Family and friends of Christopher Copeland are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation.

May 3, 2017

May 2, 2017

It's been a while since I've updated but things are still rolling along. I've had a really good week, no hospital stays, minimal bedrest, etc- all in all, a good week.

April 20, 2017

4/19/2017

Well, I did after all end up back in the hospital. I am loosing blood, but they cannot find the source. Imagine that?

They did a ton more tests to try and pinpoint where this could be happening. I was there about 26 or 27 hours this time with constant tests. All of the hospital beds were full, therefore I spent the majority of time in the ER. It was hideous. Absolutely miserable-especially for someone who is already sick. They got me a room about 7 hours before I left. It is amazing the difference in the staff in an ER as opposed to the staff on a floor. I'm not going to complain on this page or elaborate on the many things that were overlooked there. I'm just thankful that I AM STILL HERE AND AT HOME!

I'll continue to update this page as the journey unfolds. I will be going back to UAMS for a follow up and a new test that they have not yet done (to find the source of bleeding). I go back in 2 weeks for this procedure which takes 8-10 hours.

Please continue your prayers. I'm not sure where this leads from here, but I still have faith and struggle on some days to maintain it.

I CAN AND WILL THOUGH, WITH YOUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS AS WELL.

I LOVE AND APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE WHO IS SUPPORTING ME DURING THIS TIME OF MY LIFE.

With sincere love,

Christopher

April 17, 2017

April 16th___ Easter Sunday.

April 7, 2017

April 7, 2017

Honestly, this has been a rough week for me. I had to have tests at UAMS on Monday and after being under anesthesia (as much as I've had), it seems to get harder to recover. SO, I was in bed sick all week. I don't know that I've experienced the frame of mind in which I felt so tired and sick. It was actually scary considering that I normally refrain from such negative thoughts as I was having. As I lay there for the third day straight and thought about how truly blessed I am and talked to my Higher Powers that have this situation under their control, I slowly started feeling better. This is where I have lost faith in the past. I am so thankful that I could see this and didn't allow the negativity to have control of my being. I have a return doctor appointment today for results and I feel they will be good. I am still waiting at a UAMS for a transplant donor match, which can be 3 minutes or 3 months. Patience IS a virtue. I am learning to be patient, but I SO want and pray that this can happen soon. I know this sounds cold, wanting another person's liver, but I've made peace with that and know that what will be is God's will.

It was a great day for me! My friend, Jeff Madden, had a benefit auction "Art Brings Life" in my honor tonight, it was well attended and a lot of people had questions about cirrhosis and becoming organ donors. If THAT alone made an impact (even to one person), I will feel accomplished. In fact, I feel accomplished. IT FEELS GOOD TO HELP OTHERS.

Also, I got a call from Ocshner Hospital in New Orleans. They are apparently working with UAMS and I will be going there the end of the month to meet my Transplant there and have further testing. That is a whole new leg of the journey that I will post along the way.

Just remember__ "Life IS a journey, not a guided tour."

Thanks to each and all of you for your support and prayers! TRULY, with my heart I say this.

Peace Out

CDC

#TeamChristopherDavid #FollowTheJourney

March 21, 2017

So, I had an appointment at UAMS today. I met with my post-op doctor. It seems that it was not a hernia in my liver, but a blood clot in the vein leading to my liver. This has been a main factor in all the hospitalizations and encephalopathy. The clot in the vein has slowed down the blood flow to my liver which my body needs to feed blood into my brain.

The doctor informed me that due to this, they will be moving me into first place for transplant as this is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. She said it could be 30 minutes or 30 days but thought it would not be long. Told me to pack my bag and DO NOT get out of 15 minute range of UAMS.

The surgery will be 9-14 hours, probably closer to 14 due to clot. Then, I will be in I.C.U. for about 9-10 days.

I will continue with the stomach injections until surgery.

