Ahhh.......

I returned home from a very relaxing vacation up north at a charming lakefront cabin with one of my closest friends. I feel refreshed and relaxed. We had a wonderful time.

Prior to leaving I was rushed to the hospital - I had collapsed and my family called 911. I was severely dehydrated and spent the evening in the hospital having tests, etc. My liver has deteriorated significantly since the last CT scan 2 years ago and is now showing that it is fully cirrhotic; it's time to begin thinking about a transplant. I am going to ask my doctor for a referral to a doctor in Detroit who specializes in Hepatitis C, liver transplantation and has been involved in clinical studies for new treatment options. For the first time in a long time I feel as though I have hope. Just a sliver, but hope nonetheless.

In the meantime I am taking good care of myself and feeling very blessed for my family and great friends. The upcoming week is our town's annual festival and we are over-run with tourists. I usually participate from afar as getting into large crowds is not only unwise due to spread of disease, but also because I have no immediate escape should I begin to feel ill. I look forward to the month of August with a bittersweet feeling; our youngest returns to college on the 27th and we will have our empty nest. I will miss having her around.
Have a great weekend!