I was hoping to get some advice from anyone here with experiences dealing with cirrhosis and MELD scores...
My mom has been battling with cirrhosis (liver cancer) since July 2014. She has had 2 Radio Frequency Ablation operations done (once in 2014 and another in 2020). Her latest MRI and lab results show that even though the cancer is not there anymore, her liver is failing her. She has been getting fatigued way more now, developed ascites, and her feet are more swollen than before... Her MELD score is currently 30...
We received one call for a transplant earlier in November 2021, rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately it wasn't a healthy liver so they didn't go through with the transplant. I am praying we get a call ASAP, because her situation is not getting better and I would appreciate advice from anyone who has any thoughts as to what we can do to help her further. We have an appointment with her liver specialist from UCLA who has been great (we live in Los Angeles) to go over the latest lab results...
Here are her latest lab results:
- Bilirubin: 5.9 (High)
- Albumin: 2.3 (Low)
- Alkaline Phosphatase: 261 (High)
- Aspartate Aminotransferase: 92 (High)
- Sodium: 133 (slightly low)
- Creatinine: 0.86 (seems normal compared to the rest)
I know the MELD score is not something we can really control, but I've been hearing stories about people who received a transplant in about 2-3 years of diagnosis. My mom has been dealing with this for almost 8 years now. She just developed ascites last month and I can tell she is getting more and more tired each day... I am helping her with her diet due to the ascites (some fruits and vegetables, low carb, almost no sodium, and some well cooked chicken/salmon with home made salads. I have also been going on daily slow walks with her (1-2 miles) to better prepare her since liver transplants are quite the stress test on one's body.
It's also worth noting that they put her on a temporary hold on the transplant list in early December due to an increased heart rate (AFIB), but she has started taking medication for that and her heart has been consistently stable now. She was put back on the list 3 days ago. Nothing in my life has been more urgent and important than to make sure she gets a proper liver transplant as soon as possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.