Jodi DeMuth has brought life to the Seacoast, delivering hundreds of babies as a midwife, but in this new Year she is waiting to see whether a family member can save her life by donating 60 percent of their liver.

DeMuth, 58, is in need of a transplant because of degenerative autoimmune disease primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), which has irreversibly scarred her liver. The Wells resident was diagnosed with the disease 23 years ago and, with the help of her doctors and medications, she managed to keep its progression at bay until her condition recently reached a new level.

Doctors have determined that a live donor is DeMuth’s best option, so she’s turned to eight of her family members, all of whom are being tested to determine whether they are a match. with the same blood type, and all in relatively good health, it’s likely that DeMuth will find a match in one of those eight family members.

Her biggest obstacle is money. The surgery can cost up to $1 million dollars and will take DeMuth and her donor away from their jobs for months.

Now, this woman who has given so much of herself to parents and their newborn babies as a midwife is turning to the community for help.

An autoimmune disease, PBC is chronic, progressive and has no cure. While the liver is regenerative and can keep itself healthy under attack for long periods of time, it eventually suffers too much damage.

“It’s a condition that progresses over many years and generally ends up in typical cirrhosis of the liver. This causes a variety of symptoms, generally causes fatigue and general debilitation,” said Dr. James Markmann, chief of transplant surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of surgery at Harvard University. “It eventually becomes life-threatening.”

After her PBC diagnosis, DeMuth and her doctors created a successful treatment plan that has kept her feeling healthy and living well. but the disease’s recent progression cannot be treated with medication. The daily struggles are worsening as DeMuth faces intense fatigue, abdominal inflammation and severe itchiness, all diminishing her quality of life.

“At periods of time when I’m feeling more kind of enlightened, I feel really lucky that I’ve had 20 years of this being pretty low-key, pretty back-burner,” DeMuth said. “I’ve been able to raise a family and have this amazing career.”

The closeness of DeMuth’s family is humbling, the love you feel between them striking and the laughter they emanate contagious. It was all felt during a brief lunch with DeMuth and six of her family members as they started the liver-match process recently at Massachusetts General Hospital, where the transplant surgery will take place.

“We thrive a little on humor and in general our tone is optimistic and positive. we all grew up with the sense that everything would be OK and that our strength lay in our connectedness. It’s just always been a piece of the fabric of the whole thing,” Jodi DeMuth said. “We make fun of this all the time. This whole process that we’re going through. There’s nothing else to do.”

For the eight family members undergoing testing — including Jodi’s sister Nancy DeMuth and two other siblings, daughter Caitlin DeMuth Greenwood, 24, and son Mischa DeMuth Winters, 33 — there was never a question of whether to donate.

“No, I didn’t think about it. It’s a yes. Automatically, if I’m the best one, then it’s a yes,” said Nancy DeMuth, who lives in Marblehead, Mass.

The two sisters have a strong bond formed from their childhood memories, time spent together in California in their younger years, and Jodi’s involvement as a midwife in the birth of Nancy’s daughter.

Jodi DeMuth’s longtime partner, Earl Whitfield, who was the first to be rejected as a potential donor, is a strong source of support, particularly for DeMuth and her children.

Caitlin DeMuth Greenwood was just 2 years old when her mom was diagnosed with PBC. It’s not something that’s been a focus in her life, until now.

“It was definitely hard when it hit another stage. I really love her and everybody does. It’s just not supposed to happen like this. I worry about it, but I don’t,” she said, turning to her mother, their eyes locking. “She likes to make sure I don’t.”

As a nurse midwife for more than 20 years, DeMuth has treasured her intimate access into people’s lives and witnessing the strength of women every day. for the first time, DeMuth will take a leave of absence — effective Jan. 3. It’s a demanding job — physically, mentally and emotionally — that has only become more so for DeMuth as her disease has progressed.

“There’s this ongoing fear of, if I’m not a midwife, who will I be,” said DeMuth, who started her career in 1999 in Portsmouth and is now at York Hospital OBGYN and Midwifery Associates. “It’s been such a huge part of my life for so long.”

There is an immeasurable reward from her work, which has kept DeMuth going, even on the days where the effects of the disease are hitting hard.

