Another Crisis

Once again I am looking at another health crisis… is crisis the right word? Idk… it seems that it would be a crisis except for this peace I feel deep inside my bones. It’s more than a gut feeling because I know without a shadow of a doubt that my Heavenly Father is in control. He is not surprised by anything I am going through or will go through. I am not saying that I will not have moments where I am scared, we all know that I am human and very imperfect. Though I pray that in those moments I am able to come back to reality and know that I am being carried through this in the very palm of my Fathers hand.

Whoops! Let me start at the beginning. If you know me or have read any of my blogs then you know that I have a multitude of health issues, cirrhosis of the liver being one of those issues. The cause of my cirrhosis is NASH or Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. This is an autoimmune disease where fat deposits on my liver and causes fibrosis or hardening of that area of my liver. In turn causing my liver to get lazy and not do its job. Currently there is no treatment or cure for this condition. There are clinical trials for new medications which look promising. I was in a clinical trial for a year but the drug company pulled the trial stating there was not enough evidence of the drug working. I was out of the study for 6 months and started testing for a new study which led me to where I am now.

I need to explain the process of getting into and out of a clinical trial. (This is my understanding and might not be exactly correct but in my experience this is what I went through.) The first things they do are the different tests. (Blood work, ultrasound of the liver, biopsy of the liver, and a fibroscan) After reading the results of the tests they determine if you are a good candidate for the study. If you are then you are in. During the study they perform all of those same tests multiple times. When they closed the study they performed all of the tests for a last time. It was in the ultrasound this time that a little tiny lesion showed up on my liver. We did further tests and the doctors determined there was nothing to be concerned about.

So, when it was time for me to try to get into the next study I had to have all of those same tests again. This time in the ultrasound the tiny lesion had grown. These tests were done about 6 months apart and the tiny lesion had tripled in size and had become very vascular (meaning involved a lot of blood vessels even creating new ones of its own.) This finding sent me for more testing. I have since had a CT scan and an MRI. Both of these tests were inconclusive as far as if the lesion is benign or malignant.

The liver specialist over the research center is sending me to a specialist of specialists of the liver. (If that makes sense) From what they are telling me, even if the lesion is benign I am looking at treatment of some sort. Treatments mentioned were chemo, radiation, and transplant.

So that’s where I am today… I am looking at this new mountain I have to climb and I have a peace deep in my bones because I know that my Father is carrying me in His very capable hand!!

Do you have a trial that you are going through? If you do and would like to chat message me on here and I will answer. I might not see it at first but as soon as I do I will contact you.

Psalm 91:4-6