The Derek Janiak Hepatobiliary Forum
The liver is the largest internal organ in humans and the only one that will grow back if part of it is removed. It is responsible for over 500 different functions in collaboration with other organs. Pfft. Overachiever.
I spent the weekend in Washington D.C. at the inaugural Advanced Advocacy Academy (A3) presented by the Global Liver Institute (GLI). I cannot stress enough how much D.C. and its denizens love abbreviations and acronyms. While much of my time was spent stuffing my brain with information about liver health and how to advocate for …
Sadly, no. We will be in separate but likely adjoining surgical suites. I'm calling them suites because it makes it sound like I know what I am talking about. Each of us will have our own surgical team and we will not be together. Which is kind of a bummer actually. I like the idea …
Continue reading "Will They Wheel You Into Surgery Together?"
Ok. I got the call. My liver is a go. I asked if it was the nicest liver they had ever seen and the nurse said: "Oh yes. It's a perfect specimen. We've already contacted the Smithsonian." She just gets me. (As a side note, when I relayed this story to Derek he said: "They …
Here's the schedule for today's medical evaluation, which is potentially the last test I need to take to determine whether I can be the donor for Derek. (They may ask for additional tests depending on how these tests go.) I will update this post when I get home from the appointments. But here's what I think …
Continue reading "Live Donor Update #4 – The Medical Evaluation"
What an excellent question! The answer is: I don't know. My understanding is that the scans of my abdomen are currently being inserted into some German version of The Matrix and will be spit out as a virtual liver that the doctors can then walk around and inspect like something out of an Iron Man …
Continue reading "When Will You Find Out If You’re the Donor?"
The Derek Janiak Hepatobiliary Forum 