“No matter how tired I am and no matter how drained I might feel, to be able to be involved in people’s lives the way that we are as midwives allowed access into people’s lives, is too amazing of a gift to ever be overshadowed by anything else,” she said. “Even when I’m falling on my feet ready to go home and go to bed.”

DeMuth estimates she’s delivered between 700 and 800 babies on the Seacoast.

“Pretty much anywhere we go, we bump into somebody who comes over and starts talking,” Whitfield said.

Two of those babies are Christine Allen’s children Saige, 9, and Seth, who was born in October. DeMuth delivered Saige in Portsmouth, N.H., and Allen followed her to York for the birth of her second child.

With the bond they’ve created over the years, Allen said DeMuth is more a friend than a midwife.

“She’s awesome,” Allen said. “She’s there for all the support. The advice. She’s amazing.”

Hope for a match

The self-titled “Gang of 8″ undergoing testing are hoping they will be a match for DeMuth. The testing is rigorous and seeks to determine who is the best match on every level, including physical and emotional. The procedure takes about 60 percent of the liver from the donor, who usually goes home in five to six days and heals for about six weeks, Dr. Markmann said.

The recipient’s recovery is dependant upon how sick they are going into the surgery, Markmann said. They are usually in the hospital for six to 10 days and are closely monitored for the first few months for rejection of the transplant, when the potential for rejection is highest.

Donors are expected to return to a normal life, without any changes in their lifestyle or quality of life, Markmann said, while recipients will take immunosuppression medication for the rest of their lives.

“One of my biggest fears is just this ongoing unknown of what will happen, how things will go. How will I be? How my donor will be?” DeMuth said.

For DeMuth’s family, their prominent fear is a difficult one to face.

“That Jodi won’t live. That’s my greatest fear,” Nancy DeMuth said.

Markmann said patients in their 60s undergo transplants all the time and “they do great.”

“A lot of it depends on how sick they are and how debilitated they are going in,” he said. “She should experience a full recovery, and I would say at that age not have any out-of-the-ordinary expectations for complications.”

A liver transplant is a major surgery that keeps the donor and recipient out of work for several months. Including surgical expenses and ongoing costs, it is estimated the transplant surgery for DeMuth and her donor could range up to $1 million, DeMuth said. Health insurance, which will cover a portion of the bills, will only pay for a blood relative to be a donor, she said.

“I think that trying to always figure out in my head how we’re going to do it and how it’s going to work out just adds to the anxiety right now,” DeMuth said. “I feel guilty. It feels incredibly awkward to me. It’s hard for me to look around me, and to the world around me in particular, and feel that there’s any way that I deserve either help or assistance or anything. That’s a struggle.”

Mischa DeMuth Winters, who is serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and lives in California, said his primary concerns aren’t about the details of the surgery or its costs.

“My main concerns are more for my mom and her loss of work, her recovery time after the operation, the fatigue level she’s been having for the last year-plus,” he said. “My concerns are more for her.”

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Please note: My rosacea diagnosis is not connected to my taking Complera. I just chose to blog about them at the same time.

In 2008 I started my HIV medications. My first regimen was Truvada, Reyataz, and Norvir — a three-pill-a-day regimen that my body, at least at first, was fine dealing with. Then after a couple of months of taking the medication my eyes began to turn yellow and my new doctor said that jaundice was why my eyes were turning yellow. Jaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jaundice can be a symptom of other health problems. Every day, a small number of red blood cells in your body die, and are replaced by new ones. The liver removes the old blood cells, forming bilirubin. The liver helps break down bilirubin so that it can be removed by the body in the stool. When too much bilirubin builds up in the body, jaundice may result. Jaundice can occur if there are too many red blood cells dying or breaking down and going to the liver, the liver is overloaded or damaged and/or the bilirubin from the liver is unable to move through the digestive tract properly. So because of that I was put on another regimen.

The second regimen that I was put on was Prezista, Truvada, and Norvir. that is a four-a-day regimen. I often wondered if the reason why I sometimes forgot to take my meds is because of how many medications I had to take daily. My T cells remained the same but were not where they needed to be. My T cells have been as high as 500 to as low as 300, and right now they are the latter. I’m starting to cut back more and more on bad habits like smoking and drinking. But now I’ve been put on a new regimen called Complera.

