George McCullough

I start this period in August, 2015.  The reason is something happened, hepatic encephalitis.  While I had things go wrong before this had a real change that reduced my balance (a couple of years later still dealing with issues).  I have regained some of my stamina and leg strength.  

I have cirrhos  of the liver.  We have not figured the cause out.  This means I will need a liver transplant.  Also, I have liver cancer.  There is a procedure called TACE for treating liver cancer.  After the procedure I get a follow up scan to check status the liver cancer.   At this point I started to add or change doctors to USC Keck.  My first TACE was done outside of Keck.  The first procedure took 2 hours.  When I did my follow up scan Keck did another TACE procedure.  This took 6 hours.  In the follow up scan I was cancer free.  Liver cancer can be treated by TACE.  The only cure is the transplant.  I need a liver from someone with blood type O.  The fact that other blood types accept O means that a lot of people could use that transplant.

Keck formed up a transplant team for me.  I am now registered on a transplant list.  They have been checking me out, to be sure I am ready for the transplant.  We monitor a number of things every three months:

Liver cancer - If I have a problem we would do another TACE procedure.
Blood for clots - I will be on a blood thinner for a long time to help prevent clots.
Pulmonary pressure - I will be taking a pill to help with this.  The first drug had too high of a copay, they have not given me a new option yet.
Glaucoma 

The cirrhosis of the liver is dealt with working to clear out toxins from my blood.  I take a diuretic every day to keep from retaining water.  The only cure is the transplant.

hepatic encephalitic - I have had one episode and I hit a coma type my first time out. This is one that scared everyone around me.  I was not scared because I was so out of things I did not know what was happening.  My nephew, Ian, really came through.  He was there as long as I was in the hospital - he had experience because he went through it with his dad.  He is only one I remember from hospital besides Pat and Christina.  Anyone who visited did help.  Patrick said I lite up when a visitor came.  So thank you!


It is years later and I still do not have my stamina and balance back.  I am going to start another period of physical therapy, June 2018.


I came in for a checkup and to get a new prescription.  On my second visit my ophthalmologist told me I had glaucoma.  Damage from glaucoma cannot be fixed, but it can be treated to stop further damage. 


My dermatologist has me doing a cream on my skin and Light Chamber three times a week as treatment.  He said that I cannot take drugs to treat it, because my body is messed up and I am taking many other drugs.