On March 21, 1997 I collapsed at school and was rushed to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with acute idiopathic viral cardiomyopathy, a disease that either kill or cripples the hearts of most people my age who come down with it. It was touch and go for several days, and I was in the hospital for a full month. In one of Life's little ironic twists, I recovered fully from the cardiomyapathy, but almost died from an allergic reaction to heparin, a drug commonly given to patients whose hearts have suffered an injury.
Dr. Liver tells me it is possible that my liver disease stems from the allergic reaction to heparing I suffered back then. There's really no way of knowing now. Even if that is the case, the heparin was necessary and has now given me six additional years of life. I'm not about to complain.
Since 1997, I have come to regard this date as my true birthday. This is the anniversary of the date I survived, and it has come to have a very deep and private meaning to me. It's a day for reflection, review and resolutions.
I suppose that, when I get my transplant, I'll have to have a second (third?) birthday. Although this birthday will be more for just my liver than the rest of my corporeal pieces. If I keep going at this rate, I'm going to end up with a significant anniversary on every day of the calendar year.
The paracentesis was quite successful this morning. I had a build up of 7.3 liters of fluid this time, and we managed to do a pretty thorough job of getting me drained (often there's still some fluid left at the end of the procedure). We're going to hold to the ten day cycle for the time being and see how it goes. I haven't gotten my bloodwork results from the morning back yet, but I have hopes that my MELD is on the way back up.
Tomorrow I meet my friend Dr. Twenty Cats for lunch and window shopping. She's got an errand at the airport where she flies, and I'll tag along with her for that as well. I can't say I've ever had the itch to try to learn to fly myself, but I know she has a blast with it.
I have more to write, but I'm exhausted. I think I'll camp out in front of the television and watch something utterly mindless until I drop off for a nap.