UPDATE (11/09/09): Hello everyone! Brandi has given me access to my site so that while I am well, I can update it and give her a rest. She has been so wonderful at keeping everyone updated on my status and I couldn't ask for a better sister. I LOVE HER SO MUCH! I was discharged from Baylor on 10/26/09 and got to come home to Lubbock on 10/28/09. I am still feeling REALLY good and it looks like my stent is continuing to work so far. YEAH! I went to my oncologist today to have labs done and everything was within the normal ranges. He is going to have me come in for labs every 2 weeks to make sure all my blood levels are where they are supposed to be. I go back to Baylor on 01/04/10 to follow up with my liver doctor and have a sonogram to make sure that the blood is still flowing well thru the stent. I am continuing to battle with Aetna over covering the transplant and have not made any progress on that issue. I am also still waiting to hear about my SSI that I applied for since my job laid me off while I was still in the hospital. Hopefully I will hear something on that soon. 

I was having a little trouble when doing my thank you notes thru this site, so I hope everyone received one. All of you have been a Godsend to me during this time and your generosity has touched me and my family more than you will ever know. I continue to get TREMENDOUS medical bills for everything and I am just trying to keep a positive outlook on things and know that in the end it will all work out. I will continue to keep everyone posted on my status.

Here is Amanda's story:

 Amanda (Tannery) Field was diagnosed on October 1, 2009 with cirrhosis of the liver.  She had been having some discomfort over the past several months, and recently her belly had started to swell tremendously.  She was unsure of the cause, but it was causing extreme discomfort.  When she went to the doctor, she was immediately referred (within hours) to a specialist.  The doctors drained several liters of fluid off of her and tested it, and that's how they determined the cirrhosis.  She continues to have to have fluids periodically drained (7 liters were drawn within a 4 day period). 

She was scheduled for a TIPS procedure on Monday, October 5 (her 30th birthday) to insert a stent into her liver, which would allow the blood to flow more easily.  When they went to do the procedure, the discovered that her outflow veins were closed off, due to clotting.  Only one was slightly opened.  They were unable to insert the stent due to this condition, which is known as Budd Chiari Syndrome.  It is a rare disorder, and is what has caused the liver to start to die (the cirrhosis).  After further testing at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, they discovered a mass in her liver, which will be biopsied on Monday, October 12.  They are speculating that it is a benign growth, but must do this testing to be sure. 

Due to a new insurance policy, and a previous lapse in coverage, the insurance company is not authorizing transplant at this time.  The hospital needs the total amount of money  ($215,500.00) up front before they will begin any transplant evaluations.  She cannot be placed on the transplant list until all of the evalutions have taken place. 

Amanda and her husband both work full time, and she has a 13 year old son to support.  Due to the illness, she has been unable to work recently, due to the hospital stays.  As soon as she is released from Baylor, she will be returning to her job and working as much as she can until she is able to go back to Dallas for transplant evaluation. 

If anyone reading this post is connected with the health insurance industry, or has any contacts / resources that you can pass on to us, that would be GREATLY appreciated.  We are tapping into as many resources as we can to come up with the funds to help her through this.  Thank you all, in advance, for any help you can offer Amanda.