Bre's Search for a Sliver of your Liver

10/06/2025

10/06/2025

So long. Im exhusted and drained.

10/06/2025

Hospitals hold such strange magic.
They’re filled with pain and uncertainty, yet somehow, the walls soak up laughter, stories, and connection. They’re built of cold tile and quiet machines, but somehow, in between the beeps and the sleepless nights, something warm starts to grow a connection. You come in a patient… but often, you leave having met people who’ve touched your spirit in ways you never expected. The kind that sneaks up on you, becomes family without you noticing.

I’ve met many beautiful souls here — Jodie, Parisa, and Cathy — each one carrying their own courage, their own kind of light leaving a layer in my heart. We’ve shared tears, jokes, and quiet moments of understanding that only people living in hospital time can truly grasp.

But this stay… this one was different.
This time, I shared a room with a woman who became more than a hospital friend. We spent over a month side by side.... talking about life, family, friends, faith, and everything in between. She’d hold small church ceremonies at her bedside when her friends came to pray. I’d listen, sometimes join, sometimes just feel the energy fill the room. She told me she loved me after just a few days. And the thing is… I loved her too.

Mom and I tried to help her where we could. At first she was strong, independent, glowing even. But then she declined, soo quickly it stole the breath right out of the room. I taught her the breathing square for anxiety, but soon she couldn’t eat, couldn’t talk, couldn’t find her way back. Still, she fought. She was beauty and bravery in one body, holding on to every light left in her.

Watching her decline was heartbreaking.
But being with her… being part of her journey, even in this small way, was a gift.

When her husband came to find me and invite me to say goodbye, I felt this calm come over me. The room glowed softly.... not from the lights, but from something sacred. She was illuminated surrounded by love, by prayer, by peace. The peace. The love. The soft brightness that surrounded her and her family. It was like the walls themselves bowed in respect.

Some people enter your life and leave quietly, like wind

10/06/2025

💛 Hey everyone
I know I haven’t been posting much lately. It’s been a really scary stretch with all the different procedures and everything happening back-to-back. I’ve been focusing on just getting through each day, procedure and letting my body heal.

I’m still kicking, just taking it slow. 💪 As I start to regain some energy, I’ll be finishing up the daily routes and getting back to my regular schedule soon.

Thanks for all the love, patience, and check-ins. It means more than you know. 💛

09/27/2025

⏳ Three Weeks in the Hospital

Time feels like a blur. I’ve now been in the hospital almost three weeks. Between trying to purchase healthier meals (since the hospital food isn’t enough), undergoing painful procedures like paracentesis to drain fluid, and the costs piling up... it’s overwhelming.

My mom has been driving back and forth from out of town to be here with me, spending money on gas and the ridiculously expensive parking at HSC (which honestly should be reimbursed automatically when someone is this sick). It all adds up so fast, and this is even before I head to Toronto for transplant care.

💚 If you’re able, our family could really use your support right now. Whether it’s through my GoFundMe or by ordering from the Christmas fundraiser, every bit helps more than you know. Your love and support keep me going through the hardest days.

Miigwech. 🙏

09/27/2025

The Unspoken Truth About Ascites

Most posts about ascites sound clinical: “fluid buildup in the abdomen” and “paracentesis to drain it.”
But here’s the truth no one talks about:

Three days ago, I had 4 liters of fluid drained from my abdomen. They call it paracentesis...I call it survival. And even now, days later, I’m still leaking about a liter a day into a colostomy bag. Nobody prepares you for this part. Nobody tells you what it feels like to see your own body’s fluid draining out, hour after hour, just so you can breathe, walk, or eat again.

🩸 The Reality of Paracentesis
A large needle goes into your swollen belly. You stay still while they drain bag after bag of fluid.

The relief is instant but temporary. In days or weeks, the fluid returns.

Even after the procedure, the puncture site can leak. Sometimes for days... leaving you tethered to bags you never imagined you’d wear.

Your skin aches, your dignity aches, your spirit aches.

