Liver Awareness Month

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By Nurse Diane

When my brother first got his driver's license, he started working for my aunt delivering flowers.  While out on deliveries, he discovered a small roadside restaurant that fried the best chicken livers, and he would occasionally stop and bring some home for the rest of us.  That was the only liver I would eat.  This month is liver awareness month, but not to be aware of the liver we eat, but the one that is inside you.

The liver is a large, meaty organ that sits on the right side of the belly. Weighing about 3 pounds, the liver is reddish-brown in color and feels rubbery to the touch. Normally you can't feel the liver, because it's protected by the rib cage.  The liver has two large sections, called the right and the left lobes. The gallbladder sits under the liver, along with parts of the pancreas and intestines. The liver and these organs work together to digest, absorb, and process food.

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The liver's main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it to the rest of the body. The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. As it does so, the liver secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines. The liver also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions.

There are several conditions that can affect the function of the liver.  These include:

• Cancer
• Cirrhosis
• Hepatitis
• Ascites
• Liver Failure
• Gallstones

Some ways to take care of your liver include:

• Avoid taking unnecessary medications (too many chemicals harm your liver);
• Don’t mix medicines without the advice of a doctor (you could create something poisonous that could damage your liver badly);
• Street drugs cause serious damage and scar your liver permanently;
• Don’t drown your liver in beer, liquor or wine (if you drink alcohol, have two or fewer drinks per day); and
• Never mix alcohol with other drugs & medicines.

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Be careful when using aerosol cleaners. Your liver has to detoxify what you breathe in, so when you go on a cleaning binge, make sure the room is well ventilated or wear a mask.

Bug sprays, paint sprays and all those other chemical sprays you use can harm your liver too. Be careful what you breathe.

Watch what gets on your skin (those insecticides you put on trees and shrubs to kill bugs can get to your liver right through your skin and destroy some cells)! Remember, they’re serious chemicals.

I would always check my husband’s medications to see how they affected his liver, and he also had periodic blood tests, especially if I noticed his eyes turning yellowish.

To determine if you are having any trouble with your liver, check for these Trouble Signs:

• Yellow discoloration of the skin or eyes;
• Abdominal swelling or severe abdominal pain;
• Prolonged itching of the skin;
• Very dark urine or pale stools, or the passage of bloody or tar-like stools; and
• Chronic fatigue, nausea or loss of appetite.

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If you have any of these problems, make an appointment with your doctor, and monitor your food intake, the alcohol intake, and be careful of any aerosol or other fumes that you may be around.  You liver is a very vital organ to the function of your body, so please take care of it, and it will take care of you

World Hepatitis Day

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By Diane Forrest, RN

Back in the 1980's there was a young girl around 2 years old named Molly.  Her family went to my church, and her skin and eyes were very yellow.  She was born with liver damage, and I can remember having fund raisers to raise money for a transplant.  This was 30 years ago.  She was able to have the transplant and immediately her skin and eye color returned to normal and she was able to live a normal life.  My uncle, who taught her in Jr. High, told me she was married 10 years ago, and her parents still live in my old home town.

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World Hepatitis Day provides an opportunity to focus on specific actions such as: Strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases; Increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integration into national immunization programs; and coordinating a global response to hepatitis to increase access to treatment.

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Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These viruses constitute a major global health risk with an estimated 350 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis B and an estimated 170 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis C.

Hepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver. It is not a condition, but is often used to refer to a viral infection of the liver.

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Hepatitis can be caused by:

• Immune cells in the body attacking the liver and causing autoimmune hepatitis
• Infections from viruses (such as hepatitis A, B, or C), bacteria, or parasites
• Liver damage from alcohol, poisonous mushrooms, or other poisons
• Medications, such as an overdose of acetaminophen, which can be deadly
• Hepatitis may start and get better quickly (acute hepatitis), or cause long-term disease (chronic hepatitis). In some instances, it may lead to liver damage, liver failure, or even liver cancer.

How severe hepatitis is depends on many factors, including the cause of the liver damage and any illnesses you have. Hepatitis A, for example, is usually short-term and does not lead to chronic liver problems.

The symptoms of hepatitis include:

• Abdominal pain or distention
• Breast development in males
• Dark urine and pale or clay-colored stools
• Fatigue
• Fever, usually low-grade
• General itching
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss

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This can be diagnosed with a physical examination showing yellow skin and eyes, fluid in the stomach or enlarged liver.  Blood tests and liver ultra sounds can also confirm the diagnosis.

