Chopped Liver - A Community for Live Organ Donors and Recipients

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Did you know?

By some estimates, my liver could be fully regenerated by now. More likely, it's still growing its way toward original size, but scientists have determined that the average time of growth is between two and eight weeks.

Because adult liver donation is relatively new, and the only way to know how much has grown is to take expensive pictures via MRIs or CAT scans, transplant specialists don't have a lot of data to go on. To rectify that, nine leading transplant centers across the country, including NMH, are conducting a study of live liver donors. Over ten years, 1,700 adult liver donors from those centers will have an MRI scan three months after surgery, and volumes and sizes will be recorded. I have volunteered to participate, and I'll have my scan in mid April. Based on results so far (four years into the study), the NMH transplant team said about 98% of all participants had fully regrown livers at the three-month mark.

Not coincidentally, the three-month anniversary of T-day also serves as the first day I can enjoy a beer or glass of wine again. Revel in the miracle of life!

10 Comments:

  • Hey Beck:

    It's the little things in life that make a person happy, yes?

    Now, let's see a picture of that quilt...

    xo

    Katie May

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:59 PM  

  • Hey Becky,

    I'll be in Minneapolis for meetings during the 3rd week of March and would love to catch up. I'll try and track you down at HQ to see if you're up for it.

    Lori Werner

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:12 AM  

  • Excellent, Lori. That'd be terrific. I should be back and in full swing by then.

    By Blogger Becky, at 11:11 AM  

  • REBA!

    Kristy and have been reading about your progress every step of the way, with many prayers ongoing. Good to read your words and learn of your steady recovery. Couldn't make it to the before party, but we will not miss the after one.

    Take care,
    Nick

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:26 PM  

  • Becky -

    That is great to hear. Your first beer back with the soccer team is on me !

    Gerry

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:41 PM  

  • Gerry -- after i finish knitting our team uniforms, I'll knit us some beer cozies, too.
    :)

    By Blogger Becky, at 6:21 PM  

  • Let me get this straight... your liver is capable of regenerating by a third in just a few weeks. So what has it been doing until now?

    Slacking, that's what. At least that's what occured to my keen management mind when I read your blog. According to you, if operating at maximum efficiency, each of our livers is capable of growing patee on demand.

    Personally, I find this sort of inefficiency appalling. As you may know, as a healthy male I have body parts that produce literally millions of "work units" every day. No days off, no vacation - just maximum effort 24/7/365.

    As a highly trained manager, I've learned not to expect the same uber-efficiency from less experienced employees. None the less, I encourage to use your time off to encourage all of organs to follow the brief shining example of your humble liver.

    Best Wishes,

    Stuffed Shirt

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:48 PM  

  • Dear Becky,

    So sorry I missed you in Chicago, but hope you got my voicemails! If your first beer is on Gerry, I'd love to volunteer to buy you your first glass of wine. So happy that you and your brother are doing well!

    Steve

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:53 AM  

  • Stuffed Shirt: I bow to your physical prowress. Now speaking of efficiency, stop blog-commenting and go run a company, for crying out loud. Oh, and thanks, sir.

    By Blogger Becky, at 3:44 PM  

  • Steve: You're ON!!!!

    By Blogger Becky, at 3:44 PM  

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