself back up". I'm glad you're on the road to recovery from alcohol. I'm sorry that your clarity came after so much harm had happened to your body. It is wonderful that you are making changes and starting to live again in a different and better way. May God bless you on your journey.

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