if i can't give you my liver...

Stu had his scope yesterday.

Just when I think I've thought of all of the possibilities, I learn that once again, I am no doctor.

The good news: the primary duct in Stu's liver is fairly uniform, not much inflammation.

The not so good news: the smaller ducts that branch off of the primary duct are inflamed and are beginning to clog up, which explains the yellow-colored whites of his eyes and his slightly tan-looking skin, aka, jaundice.

The other not so good news: the stent option (propping open ducts with teeny little toothpicks--or at least that's how I picture it) is not an option for smaller ducts.

The other not so good news: the doc did his best during the scope to 'blow them open' (and by 'them', the doc meant the smaller ducts) with some type of fluid, which may give Stu some relief from the jaundice for a while.

And then.

There's the other news: Stu visits his kind, compassionate Dr. Nielsen in a week, who will, once again, check his liver enzyme levels, and if the levels are still elevated, as the doc suspects they will be, introduce Stu and his liver to the liver transplant team at the local shiny new hospital.

Oh yes, one other tidbit--while Stu and I may be a very close match, it seems that the docs are no longer in favor of live donor transplants, so I will not be able to give a part of my liver to the boy. Fine. Just fine.

So, it seems, we've come to this now. Let's all hold on together for the ride, okay?