Finally received a phone call

On January the 15th we received a phone call, We were told that Lee has been approved for transplant.  We had so many mixed emotions from relived, scared, excited and worried.  The next step was to meet with the liver team again for the listing process.  We made our way back to Murray on January the 24th. Lee's brother who also has liver failure met us for this appointment. There was another learning session that explained the listing process in a little more detail.  Lee will need to have a CT every 6 months because liver failure patients are prone to develop liver cancer that would mean that he would move up the list rapidly.  Labs to calculate the MELD score will be done every 3 months and he will need to be seen in the clinic every 6 month until his MELD score in higher.  An EGD will need to be done every year to monitor for esophageal varices. During this visit we met with Dr. Gilroy who is the head of the Transplant team.  He reviewed Lees chart and made a couple of medications changes, we also learned that Lee had several vitamin deficiencies, Vitamins A, D, E, and zinc so we had to add those supplements to Lee's daily medications.    More labs were drawn and Lee's MELD score was updated to be 17.  Dr. Gilroy told us about a study that he was preforming containing information about spouses of liver failure patients, how lifestyle choices are correlated with liver failure.   He sent me for a liver density test this shows how much fat and fibrosis the liver has, I have a very fatty liver with mild fibrosis from that fatty liver.  I was told that best treatment for this was follow a Mediterranean diet and drink 2 cups of coffee a day. 

This diet will be a challenge for me I was raised on meat and potatoes, those habits are hard to break along with my very large sweet tooth and dislike for fish.   I have also never been a fan of coffee, I don't even really like the smell, so that has been a challenge I am starting with twice a week drinking coffee and the other days drinking hot herbal tea that has good antioxidants but not as many as coffee.  Here is a website that explains a little more about coffee and the liver.   https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320089.php?sr