🌿 My Life Right Now

My PICC line, the very line that’s supposed to deliver my meds and blood drawn, has stopped working. We don’t know why. We’re waiting on the head nurse to figure out the next plan. Life with end-stage liver disease is like that: constant waiting, constant changes, constant fear. But more like Disney where you get excomited ruin all the way to the ride u want to go on...then wait 3 5 hrs in line. Hah

I don’t wish this on anyone. Not even on myself. If the Creator is testing me, I feel like I’ve learned every lesson there is. I just want to move on, get healthy, and use my life to help someone else.

⚠️ Why This Matters

This isn’t just about me. This is what thousands of people with advanced liver disease live through. The swollen bellies, the needles, the leaking, the bags, the endless hospital visits, the fear. It’s a reality that most never see.

The only true way out of this cycle for people like me is a liver transplant. Every story told, every bit of awareness raised, every donor registered brings us closer to that miracle.

💚 If you’re reading this, please — learn about organ donation. Share this post. You never know who might be saved.

09/26/2025

Manitoba’s online donor registry now holds the donation decisions of more than 73,000 Manitobans. Be counted! If you are still carrying a paper donor card, it is time to upgrade. Registering online means your decision is recorded and can be accessed by the Gift of Life team and shared with loved ones if that information is ever needed.

Registering online using www.signupforlife.ca and talking with those close to you about your decision are the best ways to make your final wishes known. All it takes is two minutes online and three pieces of information – name, birthdate and nine-digit Manitoba Health card number.

09/25/2025

Apparently my abdomen thought it was a 5-liter storage tank.
Newsflash, body: you’re not a water cooler. 🙃💦

That’s called ascites, when fluid builds up in the peritoneal cavity (the space around your organs). It happens a lot with liver disease, cancer, or infection.

So they send me in for a paracentesis — basically, a giant needle + tube to drain the flood. And just like that, five liters gone. That’s more than an extra-large pop bottle! 🥤😂

Relief? Yes. Glamorous? Not even close.
But hey, it’s better than feeling like I’m smuggling a fish tank under my shirt. 🐠”

09/25/2025

🌿 Understanding Paracentesis: Why This Procedure Matters

When your abdomen swells due to ascites a buildup of fluid in the somach cavity it can cause severe discomfort, pressure, pain, and even shortness of breath. This fluid is often linked to serious health conditions such as liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, infection, cancer, or organ failure.

👉 Without ascites: the abdomen has its natural contour, and organs function with ease.
👉 With ascites: the abdomen becomes distended, sometimes painfully so..like 9 months pregnant. This is when a procedure called paracentesis can bring both relief and answers.

🔬 What is Paracentesis?

Paracentesis is a safe, minimally invasive procedure where a healthcare provider uses a needle and catheter to drain fluid from your abdomen. This fluid can be:

🔹️Tested diagnostically (to identify infection, cancer, or organ failure).
🔹️Drained therapeutically (to relieve painful symptoms like bloating, constipation, or breathing difficulty).
🔹️Removing even 5 liters of fluid can drastically improve comfort and restore quality of life.

🩺 Why It’s Done

Paracentesis is performed when:
🔹️Diuretics (water pills) or a low-sodium diet no longer control fluid buildup
🔹️A provider needs to confirm the cause of ascites (such as liver disease, infection, or cancer).
🔹️Immediate relief is needed from abdominal pain, pressure, or shortness of breath.

💡 The Benefits

🔹️Relieves symptoms: Pressure, discomfort, and difficulty breathing are often eased right away.
🔹️Guides treatment: Lab tests on drained fluid can pinpoint infections or cancer.
🔹️Saves lives: Studies show that patients with cirrhosis and ascites live longer and receive life-saving antibiotics sooner when paracentesis is performed.

⚠️ Risks and Recovery
While complications are rare, risks include infection, bleeding, or fluid leakage. Most patients recover within 24–48 hours with proper wound care and dietary support. In recurrent cases, a tunneled peritoneal drainage catheter may be placed for long-term fluid management at home.