I started Complera about one week ago; it is a one-pill-a-day regimen. The FDA approved the new drug this year. It’s been about a week and I haven’t had any bad things or side effects yet. I’m just now very tired usually, but the other side effects haven’t happened to me. I’m very happy about this one-pill-a-day regimen; this is what I’ve been waiting for and I’m so happy about it. Now there are side effects to Complera.

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Complera:

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Back pain; cough; darkened skin color on the palms of hands or soles of feet; diarrhea; dizziness; gas; headache; indigestion; joint pain; loss of appetite; mild stomach pain or discomfort; nausea; sinus drainage; skin discoloration (small spots or freckles); strange dreams; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Complera:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bone pain; chest pain; fever; irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes (e.g., depression, unusual negative thoughts, anxiety, restlessness); muscle pain or weakness; numbness, burning, pain, or tingling; severe or persistent dizziness; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or stomach or back pain; shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or behaviors; symptoms of kidney problems (e.g., increased or decreased urination, increased thirst); symptoms of lactic acidosis (e.g., unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual muscle pain; fast or difficult breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feeling cold, especially in the arms and legs; dizziness or light-headedness; fast or irregular heartbeat); symptoms of liver problems (e.g., yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite).

SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS I WOULD GET THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS AS IF I WAS ON ANY OTHER MEDICATIONS. LMAO OKAY NOT a BIG DEAL.

Tony Mills, M.D., Director of Medical Research, Anthony Mills M.D., inc. and a participating investigator in ongoing Complera studies, said:

“In the 30 years since the first AIDS cases were reported, we’ve made incredible strides in the treatment of this disease. The concept of a single-tablet regimen has become a goal in HIV drug development, and the standard of care in medical practice in the United States. However, no one therapy is appropriate for all patients.

Given its efficacy, safety and convenience, the availability of Complera represents an exciting milestone in addressing the individual needs of patients new to HIV therapy.”

Complera’s approval is supported by data from two Phase III active controlled, double blind, randomized studies carried out by Tibotec. The ECHO and THRIVE trials evaluated rilpivirine compared to efavirenz for efficacy and safety among HIV-1 infected adults who had not received medications before. John C. Martin, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gilead Sciences, said:

“Complera is the second complete single-tablet regimen that Gilead has introduced, and it represents a collaboration between two organizations that share a vision of simplifying HIV therapy for patients. Tremendous progress has been made in the field of HIV, but we recognize new therapies are still needed, and we continue to work to advance options that address the needs of patients.”

Gilead wrote that Complera is the second complete antiretroviral treatment regimen for treatment-naïve HIV-1 patients in a single pill that is taken once a day. The first was Atripla (efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg), which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead.

But I am the producer for an event which at times can be stressful around the same time of year. because of this stress I’ve been diagnosed with rosacea. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. it may appear as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne. Symptoms are: redness of the face in discrete areas or covering the entire face, a tendency to flush or blush easily, increased number of spider-like blood vessels (telangiectasia) of the face, a red, bulbous nose, acne-like skin eruptions (may ooze or crust), a burning or stinging sensation of the face, irritated, bloodshot, watery eyes.

There is no known cure for rosacea. The goal is to identify and avoid possible triggers, and thus reduce flare-ups. By keeping a symptom diary to identify the specific triggers you may have, you may be able to see a pattern of what makes your rosacea worse. Use this information to avoid future flare-ups.

Here are some steps that may help: avoid sun exposure, use sunscreen every day, avoid prolonged exertion in hot weather, try to reduce stress, try deep breathing, yoga, or other relaxation techniques, limit spicy foods, alcohol, and hot beverages.

Triggers vary from person to person. Other triggers may include wind, hot baths, cold weather, specific skin products, exercise, or other factors.

Antibiotics taken by mouth (such as tetracycline, minocycline, or doxycycline) or applied to the skin (such as metronidazole) may control skin eruptions. Other medications (isoretinol or Accutane), which are similar to vitamin a, are stronger alternatives that your doctor or dermatologist might consider. Rosacea is not acne and will not improve with over-the-counter acne treatment.

In severe cases, laser surgery may help reduce the redness. Surgical reduction of enlarged nose tissue may also improve your appearance, if you so choose.

AND YES, BLACK PEOPLE DO GET ROSACEA TOO. I can’t tell you how many people have said to me “Really?? I didn’t know black people got rosacea.” Come on people, JEEZ!!!

