Once again, I go to my Pulmmonary Hypertension doctor appointment. It takes an hour to get there and waking up at 6am just to get ready to go is such a drag. But I went and I'm proud of myself for doing so. A couple of new things were talked about. The fact that my lungs do not have the volume to see what the doctors need to know for a specific thing requires me to now have a High Resolution CT Scan next month. The Pulmonary Function test isn't sensitive enough for my lack of lung volume. Yes, my lungs are that weak. I have what is called Restrictive Lung Disease mainly because of the Scoliosis that I was born with. Unfortunately, I couldn't talk my doctor into having a Right Side Heart Catherization ever year and a half instead of every year. Bummer! It's because I can't have an MRI that I have to have the Caths every year. I have metal in me that prevents me from getting an MRI.

My husband asked the doctor a new, very interesting question concerning Stem Cells. Is Stem Cell transplants/injections being done on patients like me to help repair the lung tissue scarring and could it be something that I'd benefit from? The doctor said that this is something that is being researched and a few patients are being tested for it in Canada. After a week of being injected with stem cells, the patients are showing signs of improvement. However, the doctors are still unsure if these improvements are permanent or will the patients require continuous injections to maintain these improvements? My doctor said the research is about 10 yrs away from making serious breakthroughs. Yes, that's discouraging to hear. Can I hang on for another 10 yrs? I don't know but stranger things have been known to happen. Right? So, I won't give up hope.

The only other thing I'm worried about is my liver. Over the course of 6 to 12 months, my abdomen has become distended or bloated. I asked the doctor today about it and he said that it could be that my liver has become enlarged. How does a liver become enlarged? I don't drink alcohol. This is something that I need to research. What can I do to help my liver? I will have to get back to you on that one! =o)

Post your questions on my messageboard if you'd like!