🌟 Why this matters:
Paracentesis is more than a procedure—it’s often a turning point for patients living with advanced illness

09/25/2025

⚠️ What End-Stage Liver Disease Really Looks Like

Most people don’t understand end-stage liver disease. They think it’s just “a bad liver.” They don’t see the exhaustion, the pain, or the way it steals joy out of life minute by minute.

Here’s the reality

👀 Signs & Symptoms

On the Outside:
🔹️Swollen belly full of fluid (ascites).
🔹️Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice).
🔹️Frail arms and legs, but bloated torso.
🔹️Itchy, cracked skin that never finds relief.

On the Inside:
🔹️Hepatic encephalopathy (HE): confusion, brain fog, changes in personality.
🔹️No appetite: food tastes like cardboard, nausea is constant.
🔹️Bone-deep fatigue: no energy to get out of bed, walk, or laugh.
🔹️Pain: from bloating, swelling, and procedures.
🔹️Isolation: missing birthdays, concerts, festivals, life itself.

🧠 The Emotional & Attitude Changes

This disease changes who you are:

🔹️Sharp, irritable, or withdrawn (not because we want to, but because our brain is poisoned by toxins our liver can’t clear).
🔹️Losing interest in once-loved things.

🔹️Fear and anxiety about “the call” that may never come.
🔹️Embarrassment about how different we look or how dependent we’ve become.

⚕️ Treatments (Temporary Relief)

🔹️Paracentesis: draining liters of fluid from the abdomen. Relief for days, then it comes back. Ive done 2 procedures so far this weeek)
🔹️Diuretics: “water pills” that reduce fluid but cause cramps, dehydration, kidney failure
🔹️Lactulose & rifaximin: flush toxins to keep the brain clearer, but bring their own side effects.
🔹️Low sodium diet: no flavor, no freedom in food.
🔹️Hospital visits: constant monitoring, bloodwork, emergencies.

These treatments don’t cure. They just keep you alive long enough to hopefully get a transplant.

💔 The Harshest Truth

What if there isn’t a liver for you?
This is the part no one wants to say out loud:

♦️You are tired of the ascites, the paracentesis needles, the yellow skin, the endless medications.
♦️You are tired of surviving instead of living.
♦️Because this middle place....too sick to live fully, not sick “enough” to be gone.. isn’t living. It’s surviving. Surviving alone.

For many, transplant is the only true way.

09/22/2025

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✨ I’m already excited for my holiday haul that i just purchased...who’s joining me? Let’s make this fundraiser unforgettable!

#

09/22/2025

🎄✨ Prepare for Christmas Fundraiser! ✨🎄
is officially LIVE! 🚀 yayy!!!

This year, you don’t even need to leave your couch to shop for Christmas 🎁. Thanks to DFS Fundraising, you can order high-quality gift wrap, treats, and holiday goodies right from your phone or laptop-YES, even from bed in your PJs.

And here’s the best part:
💝 Every single purchase directly supports my journey as I prepare for a second liver transplant. The funds raised will go towards critical travel costs, medications, accommodations, and transfers for myself and my family. These expenses add up quickly, and even the smallest purchase makes a huuuuge difference.

This isn’t just shopping, it’s shopping with PURPOSE.

Direct shipping to your house after 150$ spent

Think of it this way:
✔️ You save money & stress by getting your Christmas shopping done early.
✔️ You get beautiful, top-quality DFS products that make wrapping & gifting so much easier.
✔️ You’re giving my family the chance to keep fighting during this challenging time.

🌟 BONUS: You’ll even get to see me when you pick up your orders—so it’s truly a win-win!

🗓️ Deadline to order: November 8, 2025

💥💥💥💥📍 Shop here: 💥💥💥💥

www.dfscanada.com/shop-now/?participant_code=0045188
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📱 Or just scan the QR code in the poster

⚠️ For now, I don’t think it’s feasible to ship to the USA because of tariffs—but I’ll look into it tomorrow and update.

✨ I’m already excited for my holiday haul-who’s joining me? Let’s make this fundraiser unforgettable!