Correction --- 10 1/2 Hours of Surgery

DAY 1 AFTER SURGERY.

 

Doctor's are very happy.  They are continuing to work on the medicine levels as the liver continues to start working at full capacity.   Closely watching blood sugar as most transplant patients end up with full blown diabetes.  The level of steroids they are giving is pretty large and making Chip quite loopy.  He could be the star of one of the 70's Peace Love and Mankind shows cause he seriously acts like he is best friends with some substances that are not legal.  This makes him very sensitive.  He can be telling you a story one second and laughing and the next he is very teary-eyed.

 

He sat in a chair for 3 hours and didn't complain at all about it.  However, at the talk of possibly taking insulin shots every day his world started to melt.  Figure that one out.

 

He ate three Popsicles and thought they were the best tasting things in the world.  I videod it although I am not supposed to picture or photgraph anything due to the machinery being used in the ICU and I don't know how to dub out what he was saying which was funny as can be.  With all the drugs his talk has been quite colorful at times.  Thankfully he is well liked and his words are taken with little or no attention.  He can, however, tell you every Dr.'s name that has walked in and whether they are married or not.  He knows everyone who has entered his room down to Agnes who cleans and mops his room.  Jim did the pick line, Jeff was morning nurse so on and so forth.  It is interesting how he is remembering all the details.  He tells everyone the details are for his 'book' that he is writing.  Now that would be some interesting reading.

 

There was a lock down on the floor and he was all alarmed about that.

 

When the anesthesiologist asked him about his pain he said:

 

 "Now, Dr., your pain level would be a 9 if you had this done but my pain level is a 7"...a solid 7.  The Dr. said OK so mine will be a 9"?  Chip said   "Yes".  The Dr. said "Why?" and Chip said "Well, look at you.  I am three of you and I am not nearly as big as I used to be.  You are slender and in shape but you are too small so if the truck got you then you would hurt more and I am sorry for that cause you are a Dr. and a whole lot smarter than me". 

 

The Dr. smiles and sort of laughs.  Chip looks him straight in the eye and points his ET finger at him (The finger that the oxygen levels are being recorded on which has a bright orange light) and says "Now I have made you mad so are you going to take the liver back"?  The Dr. says "No, you can still have it, it seems to be quite happy with you". 

 

See, sometimes things are happy with their second owners!!

 

 

DAY 2 AFTER SURGERY.

 

Jeff is the lucky nurse for the day.  He has gotten Chip special chicken broth which Chip will tell you that it is the 'cheap brand' and Popsicles.  The Popsicles are going to boycotted  pretty soon though unless someone goes to the 7/11 and gets him the sugar-free ones. He much prefers the sugar-free over the real sugar ones.

 

He sat in the chair for a number of hours earlier. 

 

After Chip learns all about Jeff's life and asks him questions that embarrassed him (Jeff)  to death he gets him back out of bed to sit up. 

 

He slept NONE last night so  that means that when he woke up Thursday evening at 10 pm that he has been awake ever since.  Apparently the medicines are causing this. 

 

He is happy that he is not cold.  He now gets warm again which is totally his 'old' self.  

 

Looking to maybe move into a room later today (Private room) which will be nice, however the ICU staff has been the best we have ever seen. 

 

I am back in Charlotte until tomorrow and then I will go back to Durham.  I just got a call from the nurse who said that Chip wanted to talk to me.  I called his cell because he has talked the nurses into letting his cell sit on the bed right beside him but he won't answer my call. The nurse calls me back and tells me that he said for me to come into the room and see him.  I tell her that I am back in Charlotte and that I can't.  He said "Tell her to get back up here, I can't believe she left me". 

 

Everyone who is young and who enters the room is asked about their parents.  Chip tells the person to "Make it right with your parents.....you want them to know that you appreciate them and no parent should ever have to see their child like my dad has had to see me".  It has made a few of the people really stop and think. Then when they leave he says "Now, you do what I tell you ok?" 

 

Hopefully BENADRYL can be given later to help sleep.  If this occurs then a whole floor will be very happy.

 

Thank you again for your comments and words and messages.... aain they mean so much and help to give us strength and push on.  We are still amazed at how well this has been going and don't want to be greedy but we sure do hope it continues.... Forgive Our Greed please!!! 

 

****************************TO BE CONTINUED***********************************

We are OUT OF SURGERY!!

Wow... what a difference  7   10 1/2 hours of surgery can make:

 

Thursday August 23, 2012   --continued --

 

6:00 am  -- Newspaper lady came bye & said "THE ANGELS ARE TAKING OVER"

 

7:00 am  -- Update -- "All is still going along well".

 

9:38 am -- Update -- "Still moving along".

 

11:28 am -- Update -- "Finished".  Moved to the Consult Room.

