Update on Dave

I think most of you know Dave is a Hepatitis C carrier and he goes for liver enzyme tests once a year to keep tabs on the advancement of this virus. When he had some routine tests done a few months ago at a check up the initial lab report came back not good. His liver enzymes were very high, this would indicate the hepatitis virus was out of remission and his liver is at risk. At this point it might be helpful to know that normal liver enzyme count should be between 0 and 60; Dave’s enzyme count was 160,000!

So we made an appointment with the Liver Center downtown do pursue treatment. At that time the doctor had mentioned that the treatment might not work on him because of some other factors that needed to be addressed. So he ordered more blood work, 11 vials to be exact, and a CT scan of his liver to get more specific answers as to why the enzymes were so high and to have more information on to how to treat the virus and if we even could treat it.

Yesterday we went back to the Liver Center for the results of the second set of blood work and the CT scan. After a lot of doctor talk, he finally told us the good news; his liver count was 56 AND he has Type II Hepatitis C. What does that mean? Well, it’s the only kind of Hep C virus that has been known to rid its self from the body on its own without treatment! PRAISE GOD!!!!! The doctor is running another round of tests just to make sure the last results were accurate. Based on many other things that the blood work revealed (I wont go into it here) Dave and I are pretty sure the second set was right. We left the office with the doctor scratching his head about the entire thing.

The doctor referred to Dave a few times as being “lucky”. Dave boldly said to this Jewish doctor “It’s not luck! It’s God’s grace on my life!” Amen to that!

Aside from a little high cholesterol Dave is in perfect health, in fact, we both are (to my knowledge). So my question to God was, “then why the scare?” Joyfully and full of tears and admiration to God, I have to say (aside from the obvious opportunity we get to start exercising and eating healthierJ) it’s because He loves us so much He wanted to remind us of His tender mercy toward those He loves, that He has our lives in the palm of His hands and He controls the universe even our health. He’s trustworthy and has the power to heal when He sees fit!

Being honest here, facing the thought I might be loosing my husband as a consequence of a choice he made over 20 years ago, was heart wrenching. In fact, I went through a full range of emotions, from shock and anger, to self pity and everything in between, when this resurfaced.

When I finally let go of what I thought I could control, and let God have my husband if that’s what He thought was best for our family, then “the peace of God” fell over me like a flood. I knew God had our best interest at heart and I felt truly whatever happened would be for our good and His glory.

Dave is still not “out of the woods” so to speak, but the prognosis is good. If the 3^rd set of tests comes back still elevated then we will most likely pursue treatment, at which the kill rate if the virus for a “type II” is very high.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support; we are very blessed to be apart of a church body that truly cares for its people!

Update on Dave

I think most of you know Dave is a Hepatitis C carrier and he goes for liver enzyme tests once a year to keep tabs on the advancement of this virus. When he had some routine tests done a few months ago at a check up the initial lab report came back not good. His liver enzymes were very high, this would indicate the hepatitis virus was out of remission and his liver is at risk. At this point it might be helpful to know that normal liver enzyme count should be between 0 and 60; Dave’s enzyme count was 160,000!

So we made an appointment with the Liver Center downtown do pursue treatment. At that time the doctor had mentioned that the treatment might not work on him because of some other factors that needed to be addressed. So he ordered more blood work, 11 vials to be exact, and a CT scan of his liver to get more specific answers as to why the enzymes were so high and to have more information on to how to treat the virus and if we even could treat it.

Yesterday we went back to the Liver Center for the results of the second set of blood work and the CT scan. After a lot of doctor talk, he finally told us the good news; his liver count was 56 AND he has Type II Hepatitis C. What does that mean? Well, it’s the only kind of Hep C virus that has been known to rid its self from the body on its own without treatment! PRAISE GOD!!!!! The doctor is running another round of tests just to make sure the last results were accurate. Based on many other things that the blood work revealed (I wont go into it here) Dave and I are pretty sure the second set was right. We left the office with the doctor scratching his head about the entire thing.

The doctor referred to Dave a few times as being “lucky”. Dave boldly said to this Jewish doctor “It’s not luck! It’s God’s grace on my life!” Amen to that!

Aside from a little high cholesterol Dave is in perfect health, in fact, we both are (to my knowledge). So my question to God was, “then why the scare?” Joyfully and full of tears and admiration to God, I have to say (aside from the obvious opportunity we get to start exercising and eating healthierJ) it’s because He loves us so much He wanted to remind us of His tender mercy toward those He loves, that He has our lives in the palm of His hands and He controls the universe even our health. He’s trustworthy and has the power to heal when He sees fit!

Being honest here, facing the thought I might be loosing my husband as a consequence of a choice he made over 20 years ago, was heart wrenching. In fact, I went through a full range of emotions, from shock and anger, to self pity and everything in between, when this resurfaced.

When I finally let go of what I thought I could control, and let God have my husband if that’s what He thought was best for our family, then “the peace of God” fell over me like a flood. I knew God had our best interest at heart and I felt truly whatever happened would be for our good and His glory.

Dave is still not “out of the woods” so to speak, but the prognosis is good. If the 3^rd set of tests comes back still elevated then we will most likely pursue treatment, at which the kill rate if the virus for a “type II” is very high.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support; we are very blessed to be apart of a church body that truly cares for its people!