In a couple of hours I'll be listening to my Liver Lady's (gastroenterologist) assessment of the progress of lack thereof of my liver function since the last time we checked. Several months have passed, not that time has performed much in the way of healing to date. The different this time is that major changes to my physical being have taken place. The unknown but not insignificant impact of my spinal problems as well as the significant reduction in Rx's for pain control, sleep inducement and mental health will, I am hoping, have allowed my system to focus on mending whatever it was that descended upon my poor liver in early 2003.

Not so long ago I was getting impatient to find out with any degree of certainty what exactly I was dealing with in the liver ailment department. I was pushing for a biopsy just to rule out some of the possibilities. Given my new "being" I'm now going to push for another 5 - 6 months of internal adjustments being allowed to settle in before we get into intrusive diagnostics.

Part of me thinks whatever this is can't be very good news if two specialists (Kingston and Ottawa) have yet to be specific about my diagnosis. In fact, the original one (toxic damage due to Rx antibiotics) has now been dismissed. Unfortunate in a way, since that particular type of hepatitis is self-healing -- with time.

The other part of me doesn't want to hear any terrible prognoses prematurely. Since things have been "unknown" for a while now, and I've been through a few scary predictions in the past 5 years (not just this liver thing) I'd rather be blissfully unaware for a half a year than needlessly concerned -- you know?

Earlier this month I have seen the orthopaedic surgeon who gave me the all clear and my GP who told me I had bragging rights for being as healthy as I am after my annual physical (subject of course to some outstanding diagnostics: pap, bone density, mammogram and pelvic ultrasound, most of which is routine screening for my age and gender).

I'll post the results later today. Everyone cross their fingers and toes in the meantime!