Making sense of it all

Post date: Mar 6, 2013 10:30:50 PM

It’s been a while since I have spoken this language. My tongue struggles with the words. My brain forgets.

Words like “distal splenorenal shunt” when unused become cumbersome to say.

The February CT scan showed a bigger spleen. Varices can also been seen.

But she’s had no bleeds (KNOCK ON WOOD!) and while her platelet count appears to be making roller coaster ups and downs, it is not at the level where they “start to worry.” It is just “low-ish.” Her hemoglobin is “perfect.” She is still getting good flow to her liver via collaterals.

She would be a “perfect” candidate for a distal splenorenal shunt, says her surgeon. But he and his team remain perplexed as to the urgency of Natalie’s latest appointments. That alone gave me a smallish feeling of relief. Her portal vein is blocked. But they already knew that.

Their suggestion is what we are already planning to do.

Schedule a scope.

See what it shows.

If no varices are looking bothersome, then we “wait and watch.”

For the first time in a very long time, we are researching and learning new medical terms.

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