If not treated, hepatitis can cause cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and even liver failure that can lead to death.  Today is World Hepatitis Day, for more information about hepatitis and ways you can help spread the word, click on this site: http://worldhepatitisalliance.org/WorldHepatitisDay.aspx

http://www.disabled-world.com/health/hepatitis/

National Hepatitis Awareness

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By Diane Forrest, RN

A couple of weeks ago I received a summons in the mail for jury duty.  When I went to the court house we were told a little about the case.  A woman had Hepatitis C and was pregnant.  When it came time to deliver the baby, the external monitor placed on her stomach was not giving the doctor the necessary information about the baby's condition, so an internal monitor was placed on the baby's head.  This is a small corkscrew device that breaks the skin's surface to remain in place while it sends vital information to the attached monitor.  The baby (now 6 years old) now has Hepatitis C.  I don't know if she was born with it, or contracted it after, but the grandmother, who is the guardian, and a nurse, is suing the OBGYN who delivered the baby because she believes the insertion of the fetal monitor caused the Hepatitis.

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Since I knew both parties involved, and the witnesses, I was not picked to serve on the jury, however have been interested to learn how the case turned out.

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Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. There are 3 main types of Hepatitis, A, which is airborne, B, which is blood borne, and C (formally known as Non A-Non B) There are a few more common types, D E F and G.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Mild fever
• Muscle or joint aches
• Nausea and vomiting

Many cases of hepatitis go undiagnosed because the disease is mistaken for the flu or because there are no symptoms at all.

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Hepatitis A virus is found in the stool (feces) of a person who has hepatitis A. The virus is spread most commonly when people put food or objects contaminated with stool containing HAV into their mouths. Large numbers of people get the virus after drinking contaminated water. It can also be spread by someone preparing food without washing their hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper.

Treatment:

Hepatitis A usually goes away on its own. Be sure to eat right, avoid dehydration and always wash your hands before eating or preparing food.

Hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person. You may get it by having unprotected sex with an infected person, sharing injection needles, getting tattoos with infected needles or sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.

Treatment:

Acute Hepatitis B usually goes away on its own, Chronic Hepatitis B needs to be monitored by your doctor to determine if there is any liver damage. Prevention is the key. There is a series of vaccinations that are available to prevent contracting Hepatitis. All adults at risk as well as children should be vaccinated. It is normal protocol for nursing students to become vaccinated and I am sure the same is true for anyone in the health care field.

Hepatitis C virus is caused by coming in contact with an infected person's blood. It can lead to permanent liver damage, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver or liver failure. Most people do not know they have Hepatitis C until there is already some liver damage. Some people have had it for as long as 15 years without ever knowing. The way it is diagnosed is by blood tests.

Treatment:

May be treated with antivirals.

The main things to remember is to keep yourself safe. Get vaccinated, wash your hands and protect yourself if you are around blood and body fluids.

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For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/

Now that you have learned a little more about Hepatitis, how would you decide the case?

This week on Keeping it Simple - May 16, 2011

Sunday evening ..

I just posted the second of three articles by Vivian Takafuji titled ‘Arthritis – Time to Take Control.  It is another excellent read and we sincerely hope your enjoy it and part one.  Part three will be posted later this week along with additional information regarding the Arthritis Walk this coming Saturday, May 21, 2011 on the National Mall.  Vivian plans to be there as well.

Topics we are working on and intend to post this week are:

•  Hepatitis Awareness.   (Diane has prepared this article.) Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.  There are 3 main types of Hepatitis, A, which is airborne, B, which is blood borne, and C (formally known as Non A-Non B) There are a few more or less common types, D E F and G.

• Lyme disease Awareness.  (Diane did the research and prepared this article.)  Now that the winter months are behind us, people are getting outside more, playing, hiking, camping, and spending time enjoying nature.  One of the hazards to being outside is being in contact with bugs and insects.  While most of these are completely harmless, some carry disease or cause infections.  Today I want you to be aware of the nasty little critter the tick.

• National Waiters and Waitresses Day.  One near and dear to my heart, as I frequently eat out and enjoy their company and friendships.  For the most part, they are hardworking, solid individuals; many are college students trying to get ahead in life.

• Bike Week.  While I no longer bike (and my healthcare supporters wish I did) beyond being a great exercise, it is a nice way to get to and from work (providing there are safe routes).

• Armed Forces Day. On the heels of CBS multi-part interview with Defense Secretary Robert Gates.   Simply a day to salute sharply to all of the men and women in all branches of the service who protect our country and you. They can be called upon at a moment's notice to perform a risky and perilous mission for freedom and country.

There is a strong possibility there more...

Thanks for all those folks who visited Keeping it Simple and we hope more will join in stopping by, reading our material and leaving your comments.

Our family cruise was wonderful!  We will repeat taking another cruise in the next couple of years.

Wishing all a wonderful week