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More News & Research on Complera (Rilpivirine/Tenofovir/FTC)

I took 8000mg paracetemol in 24 hours wrongly..even though passing 7 days after taking it,I had nausea(after meals) and I am feeling so weak.After taking it unconscious,I tried to thrw up but I could not succes.Why I am having this nausea after meals?is it related with liver or stomack?I am feeling so sick.now 1 weeks passed and I did not go to doctor.Wht I must do?help me plz!

Although hepatitis C damages the liver, 80% of people with the disease do not have symptoms. in those whodo, symptoms may not appear for10-20 years, or even longer. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms appear, the damage may be very serious.

SARGODHA: 

A Hepatitis outbreak has been reported in Sargodha and medical officials have said that nearly 60 per cent of the district is suffering from some form or other of the virus.

“The disease is spreading at an alarming rate,” said the district health officer (DHO). “We have begun an inspection of the local DHQ hospitals and dispensaries but many of the patients blame quacks,” he added.

Health official Raja Mubbashir said that in Qasba Matila every third person was suffering from Hepatitis C. “A lot of it has to do with the unsanitary hospital equipment being used and most of these people share their shaving razors etc,” he said. Mubbashir said that the district administration was working to curb the outbreak but the number of patients was increasing rapidly. “Hospitals do not even have enough space to accommodate the patients in some cases,” he added.

“The health department seems to be ignorant of what is happening. Many of the people don’t have access to clean drinking water and others are probably visiting doctors who are using unsterilised equipment,” a DHQ nurse Shireen said.

According to a local NGO, nearly four per cent of youths in the district are suffering from Hepatitis C. “The district authorities need to work harder to spread awareness about how the disease can be contracted so people are more cautious,” said an NGO worker Asad Khan.

The village’s basic health unit has no vaccination or test facilities and dozens of locals have protested against the district and health authorities over the past week. “Four of my children are suffering from Hepatitis C. They have been vomiting and have diarrhoea. Doctors told me they didn’t have enough vaccines,” said Shagufta Bibi, from Qasba Matila. “I know entire families that have contracted the disease. The water here is very dirty and it doesn’t make a difference how much or how often we boil it,” she said, adding “but the biggest problem is that barbers don’t use clean shaving utensils others in hospitals use unsterilized equipment,” she added.

Several residents in the districts blamed the spread of the disease on the increasing number of quacks practicing medicine in the district. “There are lots of hakeems and quacks here because the district hospitals and dispensaries are running out of vaccines.

These men claim they can cure the disease and they charge less so people flock to them,” said a resident Muhammad Virk.

Locals also said that the monsoon season and rains had caused deep pools of standing water and sewage in different areas of the district. “The filth is spreading infection and district authorities are slow to address these matters. we could easily have other epidemics break out because of this,” he added.

Causes and symptoms

Although hepatitis C damages the liver, 80% of people with the disease do not have symptoms. in those who do, symptoms may not appear for 10-20 years, or even longer. Even then, the symptoms usually come and go and are mild and vague. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms appear, the damage may be very serious. A minority of people have symptoms during the early acute phase of the infection. These symptoms typically develop 5-12 weeks after exposure to HCV. some people describe the symptoms as being flulike. The symptoms may last a few weeks or months and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and fatigue.

HCV is not related to the other viruses that cause hepatitis. like the other hepatitis viruses, however, it is contagious. The hepatitis C virus is transmitted mainly by contact with blood or blood products.

Sharing of contaminated needles among IV drug users is the most common mode of transmission. using a needle to inject recreational drugs, even once several years ago, is a risk factor for hepatitis C. Transfusion with infected blood or blood products, hemodialysis, or transplantation of organs from infected donors was once a common mode of transmission butis now rare.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2011.