Thanks again to EVERYONE for the prayers, love and support. We've come this far so please keep them coming! As the quote says "Life is a journey, not a guided tour".

WE'VE GOT THIS WITH OUR GOD's POWER AND ALLOWING HIS CONTROL.

March 16, 2017

March 16, 2017

Got home from hospital on Thursday last week. I am taking the 2 injections daily, but pain is still in my abdomen and back. Hopefully they are doing their job. I am doing good other than very lethargic. The symptoms change daily, as do the moods and feelings. It's such a roller coaster ride between the symptoms (and unknown symptoms)...not to mention the actual transplant itself and healing process. Dreams are so vivid and thoughts are so out there sometimes that it completely freaks me out.

I know this is hard for my loved ones and especially Scott who have to work around the clock to make sure that I'm lucid and not slipped into hepatic Encephalopathy and getting the correct medicines at their appropriate time. I can never show how much I appreciate and love these people. If you know me well then you know that it's very hard for me to ask for or take anything. I look at their faces sometimes in disbelief and give thanks to and for them, but I would never want to hold anyone back that needs a break. I'd like a break myself, which we all know I cannot do, but I can offer this to my loved ones. It hurts me to see such sorrow, sadness and worry in their eyes. It makes me worry. I have 2 doctor appointments this week at UAMS. I will keep you posted.

I'd also like to say how each and every one of you have made such an impact on my life, not just now, but in general. I do believe that God makes these paths cross in our lives and for EACH of you___Thank you & Love

March 10, 2017

SO YES. Back in the hospital AGAIN. Apparently there is a hernia in my liver..

March 3, 2017

3/3/17

__So, I have BACK in th hospital again since my last update., I was in this week with pneumonia, anemia, messed up blood levels and again due to high amonnia. I SWEAR, if you could contract it, I had it!

__After 3 more nights, lots major antibiotics, IVs, blood infusing and oxygen. I got to come home! It is TRULYwhere the heart is!

__While there, the transplant team of Doctors from UAMS took considerable not an only saw them and the HEAD surgeon. The surgeon talked about my case and asked to present it to my team here for evaluation. He explained (that even Scott donating) that my success rate would greater here in Arkansas.

__We both talked concluded this true. My surgeon is moving me to the top percentile of the list (due to my recent health issues). He believes that we are looking 4 weeks or so.

WOW!!! Once again, your love and prayers have been too kind to me!

February 28, 2017

Monday, March 27

Hey everyone! I'm doing an update on my VERY SCARY journey with liver disease. The past month, I have now faced death DIRECTLY in face.

__I was hospitalized again (last week) at UAMS and placed in ICU for one and 1/2 weeks, I noticed all the symptoms of Hepatic Encephalopathy early on in day as my caretaker. It worstened by 9:00.My blood pressure had skrocketed,I could not breathe without a breathing with a oxygen machine, I was bleeding profusely due to Bleeding Esophageal Varies that had to be banded surgically AND, I had a rare strain of pneumonia. PLEASE PRAY DILIGENTLY

February 19, 2017

I had a really great week and after 3 days, Thursday, 2/16- I had to go back in for another T.B.C. to see where we stood. I got the results that evening. The count was better, but still out of whack. I still felt great until Saturday morning. I started having the worst Charlie horses (side effect) on one entire side of my body that I've experienced thus far. There is really nothing to do, but breathe through them. As of today, they have subsided

February 18, 2017

Hello___

So...Last weekend was kind of a tough one for me. We called my Transplant Coordinating Nurse,

who ordered a total blood count test for me to do on Monday. l went in on 2/13 and had the test. She called me back after the results were in that afternoon. My blood counts were all over for whatever reason- that's the way this disease works at this stage. One minute you are great and the next, you are really ill. After consulting with Dr. Dennike, my Transplant Doctor, he tripled some of my meds (which has made me feel much better).