 

CONSULT ROOM WITH DR. RAVINDRA

 

Donna, Dad (Bob) & Ann are in the room ---

 

Surgery (under knife) went VERY WELL.  Since Chip is a large man and is so sick it took a while to get things arranged.  Liver was as good of a match as it could be.  Due to the resistance of the original liver the portal vein was clogged.  Only one unit of blood was given during the procedure. 

 

Next step:  keep scanning the abdomen for blood flow.  One in twenty have issues.  If an issue arises (NOT EXPECTED) then he immediately goes back on the donor list but becomes #1 on the NATIONAL DONOR LIST. 

 

ICU for about two days.

 

Complications usually occur in the first few weeks.  (they don't necessarily show up immediately).  Rejection of the liver is within the first 3 to 6 months.

 

Clearly must be VERY CAUTIOUS.  After the first year the life expectency is very good.  The liver starts working slowly.  About 30 to 40 pounds will be shed in the next two weeks.

 

It will take months to rebuild the muscles.  Fluid will no longer have to be drawn off him.  Feet will stay swollen for a month because protein levels have been so low.  He wil be puffy for a few days to a week. 

 

The liver can not be donated to someone else.  It gets ONE EXTRA BODY chane chance and then it is done. 

 

The above is just what was taken from the notes that I made from the consultation.  It may not all be EXACTLY as the Dr. said but it is close.  Sorry for typos.  We are now on recovery ICU floor waiting to go see him. 

 

When I first walked into see Chip last night I said "It's a fine night for a liver".  So far.... it has been.  Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.  We need them and appreciate them.  Also, AGAIN, we realize and do NOT take for granted how this process has worked in our favor with very few odds against us.  While we are sorry for the loss of the donors life we are ever so grateful for their choice to be an organ donor.  BLESSINGS ARE IN ABUNDANCE --- Angels on your Pillow --  Next step is to see Chip and then speak to the social worker.  I then need to locate housing in the area.  It's a good issue to have as we thought we had a few months to do this homework but it will be done.

 

Again, many thanks for your love and support!

 

The Entire Bryant Family

 

A new Liver for CHIP

Today was not the day we thought we were going to get a liver....however HIS plans were different for us. Around 9:40 am this morning my brother CHIP called the Dr. because his knees were hurting him so. He wanted pain killers for his ailing knees and looks like he will be getting a liver instead. He has been on the liver transplant list OFFICIALLY since July 20th. On Tuesday August 14th he was told that he was # 1 on the list for O type blood & # 4 overall for DUKE. Of course with this many other things go along and I am not privy nor do I understand all of them. I am updating this to try to be informative of our journey which was started January 1, 2012. What is written is about OUR experience and what we have been told by our Dr.'s & nurses. What I do know is that the wait that we have endured is ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE NEAR what many others have had to suffer through.  Our blessings are overflowing and we know it.  I think of my friends Glenda & Julia and their many many months of waiting for their loved ones liver.  Their patience was tried much more than ours has been.  While we know there are still many days and hurdles to get through we understand and realize that our process has not been nearly as grueling as others have had.  We can only hope that somehow some way others can get what we have gotten.... A MIRACLE thus far.

 



 Heath (Graduate & my nephew) & Chip (my Brother)

 

 

Time Line of Today Wednesday August 22:

9:40 am call from Dr.'s office gets a "Hey, we might have a liver for you... stay close to your phone".

11:50 am call from Dr.'s office saying "Don't eat or drink anything".

3:00 pm call from Dr.'s office saying "Looks like an ideal match, the donor will be off life support soon so once this occurs we will check things out further and call you back"

4:00 pm call from DUKE Dr.'s office saying "COME TO DUKE.

4:10 pm Chip & Donna pull out of driveway for Duke Medical.

6:30 pm Arrive at Duke. Admitted, Tons of paperwork done, samples of anything and everything you can think of are taken. Meeting with the anestheologist and the post ICU Surgical Doctor.

7:43 pm Taken to X-ray.

8:02 pm Returns from X-ray.

9:00 pm Liver arrives at Duke from Wake Forest Medical via Med Life. 

Thus far they are saying that the liver will be put in around midnight with the knowledge that at any point in time they could change their mind due to medical reasons.

9:15 pm Dad and Ann arrive.  We find his holding tank and visit. 

11:00 pm Now Surgery will be between 1 and 2 am.

 

Thursday 8/23/2012

 

12:19 am Chip taken to prep by Mr. Bill.

12:26 am Mr. Bill comes to get Donna to go & see Chip.

1:33 am Donna came to get Heath, Alesia & Christina. They are now saying they will take him back in about 30 minutes.

1:36 am Heath, Alesia & Christina return.

2:08 am Anestheologist arrives. Donna returns to waiting room. Were told that we would be notified once first incision made.

3:05 am Blankets delivered to waiting room. NO WORD yet.