By Jan RahnManaging Editor April was designated by Gov. Dave Heineman as “Donate Life Month,”—however, the gift of life should actually be recognized throughout the entire year as a national observance that helps increase awareness of the potential for saving lives through organ, cornea and tissue donations. as of May 5, there were 110,919 people on the national waiting list for lifesaving transplants. An additional one million Americans who suffer from blindness, medical conditions and devastating injuries could be treated with donated corneas or tissue. Transplants done nationally in January of this year numbered 2,406 from 1,195 donors. there are nearly 88,500 people in the U.S. currently awaiting a kidney transplant. Hopeful liver recipients number 16,137; heart 3,134; lung 1,771; and pancreas 1,361. Kim Copple of Elsie knows all too well what it feels like to be on that list—waiting and wondering if and when her life will change. Copple was one of the lucky recipients of a kidney five years ago. She had reason to celebrate Donate Life Month in April.Receiving the Gift the Elsie woman has run the gamut with emotions when it comes to kidney transplants. She is a fortunate recipient of a kidney—a transplant that saved her life. However, she said the absolute worst experience was finding out her daughters have the disease that was discovered in her. fear struck her heart in 2000 when she was having trouble with high blood pressure—knowing in the back of her mind that by the symptoms  it could be Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a disease prevalent on her mother’s side of the family which took her mother’s life in 1993. “So, after a few tests, sure enough, there it was in black and white—PKD,” said Kim. “I was in denial for some time after the diagnosis because I was tested at age seven and was negative.” She learned later that the disease may not appear until the age of 30. Kim said she visited with a nephrologist who gave her the ultimatum—choose the type of dialysis she wanted and then begin testing for the kidney transplant list. “It took me some time to come to terms with his advice,” said Kim, “but I guess what forced me into making the decision was my health. I felt just terrible, no energy at all, very anemic and from some accounts, didn’t look so great either!”   by 2006, she was in renal failure and chose to do a stay-at-home procedure called peritoneal dialysis, where a catheter is implanted in the abdomen and a solution cleans the blood by osmosis through the peritoneum, the membrane lining the walls of the abdominal cavity. This procedure was done once a day and through the  night each day for four years, said Kim. her name was put on the transplant list following testing, and she was told there was between a two- to seven-year wait for a cadaver kidney. “Every year that I waited, the list of people waiting for a kidney transplant at the University of Colorado grew larger and larger,” she said. “When I first was placed on the transplant list I was number 267 waiting for a kidney at that hospital, and over the four years for those waiting it more than doubled.Receipt of new Kidney fast forward to December 2009. She said it was around midnight that cold December night when the phone rang—it was the transplant nurse asking all kinds of health questions. the nurse told Kim they had a kidney but that she was third on the list. the nurse said she would be calling back in the next couple hours to let Kim know her status. “At about 5 a.m. she called back and told me the kidney went to someone else,” said Kim. “I think it was a good thing because it prepared me for the future. I had been waiting so long but didn’t really prepare myself mentally.” on March 29, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. she received a call from her daughter, Holly, who was in class at the University of Nebraska, wondering where her mother was because the transplant team at the University of Colorado was trying to find her. Kim had stepped out for a few minutes and missed the call. When she contacted the coordinator for transplant, she was told to get to Denver as soon as possible. Kim was told the kidney would be hers because the person first on the list was too far away to make it in time. “It didn’t take long to get ready to go since my bag had been packed for four years!’ she said. her husband Chris drove her to Denver in record time and the kidney arrived about the same time that they did. “Several hours later I was in surgery and the wait was finally over,” she said. Kim had to remain in Denver the first month so that the kidney and the medication could be monitored. because of the time of year, her farmer husband needed to return home, so her twin Caron Schultz, who had had a kidney transplant a year-and-a-half earlier came to take care of her. “She was a great source of information and compassion,” said Kim. “And a great cook too.” Kim said it took a few months after the transplant to build up her strength, but as of today she couldn’t feel better. “Every day is a gift from God, and I do stop to smell the roses,” she said. “Life is great. Luckily I haven’t had any bouts with rejection and hope everything continues well.” What’s Ahead A donor kidney can last from 10-20 years, with the body trying to reject the new kidney every day. the medications used to prevent rejection can