August 15, 2020

We are doing a Facebook live tomorrow August 16th at 4 pm! If anyone wants to hear all our new updates and good news!! It will be on the Teri needs a liver Facebook page!!

June 23, 2020

As most of you know I don’t post on Facebook often, and most of you are finding out that I am battling liver disease. Unfortunately now I am sharing with everyone that I am now starting to lose that battle.

I was diagnosed in July of 2019. We were in Lake Powell celebrating our 30th anniversary and I was miserable. I was having issues breathing, drinking, and eating without getting sick to my stomach. I was so distended (a lot of free fluid in my abdomen) I looked like I was 9 months pregnant! Katie insisted I go to the ER, thank goodness I did when we got home.

I was on disability for almost 6 months. ( one of the HARDEST things I’ve done) While on disability I had to visit my doctor regularly to get almost 10 liters of fluid drained from my abdomen and get an infusion to help with my kidney function weekly. I had a procedure to help with the fluid. (TIPS procedure) It has helped with some of my symptoms so that I could return to work before losing my insurance.

I was so happy when I was told I was being put on the transplant list, but with this good news, it felt like 10 steps backwards. Because of Covid, testing was put on hold.. Next came the news that the average wait time for a deceased liver donor is 2-3 years! With my blood type being O, my girls weren’t a match and Colby being under 18, they will not let him test to become a donor.

Right now I am struggling to work four hour days three days a week and before I know it I will need to be at 24 hours a week to maintain my insurance.

Here is the hardest part for me, asking for people to get tested to become a LIVING donor. I know without a living donor I will not survive this battle.

If you would consider being a live donor with a blood type of O, please visit the University of Utah living donor website for answers. healthcare.utah.edu And feel free to ask if you have any questions, if I can’t answer them I can always ask my transplant coordinator.

If you feel like trying to become a live donor there is a questionnaire on the University of Utah’s live living donor page you will need to fill out, and someone from the University of Utah will contact you.

I realize this is a huge gift to ask for from anyone, I am so grateful to have such a great group of family and friends in my life!

Thanks,

Teri