10 Months

Rick went in for bloodwork this week because he is itching all over. Itching is a side effect of the PSC that he has managed to avoid up until this week. His bilirubin is elevated so the doctor that was in the office wants Rick to have an ERCP as soon as possible. The regular GI doctor that Rick sees is out of the office until monday, and his soonest available time for the procedure is not until February 25. On monday the nurse will call back if the doctor wants him in sooner. Hopefully the ERCP will clean up the bile ducts and help stop the itching. This is just another log on the fire I guess.

So I was thinking about how Rick was having another procedure. And it got me thinking about what has happened to him in the last 10 months.

This will be his 3rd ERCP
2 Ultrasounds
1 MRI
The Mayo Clinic
Gallons of Bloodwork
Testing for Lymphoma
Testing for Wilson's Disease
Testing for Hemochromatosis
1 Epidural Injection
1 Colonoscopy
An unstable and bulging lumbar disc
Gilbert's Syndrome
Itching
Cholangitis attacks

I don't know if I left anything out or not but that is a list of everything I could think of right now. And it is of course not in any type of order either. As I look at that list I realize how the doctor's bills go so high. Not to mention the amount of medication he takes. And that does not include the regular checks with the different doctors involved in Rick's care either.

It doesn't make it any easier now that I am having stomach problems as well. I do think that I am starting to feel a little better. What I eat makes a difference in how I feel. Like today I was feeling okay until after dinner. But at least it is getting a little better. I need to take care of myself so that I can take care of Rick. That is what the doctor said to me anyway.

So now we have a new issue to deal with. I just pray that nothing worse is going on in that liver. Rufus better be behaving himself. (we named the liver Rufus)

This too shall pass.

Until next time,
Jaime