Page 12 - Time to DeLiver: Getting a Grip on HE report 2015

CASE STUDY

Tanya* is a 36-year-old professional and
mother of an 11-year-old daughter.

Tanya was born with Biliary Atresia and underwent the
Kasai operation (a procedure where blocked bile ducts
and the gall bladder are removed and replaced with a
small section of the small intestine) at six weeks old.
As a result, Tanya was later diagnosed with oesophageal varices, enlarged spleen,
osteoporosis, irritable bowel syndrome, advanced chronic liver disease, and most
recently, has been showing symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy.

She began experiencing changes in her general well-being, including feeling ‘on
edge’ and extremely fatigued as her sleep patterns were disturbed. These symptoms
slowly progressed and her ability to concentrate on simple day-to-day tasks became
increasingly difficult as she became forgetful and confused by basic communication
and tasks. Tanya found this period scary and frustrating as she felt her normal mental
abilities and retention were diminishing.

Ultimately, these symptoms began to have an impact on both Tanya and her family.
She was exhausted and frequently contracted bacterial and viral infections, which are
more severe for liver disease patients. This situation resulted in increased prescriptions
of antibiotics, time-off work and decreased ability to function as a mother and wife.
Tanya’s performance at work was also drastically impacted as she was arriving late
and leaving early due to fatigue, resulting in her contracted hours being cut. Tanya’s
usually excellent attention to detail, her ability to provide solid business advice, and
her understanding of new information all deteriorated, affecting her self-confidence and
enthusiasm. Unfortunately during this time her daughter also suffered as Tanya was
unable to care for her as well as usual.

Tanya recently started medical treatment for hepatic encephalopathy and after a
few months, noticed a significant improvement in her physical and mental state. Her
sleeping patterns have gradually returned to normal and her ability to understand and
carry out daily tasks has improved, resulting in increased motivation and an improved
work-life balance. Most importantly, Tanya has managed to repair and strengthen her
relationships with her family.

*Tanya’s real name has been omitted at her request.

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