Building strong friendships goes beyond casual hangouts. It’s about creating shared experiences that foster connection, understanding, and lasting memories. Here are some creative activities to deepen your friendships by our friend Katie Pierce.   This guide explores a range of creative activities specifically designed to deepen your bonds with friends.   Memory Lane Night A Memory Lane Night is a fantastic way to connect with your friends and celebrate your history together. Sample activities for a memory lane night include: Games and challenges: Play a guessing game where ..read more

We’ve all been wondering: Can Resmetirom cure Nash Mash or Fatty Liver? I know the language changed and have written about that here. But what patients want to know is if it really works to reduce fat? The answer is YES and it’s a miracle for many who have been diagnosed. I’ve loaded this blog with information about the dosage, how to get it, cost, video, and the website. The FDA just gave approval and liver patients are pretty excited. Resmetirom pronounced Res met er rawm is labeled as Rezdiffra pronounced Rez Diff Ruh. It was approved by the FDA last week and it is totally changing the way ..read more

Stepping into the doctor’s waiting room, I locked eyes with my childhood friend Dugan, and quickly squeezed into a spot next to her. As my story poured out in a flood, she wrapped her arms around me and let her shirt absorb my tears. Minutes passed, and then her words were a whisper, “Don’t feel guilty for living your life.” I pushed back to look into her eyes. It was the first time anyone had acknowledged how I was surviving survivors guilt after transplant. pt 1 I had just seen my doctor, and my hands clutched the signed paperwork proving that I was fit enough to travel to Spain and particip ..read more

We’ve all done it. That may be how you found my website. A thought or question pops in our mind, and within seconds our fingers type keywords into a search engine. One story leads to another until we have wasted hours reading about things that we can’t change. It’s called doom scrolling as it relates to local or worldwide news. Today, we will talk about what is medical doom scrolling and how to quit before we get over stressed and feel even worse. What is Medical Doom Scrolling? So doom scrolling is described as the habit of reading about tragic, sad, and depressing news. Medical doom scrolli ..read more

Sustainable Stocking Stuffers: Thoughtful Gifts for a Greener Christmas is a guest blog by my friend Katie Pierce. The holiday season is a splendid period filled with joy and festivities, yet it has also been overshadowed by excessive consumerism and materialism. While the tradition of exchanging gifts remains beloved during this time, it’s worth noting that it can contribute to heightened waste and environmental harm, particularly in the form of discarded plastic and wrapping materials post-holiday.   Nonetheless, by infusing a touch of creativity and mindfulness into the festivities, i ..read more

Cirrhosis injury to the liver is by Terri Monclova Milton. She wrote this and I thought it was a great representation of liver disease. My husband and I live in an oak forest and consider ourselves oak tree advocates in addition to liver disease advocates. Cirrhosis Injury to the Liver by Terri Monclova Milton I saw this today and realized this is the best representation of what happens with cirrhosis of the liver in our bodies. Liver Injury is like an Oak Burl This is an oak tree. On it are burls. For some, they can make wonderful bowls and art designs when cut off the tree. They are formed ..read more

My liver biopsy story may be different than most. For one,  it hurt like heck. Perhaps my experience was a little rough because of my late stage cirrhosis, and low platelets. You may be wondering which one is best. At the time, I knew that the doctor wanted a good look because my liver failed so suddenly. Today, doctors still do liver biopsies, but they also offer many different alternatives. If I had to do it all over again, I would ask for one of the alternatives. Emergency Room Diagnosis When I turned yellow and swelled up, they started with an X Ray at my doctor’s office. Later that ..read more

How to Lower Liver Enzymes ALT and AST – After looking at my most recent labs this morning, I feel a little stressed. They can be elevated for many reasons. It could be a medication you are taking.  Some of you can probably identify with looking for signs that your liver is doing ok. In my case, it’s my transplanted liver. But no matter what, the lab results are a guide to how well our liver is doing. They can also be a guide to making positive changes. What is the ALT and AST? They both have to do with the liver. Put simply, ALT tells what is happening IN the liver. Think ALT and the L ..read more

I’m touched by kindness, aren’t you? People who have suffered are often the most vulnerable, and therefore the ones who express kindness. You can feel the gentleness as they caress you with a warm smile, or gaze at you with compassion. That’s what you experience with Jenn Leigh Jones. We first met a few years ago during an online AASLD meeting. It was a patient chat and over a dozen of us were in there. Every time she opened her mouth, words of compassion came out. Learn more about Sober Living Survival Jenn Leigh Jones. At that time she was just getting started in her patient advocacy journe ..read more

We all make these lists on a sheet of paper to talk to our doctors about. Both our body and thoughts are messy and complicated. It’s not easy to talk about everything we are thinking about. It’s twice as hard to talk about what we are feeling. Can we help our doctor understand? That subject comes up frequently when I’m speaking with and mostly listening to doctors associated with the AASLD. They wish their were a special language that would help them understand all of the spaces between the words we say. The F Word So many people tell me that their blood pressure goes way up at the doctor’s o ..read more