Liver Transplant Clinic

...is where I spent the majority of my day today. The liver transplant clinic is for patients who wish to be on the transplant list, who are already on the transplant list, or who have undergone a liver transplant. And of course, they're all cute little kids! 

It's interesting how many of these kids have the same diagnosis (mainly biliary atresia, treated with Kasai procedure or liver transplant), but their cases are so completely different. Not only in terms of nutrition, but different cases when it comes to social work, psychology, diet, medications, overall lifestyle, etc. For example, one of our patients was very compliant, taking medications and had a great support system. His liver transplant will most likely give him no complications in the future and he'll lead an overall healthy life.

Then, there are patients who are extremely non-compliant, despite the fact they've had a liver transplant, or even had TWO liver transplants! Poor diet, lack of exercise, extreme weight gain, super-obese ranked BMI and non-compliance with medications. It's amazing, but...you can't help someone who doesn't want to change. That's one thing that I've realized since being in the internship. I have the extreme desire to want to help people change their lifestyle, but if they don't want to change...it doesn't really matter. What I say will most likely enter one ear and exit the other.


But, on a better note - the patient who I chose to do my oral case study on is doing well. He's SO incredibly and utterly adorable. He's eating more and trying more protein-rich foods. He likes to wave and blow kisses, and "roar" like a tiger. 


Did I mention I love this internship? 136 days...