February 11, 2017

Hey y'all__

___Just a short update. My test went good yesterday at UAMS. I now have only one appointment left next Thursday here in Little Rock, then we'll go to New Orleans for a few days of testing at Ocshner Hospital and to finalize arrangements for our apartment, caregivers, etc... We then will be back in Little Rock until the surgery (probably 2 weeks)- depending on our surgeon's schedule.

___I am so thankful to have made it through all these tests required for my transplant. I am also so very grateful to each of you individually and as a whole -your love, support and kind hearts make my heart lighter and help me to stay positive. Thank you all with much love!

CDC

February 9, 2017

Hey there!

Just a quick update.

After 5 long months of continual tests, I'll be testing today Thursday, 2/9/2017 at UAMS in Little Rock, Arkansas. This will be 1 of 2 tests left. The other is on 2/16/2017. Then I'll meet with my transplant surgeon here and he will compare notes with my transplant surgeon at Ocshner Hospital in New Orleans. My transplant nurse coordinators will then consult and my final 2 test results will be faxed there to complete my file.

We will then go to New Orleans where they will be prepared to finish our evaluations and their required testing. I am on the "fast track" there meaning I will immediately be taken in for 2-12 hour days of testing. These tests are required for a living donor transplant as opposed to waiting on a liver donor that is a match and then having a transplant.

After these two days of testing, they will bring Scott in for one full day of testing to make absolure csrfain there are no "suprises" when they do begin the surgery. The transplant surgeon wii then dermine the surgery datel., it is normally within 2 weeksl., YES,, it is indeed a process to get to this point.

All your prayers and suoort of any kind are not overlooked. Thank you!

CDC

CDC

February 4, 2017

Hey there!

I was born Christopher David Copeland in December 1965 to Alfred and Cleffie Copeland. A farmer and his wife, a home economist. I am sick. Please bear with me as I tell you a portion of my story. I have quietly battled cirrhosis of the liver since 2008. Nine long years now.

I've had a great life in general and plan on continuing after a transplant. I LOVE to laugh! It's good for the soul. My business was successful. With hard work and a lot of continuing education, I became (and still am) the only Master Cosmetologist/National Educator in Arkansas. For this, I am thankful.

For five years my health remained good through diet, light exercise and a VERY strong faith. I have always been a spiritual and faithful man thanks to my maternal grandmother, Sinda.

But in 2013, my health started to slowly degerate. The disease was effecting me physically and mentally at a slow rate. My health started diminishing in quality, especially from my former state of coherence and balance. I began to develop Hepatic Encephalopathy, which has symptoms of irritation, agitation, delirium, confusion, somnolence, lethargy and psychosis. My sleep patterns changed drastically which only fueled the Encephalopathy.

I have two teams of doctors, one at UAMS in Little Rock, Arkansas and the other at Ocshner in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both teams of doctors met with me separately and as a whole, explained as this disease and now liver failure progressed, so would all these symptoms-only worse. Both teams recommended a liver transplant.

After testing my meld score (Model for End stage Liver Disease), they were certain that I had to have a transplant. In 2016, my MELD was 38. A normal score would fall between 9 and 11. Fifteen and above is life threatening. 22 and above, you are going in (or are in) liver failure.

After being hospitalized 3 weeks ago and not waking for 2 full days and even then I had no tacticle skills, memory and could not speak. My MELD was off the chart. After a 2 weeks, it is considerably lower.

Long story short. I can wait for a liver transplant in Arkansas, which I will OR I can go to Ocshner for a living donor transplant, which happens much sooner. My husband, Scott wants to give me half of his liver. We are both ready and will be going to New Orleans in 2 weeks for final evaluations. I have been put on their "Fast Track", so as soon as we meet with the surgeon, he will determine when. More than likely, it will take place in 4-5.weeks. We will have to live in New Orleans for 3 moths barring any complications. I have turned this over to my Higher Power completely asking His will. I trust He will on His time.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Christopher David