So much to be thankful for!!

Whoa! Another holiday just zoomed on by. We were able to make it up north to visit the families! Things are still wearing me out pretty quickly, food and I are still in a bit of a love/hate relationship, and don't even get me started on my tubes... BUT, besides all of that, I am doing a lot better (whoo hoo, ya, read that again - that there's some good news finally!!) After my last post, I had dropped down some more in weight (down a little under 90lbs for a bit) got a little sicker, a little yellower; but then slowly, I started feeling a little better. I believe (for me - I am definitely not recommending this) that it was because I had started to taper off my meds myself. I felt that the docs were lagging in doing this for me, which I expressed to them when I was still in the hospital. Now, I felt somewhat confident in doing this because I basically followed what I had just done the year before. Within the week I was feeling a little better, and by the time my next appointment came I had gained 2 pounds, was less yellow, and had more energy... but it was confirmed that clinic Friday when I got my lab results and my LFT's had dropped by about half!! My Bilirubin was at 5. --That is almost at a normal level. (Bilirubin is a HUGE indicator on how your liver is working. And raised levels of it will make ya miserable.. Itching, nauseous, yellow) My doctor was so excited that he called me himself (he doesn't usually do that) and told me that he had tears in his eyes, he was so happy. heheee.
Now, it was only my first good report - I don't want to get to excited, jump the gun... buuuuuuuuut, I am feeling better, I hardly see any yellow tint to my eyes, I am back up to 96 pounds (Thanks to the Albertoni family over the Thanksgiving holiday) I only threw up one time this week, and I have much more energy then I have had in so long! My next clinic appointment isn't scheduled until December 9th, but I am going to have to call them.... ummm, maybe tomorrow, because I "accidentally" pulled out my jejunostomy tube... the other day. (I haven't used it in weeks) Yes, I know it heals within a matter of days, but I am hoping that the docs will agree with me that I don't need these tubes any more (and not being able to just stick another tube back in the same hole might help convince them, teheheee). They are causing more pain then anything. Only after I pulled out the feeding tube was I finally able to stand up straight for the first time in a week or so. It was already out of place and leaking a lot.(excuses, excuses) My G tube is still hurting and leaking even more then the J tube was, so hopefully when I go in they will just pull that one out too. We were planning on taking them out by the first of the year anyway -- as long as everything is still going good, and I'm feeling pretty positive about it, so lets just think positive and take 'em out! (Besides it wasn't in a good permanent spot anyway, which was why all the stitches kept coming out) But I won't need it replaced anyway. :)
I just can't believe that just last month I was feeling like I was pretty sure I only had a year -maybe two, and now I'm thinking who knows... I could have 10 or 20 years -maybe even 30 years with this new liver. I have hope again!