Between my blood work and checkup, I've gotten extremely lucky. There are a few values that are slightly out of line, but compared to past numbers, the drinking I've done hasn't made a significant dent in my health.
My MELD score is 6, which is still in the lowest risk band, so for now I'm still well compensated and not in danger. If the score rises to around 15, then they start looking at putting me on the transplant list, which would be another discussion since I'm not sure I would want one. So it's back to wait and see, but if I stop drinking again now I'll emerge relatively unscathed.
Best of all, the NP who I saw was very understanding and didn't lecture or look down on me for my lapse. She also doesn't understand how AA is the preferred method, and understands that I just don't get any benefit from the traditional models.
She also agrees that another inpatient stint would be worthless, and worst of all would jeopardize my job, since if I do eventually need a transplant or get complications from the cirrhosis like jaundice or ascites what's most important is having decent health insurance. As much as my deductibles suck, employer-provided insurance is still pretty much the best available. Spending at least $5,000 a year along with what they take out of my paycheck for probably the rest of my life is just going to be a reality; any other type of insurance just won't help there.
The situation still isn't great, but it's as good as it can be, and I'm more optimistic than I was after the last appointment. Tomorrow my shrink and I will likely argue about certain things again, primarily the inclusion of support groups in my current life, but on the whole I just need to keep going with life as it is.
My MELD score is 6, which is still in the lowest risk band, so for now I'm still well compensated and not in danger. If the score rises to around 15, then they start looking at putting me on the transplant list, which would be another discussion since I'm not sure I would want one. So it's back to wait and see, but if I stop drinking again now I'll emerge relatively unscathed.
Best of all, the NP who I saw was very understanding and didn't lecture or look down on me for my lapse. She also doesn't understand how AA is the preferred method, and understands that I just don't get any benefit from the traditional models.
She also agrees that another inpatient stint would be worthless, and worst of all would jeopardize my job, since if I do eventually need a transplant or get complications from the cirrhosis like jaundice or ascites what's most important is having decent health insurance. As much as my deductibles suck, employer-provided insurance is still pretty much the best available. Spending at least $5,000 a year along with what they take out of my paycheck for probably the rest of my life is just going to be a reality; any other type of insurance just won't help there.
The situation still isn't great, but it's as good as it can be, and I'm more optimistic than I was after the last appointment. Tomorrow my shrink and I will likely argue about certain things again, primarily the inclusion of support groups in my current life, but on the whole I just need to keep going with life as it is.
posted by AnonymousX at 6:44 PM
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