New Year Greeting and Dr. Chen Needs a Miracle for 2010

Happy New Year, The Year of Ox, 2010.

Friends, I wish I have good news to tell you about my health situation. But, I don't. In fact, since December 21 2009, my health situation is spiraling downward. Before that, although my appetite was not any good to start with, but I still could eat some. Although I felt stomach distress, I never felt nausea. Since December 21, I have lost most of the appetite and I feel nausea more frequently.

I had a blood test on December 28, the initial results were alarming: My blood sodium level was only 124 against a normal range of [135-155]. In fact, this is called the hyponatremia, a medical term describing the disease of low blood sodium. Since sodium ions control the osmotic pressures for all physiological function, this low sodium level could explain the loss of appetite and nausea symptom. Doctor's immediate prescription is to order me restrict fluid intake and liberate up salt intake. I had another blood test on January 4, 2010. The blood sodium level was 131 against a normal range of [135-155]. This new reading is still low, but somewhat better than the results done on December 28. My wife and I had immediate celebration together. I bought a bouquet of flower to her to thank all the care she had given to me over the past 6 months.

Other than somewhat uplifting news of new sodium level, the liver profile was not too uplifting. My AST results was 80 against a normal range of [0-38], total bilrubin was 1.1 against a normal range of [0.3-1.0], direct bilrubin was 0.4 against a normal range of [0-0.3]. Although it is still not a liver crisis, it indicates that my liver function is already compromised.

Meanwhile, I am struggling every meal, and every day and be just glad to be alive one day at a time. I am trying to distract myself from too conscious about the health situation by swimming and playing recorder. The rest of the time, I am in pain.

Friends, I need all of your prayer; not just for me but also for my wife. This illness had caused a lot of stress on my wife, and she needs all the support you can give her.

That is all I want to update you for now. I will tell you more when more diagnosis results are back. Good bye, friends.