also harm the donor kidney, said Kim. She is positive about the strides in development of new medications. “I’m hoping the next kidney I receive, if need be, will be one that is grown from my own cells and there will be no need to depend on someone else,” she said. “This is just in the experimental phase and many years from fruition, but wouldn’t that be wonderful? there are hundreds of thousands of people waiting for some kind of transplant and if this new technology was used, what an incredible thing that would be.” Family History Kim said her family’s life has been affected by PKD since the early 1960s—her mother (Mona Lee  Cutler), her aunt and sister were diagnosed with the disease. the disease affects the kidneys by taking them over with cysts, eventually causing the kidney to quit functioning. if high blood pressure is controlled, the process can be slow in most people, but by the age of 40 or 50, dialysis and transplant are needed. Kim’s aunt was the first to receive a kidney in the late 1980s but she died from infection days after the operation. Kim’s mother had two transplants—the first was rejected ,and then she lived about a year after the second, but died in 1993 from heart failure, which was most likely from the medications she was on to prevent rejection. even with the great strides made in drugs, there is a delicate balance. Kim’s sister received a kidney from her husband about two years ago and is doing very well, she said. Two of her cousins have PKD, one just received a kidney from his daughter. the other is in the process of testing for the transplant list. Weighing heavily on Kim’s heart is the fact her two daughters have tested positive for the disease. “I just pray for a cure,” she said. Daily Life Kim takes three medications twice a day at exactly 12 hour intervals to keep her from rejecting the kidney. She wears an alarm so that she doesn’t miss a dose. Although she considers her life fairly normal, she takes precautions—such as in handling raw meat, seafood and vegetables. She is told not to eat at buffets because of the unknown amount of time the food has sat out. She must eat thoroughly cooked food and doesn’t eat leftovers over two days old. She wears a mask if around a waiting room of sick people, she sees a nephrologist every three months, and must wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer from the anti-rejection medicines.Family Support Kim has lots of support from family, including her husband Chris who farms and is an agent for a seed company in the Elsie area. She keeps the books for their farm and seed business. Cheering on the Huskers is a favorite pastime for Kim, along with gardening. the Copples have three daughters. Jessie Paintin is married to Chase. They have a two-year-old son, Tanner, who Kim loves spending time with. the couple lives in Elsie where Chase has a construction business. Daughter Jenny is just finishing her education at Des Moines University where she is studying to become a physical therapist. She will be married in June to Braden Schall and they will make their home in Burlington, Colo. Youngest daughter Holly is a student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln majoring in dietetics.      as a UNL graduate herself, Kim said her youngest would like to someday work as a dietician in a dialysis center. Kim says her daughter saw first hand how diet affects a dialysis patient and how strictly it is monitored. “My family has been so helpful and understanding through these last five years,” said Kim. “I am truly blessed with a wonderful family, friends, community and medical staff.     Their children and grandson add joy and blessings to her life—a life that was saved by a kidney transplant. “Unfortunately, someone passed away for me to get healthy again, but I’m so thankful that the person chose to mark their driver’s license as a donor,” said Kim. When there is a living donor, because of advancements and how the kidney is removed, recovery time is much less than it used to be. also, a living donor kidney has a better chance of surviving longer than a cadaver kidney. “And you only need one kidney to live a healthy life!” she said. Statistics in Nebraska there are more than 450 Nebraskans currently waiting for a potentially lifesaving transplant. During 2010 there were 303 Nebraskans who received lifesaving organ transplants. Nebraskans who have designated themselves as organ donors on their driver’s licenses numbered 656,875 in 2010. This number includes more than 23,000 new registrations for the year. the county with the highest rate of registered donors is Arthur County, whose residents have the distinction of being at 60 percent. Perkins County and Keith County are among 13 counties in the state ranking above 50 percent. Sixty-nine other counties in the state have donor designation rates of at least 40 percent. the Nebraska Kidney Association has been serving Nebraskans for over 41 years, and 100 percent of all money raised here stays here for programs and services to help residents of the state. the mission of the association is to improve the lives of all Nebraskans through advocacy, education, early disease detection and patient services. To learn more about organ donation visit DonateLifeNebraska.com Drivers can also make this directive when applying for or renewing a Nebraska driver’s license or state ID card.

