No News – So what else is new?

Spent most of the morning under general anesthesia while they explored the nether regions of my alimentary tract. What they found was exactly what they found last January – generalized mild to moderate inflamation, with no obvious cause.

What I do know now:

I have ascites (free fluid in my abdomen). So this recent weight gain isn’t fat. At least I have something to feel good about.

– My liver is enlarged. That could be due to liver disease, or due to right-sided heart failure. Since heart failure also results in ascites, that tends to give some credence to that theory.

– Various, but not all, lab results on my liver function are abnormal. Most importantly, my bilirubin remains high, and my clotting times are greatly slowed. That one points more towards liver disease, although passive congestion due to heart failure could be part of the reason. The liver panel results really don’t match up to that scenario, though.

– There are other possibilities as well. I’ll deal with them if they rise a little higher on the probability list.

Three people from work banded together and send me a gorgeous (and HUGE) planter of yellow mums today. It looks great by the front door. I want to try to at least put a part day in tomorrow. I’ll search them out and thank them then.

Finally told the older sister what was going on. The Socialist was not pleased at having to drag me out to the hospital at a time when he is ordinarily going to bed. And I’m not entirely sure that he is the safest driver in the world when he’s that exhausted anyhow. With luck, Big Sister can take me the next time I need a designated driver for a test.

To those who have sent me emails, please accept my deepest thanks. It helps having people to talk to at the moment.