An update

Hi Everyone

We met with the transplant team yesterday. Curtis received his flu shot and second
hepatitis B shot. They did a blood draw to check his Meld score ,Model for End Stage
Liver Disease.The Meld is a system of prioritizing patients waiting for liver transplant.
It is a statistical formula that determines that the patient with the greatest need will have
the highest priority for the next available liver.The Meld score is used for adults and the
Peld score is used for pediatric patients. The Meld score is calculated by a formula that
uses 3 routine lab results.

1.. Total Bilirubin, measures how effectively the liver is excreting bile.

2. INR and prothrombin time, which measure the liver's ability to make the
blood clotting factors

3. Creatinine, measures kidney function.
Imparied kidney function is often associated with
severe liver disease.

Meld score ranges from 6 ( less ill) to 40 ( the most ill)
Patient with meld scores of 15 or greater are consider for active
liver transplant listing.

Curtis' last meld score was 17. We will know on friday what it is now.

The Meld will vary with each lab draw. It is mandatory for patients to have
lab work done at least every 3 months or sooner if the Meld score is greater than 18.

Now we wait.

Waiting times depend on the patients blood type, (Curtis is A positive), the severity of his illness,
body size and the number of donors available and is therefore difficult to predict.


The United States is divided into 11 different regions. In Utah, we are in region number 5 and we share our
organ allocation with Nevada, California, Arizona and New Mexico.
The organs are allocated by specific listing priority.

1. Status 1- these patients take first priority. These are patients who are identified as having acute fulminant liver
failure, who have been deemed as having less than 7 days to live.

2. Local (meaning those patients listed in the state of Utah with a Meld score of 15.

3. Should a match not be found then the organ is offered to the Regional patients who
are listed with the Meld scores from 40 most ill, to 15 who have been waiting for the longest
amount of time.

When Curtis is listed on Friday, he could be 7th on the Utah list.

There are currently over 18,000 patients who are actively waiting for liver transplantation.
Out of the 18,000 patients, approximately one third will transplanted, one third will transistion to waiting
the following year and one third, unfortunately, will die while waiting for liver transplantation.

We have faith that Curtis will be transplanted.
Please pray for him.
We are so grateful to all family, friends and business associates who have donated time, items, and monetary gifts
for Curtis' fundraising benefits.
It has all helped so much. Curtis is a great man, a great father and husband and friend,
brother and son.
We need him around for a lot longer.
Thanks so much for your support

Love Lee Ann