If galstones come from the liver then are stored in gallblatter. When gallblatter is removed. what symptoms do you have from liver stones?

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a average genetic ailment that affects many organs of the body. the most average organs affected are the lungs, sinus and pancreas. Other organs that are also affected are; liver and gallbladder, intestines, reproductive organs in men and women. Cystic Fibrosis also affects the difficulty glands. This means the inadequate gene interferes with the body's ability to carry water and salt to and from cells, which means that people who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis altogether have bristly and sticky secretion. This is not so good since it clogs up many organs of the body. In non-CF people, the secretions are thin and watery, which is normal.

How organs are affect

Respiratory System:

Cystic Fibrosis affects ones breathing and the alibi for this is because emanation in the airway becomes bristly and blocks the airways, which makes this difficult for most CF patients to breath.  Normal emanation in the airway is altogether thin which makes it easier for emanation to pass through and be cleared. Because of this reason, lung infections are very average is CF patients. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) is the most average bacteria that beget lung infections. Sinus difficulty may also occur due to respiratory infections of CF patients, which mean that CF patients have a higher risk of sinus infections. the alibi for sinus infections is due to nasal polys, which are non-cancerous tumours in the liner of the nasal passage. when this happens, altogether surgery is required. I have had 18 surgeries in my life due to this reason.

Digestive System:

Cystic Fibrosis affects the digestive system due to lack of enzymes in the pancreas. This means that not adequate nutrients can be digested. Patients with CF must take enzymes in order to absorb all the nutrients taken in by food. Lack of enzymes in the body causes many CF patients to be under weight. In CF, many patients lack the assimilation of fats and proteins, so when this happens, higher intake of fat and proteins from food are required. Sticky emanation is alternative issue why people in CF lack assimilation because of abnormal bristly secretion, this blocks the ducts or passageways to the pancreas preventing healthy digestive juices from toward the inside the intestines, making it almost not possible to digest proteins and fats.

Prevention is the best medication for cystic fibrosis. Although, nowadays there is no known cure there are natural supplements for cystic fibrosis. Natural dietetic supplements afford your digestive system the proper enzymes needed to process food and abate the intensity of cystic fibrosis. (hellolife.net/explore/digestive-enzymes/how-cystic-fibrosis-affects-your-digestive-system/)

Reproductive System:

Cystic Fibrosis affects the reproductive system due to the sticky emanation in the sexual organs. For men, this may beget obstruction of the sperm canal. For women, this may beget infertility or a abate in fertility, yet it is not not possible for a woman with CF to get pregnant.  Many women who have cystic fibrosis have successful pregnancies, but they need attached monitoring because of their dietetic status and the addition crick on their lungs.

Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

There are many symptoms that are associated with CF, but vary from person to person. Below are the lists of symptoms:

-chronic cough -coughing up blood -collapsed lung -clubbing (rounding and enlargement of the fingers and toes) -heart enlargement -nasal polyps (fleshy growths in the nose) -sinusitis (inflamed nasal sinuses) -delayed sexual development -absence or stopping of menstruation -irregular menstrual periods -inflammation of the cervix -infertility or sterility -salty tasting skin -bowel obstruction -frequent wheezing or pneumonia -abdominal swelling -vomiting -dehydration -pneumothorax (rupture of lung tissue and trapping of air between the lung and bureau wall) -Liver and gallbladder problems -Gassiness

Who is altogether affected by Cystic Fibrosis and how it is diagnosed?

Did you know that it is most average for Caucasians to be diagnosed with cystic fibrosis? it is said that 1 out of all 3600 children in Canada are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. 1 in 25 people are carriers of this gene, which means they do not have CF, but because they carry this gene they can pass it on to their children.  it is said that in the United States, Cystic Fibrosis is the number 1 killer amongst children and adults. Here is anything I had base on what happens when two people are a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis. 

When two people who carry the CF gene have a child, there is:

a 25% chance that the babe will be born with cystic fibrosis; a 50% chance that the babe will not have CF, but will be a carrier; a 25% chance that the babe will not have CF, and will not be a carrier.

How is CF diagnosed?

Cystic Fibrosis is diagnosed by performing what is called a "sweat test". In CF, many patients lose salt through sweat, but CF patients tend to lose more salt then a non-CF person. when a difficulty test is performed, if high salt bank occurs, then the attending of Cystic Fibrosis is there.

What is the standard life span of Cystic Fibrosis today?

Today the standard life span of Cystic Fibrosis is 30 days old. This has accretion a lot in the past decade. In the past, the life expectation of CF was 18 days old. Now due to the accretion in treatments and amplified medication, people with CF are also days into their 40's.

-Treatments used to delicacy Cystic Fibrosis

Many treatments are used nowadays to delicacy this fatal disease, such as

-Chest physiotherapy -Pancreatic enzyme replacement -Antibiotics -Nutritional therapy -Pulmonary therapy

People who have tried solving the gallbladder problem by using the liver and gallbladder flush, claim that this method is effective and leaves no side effects. Many people are actually afraid of gallbladder surgery, so they decide to use the flush method. Let us see what this really is.

