There Are No Off Days

The liver is in your torso.  What else resides there?  Almost everything important that makes you tick.

When I had a cough a while back, was it due to my liver function?  No, just the virus going around.  Then, my left side hurt.  Was it my pancreas trying to tell me something?  No, it was a bruised rib from too much coughing.  How about that upset stomach – another trip to the ICU?  No, probably just the spicy mexican food.  A headache?  Maybe the change in weather, lack of water, or any number of things.  Or maybe my liver is unhappy.  It’s tough to tell.

Things that I used to deal with easily, are now a potential sign. There is no ignoring the little signals from the body.  A cough?  Normal during winter, but it could be something more.  A fever? Might be normal sickness, or it could be infection of the bile ducts. Forgetting something could be a normal occurrence or it could be encephalopathy. Weight gain or retaining water? Overeating or it could be ascites. Weight loss? Healthy eating, or it could be malabsorption of essential nutrients. Itching?  Dry skin or it could be yet another  symptom of PSC.

Is that pimple in my nose a sign that my intestines are inflammed? Why am I tired?  Should we roast the chicken, or will we have to go to the hospital? Do I worry about the 5mm kidney stone? It must be exhausting for hypochondriacs, because it’s exhausting for both of us.