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Two Doctors - Two New Meds - Same Diagnosis

Today's visit at the Shands Liver Clinic although short was interesting. Ashley appears normal to most of us on the outside. She is growing normally, and looks like a perfectly healthy ten year old. However, now we are learning that her liver disease will slowly start affecting her appearance.

Today we learned that Ashley has spider veins on her face, and she has red splotchy palms which are indicators of liver cirrhosis. We also learned that Ashley's constipation problem is due to her bile sludging and not draining properly through the intestines. We also learned that Ashley's back and neck pain is not because she dances but because she may have a bone density issue which is also related to liver disease. It could also mean that she has scoliosis; more tests and an orthopedic doctor are needed. Today I learned that joint and back pain are common in liver disease.

With Ashley's new issues comes two more new medications. She is now on Mirolax to help with her constipation issue, and she is on Caltrate with additional vitamin D and Calcium to help her bones. Of course, she is still taking her Actigall which is supposed to help with bile flow and Prevacid which helps with her severe reflux. Thank goodness Ashley does well taking her medications.

Tomorrow Ashley will have labs drawn at our local Quest Diagnostics. The labs will check her liver enzymes, CBC's with platelets and Hemogram, PT with INR, plus we will check her vitamin A and vitamin E level as well as her hydroxy vitamin D level. The vitamin levels should tell us were she is deficient. Hopefully, we will get the lab results back by the end of the week if not then the beginning of next week.

It took two doctors to determine how to treat Ashley's new symptoms/problems/concerns. Two doctors, two new meds but the same old diagnosis...liver disease.

PS. Ashley told me on our drive to Gainesville that one of the things she wants to do before she dies is to take a picture on a mountain of wild horses in the valley below. How do I make that happen?

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