The Liver and Gallbladder Flush

According to some sources, the liver and gallbladder flush is good for several reasons. first, some believe that colon cancer is possible after gallbladder surgery. No need to explain how frightened a patient can be after reading something like this, so everyone will try to avoid gallbladder surgery. therefore, gallbladder flush comes as a better option.

Second, some people are afraid of gallbladder surgery side effects. we don’t know how reasonable this fear really is, because not all patients have side effects after the surgery. the liver and gallbladder flush is considered more natural, so people tend to think that it will leave no side effects.

We could read about benefits of gallbladder flush. Purifying the blood was one of these benefits. However, we don’t know if this is 100 % true.

Regeneration of the body is another benefit of this method, but again, how can we take this to be true? this can be quite individual. Flush removes the waste and toxins from the body, but is this so simple? According to what many people say – it is simple. we can’t just take their word on this, since gallbladder and liver are very important organs. Whatever you decide to do, you must never do it on your own. your doctor must examine your liver and your gallbladder and tell you what to do.

People who had liver and gallbladder flush had to follow some instructions, like avoid solid foods for at least two days. Natural juices made of apple and cinnamon is recommended for such patients. You should talk to a professional about what you can consume after liver and gallbladder flush.

After these two days, there will be some adjustments. Patients are advised to warm up the right side of the ribs.

Now, we will not express any attitude about this method. However, our duty is to tell you the following: never decide about your health without your doctor’s knowledge. Keep in mind that gallbladder surgery is sometimes the only solution to the problem. In some cases, this surgery prevented serious complications and it just had to be done. of course, people don’t like surgeries and they would do anything to avoid this kind of intervention, but sometimes, this is the only option.

You must visit your doctor and ask for his professional opinion on your gallbladder problem and ways to solve it.

Malaria is caused by a parasite species of plasmodium. it enters body through musquito bite. Multiplies in liver and attaches itself to the red blood corpuscles. Symptoms are high fever with shivering on alternate days. Effects are mainly rupture of red corpuscles, enlargement of liver and spleen. Cured effectively with chloroquin compound. Prevention by eradicating musquitos and avoiding bites by using citrinell creams (Odomos) and wearing a musquito net. Vaccines in experimental stage.

Malaria is an infectious disease by the parasite plasmodia. There are five species that causes malaria parasite in man, namely, Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum, P.oval, P. malariae and P. knowlesi. It is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes.It is a disease that can only be treated within 48 hours, but it can lead to fatal complications such as delayed diagnosis and treatment. this malaria parasite (sporozoit) are migrated to the liver where they mature and release another form, the merozoites.

It enters the bloodstream and infect red blood cells. The parasites multiply within red blood cells, which then rupture within 48 to 72 hours, infecting red blood cells and thus result in the signs and symptoms of malaria. Some signs of malaria caused by the release of merozoites into the bloodstream, the anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells, and the problems caused by large amounts of free hemoglobin released from red blood cells in circulaion break.

Malaria is the fifth cause of death from infectious diseases in the world after respiratory infections, HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis and diarrhea, and the second in Africa after HIV / AIDS. Malaria can be transmitted at birth from a mother with her baby and blood transfusion.

What are the signs and symptoms of malaria?

Signs and symptoms of malaria are somewhat similar to flu. Common signs of malaria include fever, chills, nausea, headache and fatigue. Infection with the parasite P. Plasmodium falciparum is usually serious and can be life threatening. The severity of malaria may also vary depending on the general health and type of malaria parasites.

How the diagnosis of malaria?

Malaria Diagnosis involves the identification of malaria parasites or antigens company / product in the blood of patients. Although this seems simple, the effectiveness of malaria diagnosis is subject to many factors. Malaria diagnosis is confirmed by blood tests and can be divided into microscopic tests and microscopic.Diagnosis of malaria begins with a thorough personal and family medical history, including symptoms and travel history, complete physical examination. last trip to the subtropical and tropical world is an important indication of suspected diagnosis of malaria could increase.

Malaria diagnosis including blood tests to check that the plasmodia parasites that cause malaria. A series of tests may be needed to definitively diagnose malaria.

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