 

4:20 am Operating Room called and they haven't started yet.  Have been doing some 'REPOSITIONING'.

 

4:50 am Reception area open so we check in again and get new badges.

 

5:00 am Receptionist comes by and says that she got a call..."All is still in progress and moving along". 

 

5:10 am  Our area in the waiting room appears to look like a war zone.  Bodies everywhere.

 

Unfortunately I couldn't get all bodies in the photo.

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED...........

Day 210 of NO VINO

No I didn't want to go without WINE but I did want to go without the extra calories.  So now for my one glass of wine I can have three "OTHER" drinks for the same calories.  This has helped a lot regarding the 'cutting calories' and trying to drop this final 35 pounds.  The death of me may be getting back to my 'fighting weight' but I look forward to getting there but am  mostly looking forward to gaining it all back. 

I had a darned good time gaining all my weight.  Well the Infertility treatments were not so much fun and all the other stuff that was associated with that not so much but eating all the yum-a-licious stuff that I did was scrumptious.

So Cheers to the wine that I will not be drinking any time soon and "CHEERS" to my new drink of choice.  I can thank it for helping me to not be the 'world's crankiest person'.  However, my husband may say differently on this.    (And by the way a SIP of wine does not count.... just enough to touch the lips)......

Cheers from Vodka Country!

Preppy or Peppy? A Sense of Fashion?

At times during Junior High & High School I was kind of preppy.  I was not a "TOTAL PREP" but did have the obligatory Monogrammed sweater and pink Izod.  I even had the loafers and the purse that you buttoned different covers onto so it would match your outfit should you so desire! The add-a-bead was probably the preppiest thing ever.  Never really considered PREPPY to be jewelry related but for me this necklace described PREP in my world perfectly.

Since I kind of skipped the prep thing the first go around in the 80's I think I will forgo the opportunity for it this go around in the 11's.  Once is enough in my world.  RECYCLE?  I am all about some recycling but do believe that we need to sometimes think twice about it in wardrobe.  PREP is NOT for everyone.  But I do love those that can pull it off.  I am simply not that.... now let's move on to a man in a Pink Button Down or Pink polo... now I truly LOVE IT!  A man in PINK is sexy in my book! Therefore, Prep can stay!

Haven't Been Drinking....

Much Wine Lately... but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it.  We have been invited to go on a WINE ROMP which means we get to romp around various vineyards that are in North Carolina.  One of hubby's co-workers, whom I think is the coolest chick ever, puts together this romp and they head out for a Saturday full of romping and drinking.  There is one coming up soon and I so hope we can go.

My Calories saved by LESS INTAKE of VINO have been used elsewhere so I can't honestly say that I have dropped that many pounds by not consuming one of my very favorite things.  Somehow replacing ice cream with with the wine hasn't worked too well.  (I have had ice cream only three times but I made it large portions so it could have counted for probably six times).

I will still dream about thee and until the final 30 lbs shed from me I will let visions of wine dance in my head.  Till  then it's Vodka... of which I have gotten some pretty tasty recipe's for great drinks but there is nothing better than good ole' wine!!

Cheers!

Confessions

Reading this cause you think that it is going to be better than your best friends last confession that she waited 12 years to do and laid the priest right out on the floor?  Sorry to disappoint. I am not Catholic. I have nothing against Catholics  I just happen to not be one although my children will be going to Catholic School in the fall if I have not already gotten them kicked out. (another post for another day).

1.  I can NOT click my fingers.  How could I have been a cheerleader all through school and college and not be able to click?

2.   I absolutely undeniably with all my heart body and soul DETEST the song "OPEN ARMS".  I love Journey but I dislike this song with a passion.  Nope, it was not a 'romance gone wrong' or a bad experience at the school dance.  This song absolutely grates on my last nerve and I would probably run over small children or sweet little old ladies to turn it off wherever I am as to not have to listen to it. 

3.  I would hang glide and sky dive if given the chance.  However, the thought and/or sight of a mouse, rat or mice absolutely terrifies me. 

4.  Walking up a flight of escalators that are not in workingord ranks with the song "OPEN ARMS".  It drives me bonkers beyond belief

5.  I have always disliked my hair but loved my nose. 

6.  I have a tendency to be around 'needy people' more often than I should be.

7.  I have never really 'cleaned house' of friends but I think that I may need to do that.  Those that just 'suck the life out of you' are just not what I need in my life any more. 

8.  I no longer like mornings.  Bad thing is that I am not a particular night owl either.

9.  Those parents who yell profusely at their kids while playing sports need to have a muzzle or a free prostrate exam (yes women included).

10.  I confess that women drivers are horrid.  Help those who drive mini vans and don't get me started on other type vehicles.  Who thought of the idea of making a car that you can drive at the same time (OR TRY) while being in the back seat with your children?  REALLY?