Last Wednesday we took Jessica to the childrens hospital for her liver/stomach check up. The news we got wasn't very good .

Jessica's
platelets are dropping. Her GI explained, that as her liver gets worse and closer to needing a transplant, the portal vein and the other veins in her liver get constricted, so the flow through the veins lessens, which puts a lot of pressure through the veins in her chest, esophogus, and around her spleen, which causes verices that will eventually ruputure and cause a lot of internal bleeding that will cause her to start needing blood transfusions. He said at this point her liver is constricting the veins and causing her spleen(which is becoming severely damaged and enlarged) to trap the platelets inside of it and it is eatting her platelets(I'm not quite understanding the spleen eatting the platelets, but its what the GI said). We have to go back to the childrens hospital at the end of this month for ultra sounds and an endoscopy. The ultra sound will show how bad the flow is getting through her portal vein(portal hypertension) in her liver; it will also show if she has any blood clots in the other veins in her liver. They are doing the endoscopy to check on her verices and to band any that might need banding. She will be put to sleep again for the endoscopy incase any of her veins rupture during the proceedure or if any need banding. The GI said Jessica is getting closer to needing a transplant . These are all signs of a very diseased liver and as this worsens it will be what will cause her to need a transplant. Rob asked the GI if she might need a transplant this year and the GI said it could be possible but its too hard to speculate, so he said it could be this year, next year or a few years from now, but he thinks it will be a lot sooner than later. I wish her GI could tell me an exact date that she will need a transplant; at least then I could try and prepare for it all instead of just waiting for all these complications to pop up and get worse. Its so frustrating!! Just as you are getting use to one complication that is happening to her another one pops up and you start the whole feeling horrible about what is happening all over again...I need a break from all of this stress!...Jessica's little body needs a break from getting sicker and sicker  .

I am tired, I feel depressed, I feel like crying, but I feel
so odd and worn out emotionally about it all that my tears won't come out. We know what lies ahead, its not really a big surprise that she is getting worse and starting to have even more complications, but it is still hard actually seeing it start to happen and knowing its only going to get worse before it can ever get better and there is nothing you can do about it except to just sit and wait watching your child go through this, not being able to make it go away...as a parent it is heartbreaking .

 On the bright side....the rest of our day was nice . Jessica
got a doll, a box of crayons, a coloring book, a TY beanie baby lamb, and peppermint candy all from her appointment. I gave her a stuffed beanie baby St. Bernard . We went out to eat at Chili's which was very very tastey . We all shared one of their chocolate lava cake sundae thingies...yummy!!

This is so tragically sad. She is on a list for transplants? Can one donate part of a liver while still living? How is she feeling?

Hi, little PRINCESS
I'm waiting for good news, because I know GOD are with you and your family.
Remember, with GOD everything is possible, don't doubt it.
Bless you!!!

I am so sorry to hear about Jessica...this is the first time to read her story. I suffer from gastroparesis also which I think was due to my liver and gallbladder. I am not sure if this will help at all but I looked to alternative medicine that helps with congestive livers. Good sites: www.sandracabot.com
www.herbdoc.com
www.wholehealthassoc.com