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Posted 9/21/2009 12:52 PM (GMT 0)

Ammee

We seem to take one step forward on two back with my mom.  Hang in there! Keep posting, its a great lifeboat!

Posted 9/21/2009 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
She is off of the vent now, and in the step down unit. She's doing very well. I'm so exhausted. I think the next couple of days I will stay home to rest. I started having contractions last night. She is in great hands, and they know to call me if anything changes. She has her cell phone now and can call to check in with me at home.

Thank you all for everything. The support that you all have given us has been a true blessing.

Connie,

I have not heard anything form my brother in law other than he has looked at the sight. But I'll send him your information just incase.

Thank you and hope you are well!

Amee

Posted 9/21/2009 9:23 PM (GMT 0)

Amee, that is great news!  By all means, you rest.  You don't want to be going into labor now!  Stress is not good for you, and now that your MIL is doing better perhaps you can relax a little.

As for your BIL, all you can do is give him the info and then it's up to him.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/22/2009 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
My mother in law is now in the step down unit. She is doing okay. She has a fever and appears that her body is starting to show signs of rejection. The doctors are going to increase the anit rejection medication. She's still in a lot of pain and weak. They are going to get her up for the first time today to walk.

Last night she had me laughing so much... She's so HIGH on the morphine it's just hysterical. She said to us..." I keep pressing this button when I need pain medication, then all of a sudden the room starts to spin, and the nurse never comes in" She is pressing the wrong button, the button that she presses is giving her a dose of Morphine (Thankfully she can only get medication every 6 minutes) But it was so funny. Then the nurse came in later to check on her and she's got this loopy grin on her face and say's to him.... "you're gonna have your hands full of me tonight.... the nurse said... " you mean have my hands full "with" you tonight.... She said, no I meant it the way I said it the first time... and starts to chuckle. I was laughing so hard... and Rudy (my husband) wasn't even cracking a smile... but he did turn red really fast. The nurse just smiled and left the room. I felt sorry for him but it was just so funny.
Posted 9/22/2009 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
Amee, let's hope the increased antirejection meds work and that she doesn't reject this new liver.  It's something that all recipients seem to go through--a bit of a scare, but most seem to turn out okay.

The morphine-induced loopyness can be funny.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/24/2009 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
My mother in law was taken back in to the operating room tonight. She has a collection of fluid just outside the liver. They aren't sure if it's blood or due to an infection and/or possible rejection. Please continue to pray for her. I don't believe for second that this gift was given to her only to be snatched away.

After speaking with the surgeon, I'm more concerned. He told us that she is not responding like they had hoped. She seems to be getting worse. If she rejects this liver, it will be devastating, in so many ways.
Posted 9/24/2009 4:19 AM (GMT 0)

Amee, I will pray that your MIL makes a change for the better and for God to guide the doctors in her care.

Hugs,

Connie


Posted 9/24/2009 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much Connie.
Posted 9/24/2009 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
My MIL came out of surgery this morning around 10. She is now in the recovery room. We have not yet spoken with the surgeons and are anxious to have some news. She will be going back into the SICU. I'm just scared and worried. But at the same time I still have faith that this liver will take hold and she will have a full recovery and life will be what it was before she got sick... minus the alcohol of course.

I'm going home to rest... as I am beyond exhausted. Will update again later.

Amee
Posted 9/25/2009 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
My MIL came out of surgery and is now back in the step down unit. She has a drain to keep the blood from accumulating in her abdomen. They also had to add mesh to the Liver and abdomin. Since her new liver is larger that the old liver, there isn't enough room for it to funtion properly. So to try to fix that issue, they have removed the abdominal muscle from the abdominal wall so there would be a little more room for the liver. The liver has now began to funciton much bertter. But they have also stopped her anti rejection medication as she is just not clear mentally and they believe that it's due to the anti rejection medication. Last night she became aggitatite and had to be restrained again to keep her from pulling out the drian tube. She's angry with everyone right now as she feels she didn't really have a choice, when it came to getting the liver transplant. I honestly believe that this behavior is from all she's been through in the past week and a half.

Her mental status does worry me. I just hope that in the next few days she will clear up. The doctors will have to do a few more procedures over the next few days. They will have to remove the mesh, as well as the drain tube. Once that happens they will again watch her very closely to see if the liver will remain healthy and functioning.
Posted 9/25/2009 7:38 PM (GMT 0)

I'm glad to hear that your MIL came through the surgery okay.  I think it's natural for her to be agitated, and is also partially due to the drugs.  I'm wondering, though, why they can't leave the mesh in.  If she has no abdominal muscle now, wouldn't she be at risk for hernia w/o the mesh?  I had an incisional hernia a couple of months after the rt. lobe of my liver was removed...right in the midriff.  I didn't have very strong abdominal muscles to begin with.  He used some type of organic material to repair it, which only held for 2 mos. and the hernia returned.  This time, he repaired it with mesh.  The mesh is still in me.  I can even feel one of the knots in a corner of it where it is tied in.  This might be something to ask her surgeon about prior to the next procedure.

My prayers are still with all of you.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/25/2009 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
The muscle is still in ... just not attached to the abdominal wall. They plan on re-attaching the muscle. But I will ask to be sure as I was not the one who spoke with the surgeon. It was one of my brother in laws, so perhaps he didnt' understand things completely.

Thank you very much for the prayers. It's just so frustrating seeing her like this and not being able to do anything but sit back on the sidelines.
Posted 9/25/2009 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
Amee, that makes more sense that they didn't completely detach it.  I hope that it will hold for her when they reattach it.  They really don't like to use mesh because of (once again!) the risk of infection.

Sometimes we just have to "let go and let God." 

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/26/2009 5:05 AM (GMT 0)
Another step back. She is back in the ICU. They had to intubate her again last night and she pulled it out shortly afterwards. She is calmer in the ICU today, and is using an oxygen mask instead of another tube. Her Oxygen level drops so fast whithout help. That does concern me a bit... but I can sleep tonight knowing that she is being watched closely.
Posted 9/26/2009 3:57 PM (GMT 0)

Amee, thanks for the update.  I'm sure everyone will be relieved when she stabilizes.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/27/2009 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Amee, I am so sorry your MIL is having these setbacks. Our prayers are with your family. I do pray that you are taking a step back and taking care of you and that little one.....you don't need to push it too hard.

Hoping the next few days will bring some positive changes.

Mer
Posted 9/27/2009 3:12 AM (GMT 0)

Amee I'm with you,  They will take good care of her in ICU.  You need to rest while she is there so you can help later.  If it makes you fell better Jerry pulled everything out including his central line.  I will pray for you all.

JoAnn

Posted 9/27/2009 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
WOW congrats!!

I just joined the forum, My Fiancee has been on the Liver Transplant list since 8-14-09, we are praying for a call!

We are in Indiana, going to IU in Indianapolis. Can I ask where your MIL is having her transplant?

Debbie

Posted 9/27/2009 8:25 PM (GMT 0)

DDore, welcome to the forum!  You might want to start a new topic (just click on New Topic instead of Reply) to introduce yourself and your situation.  That way, your posts won't be missed. Since your fiance is awaiting transplant, I'd like you to get some replies from others in the same situation. 

Again, welcome!

Connie
Posted 9/27/2009 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
We have had an unexpected experience. As you all know my mother in law has had diffiuclty breathing, and maintaing her oxygen levels. She was brought back into the SICU on Friday as she had to be intuabted again, she extubated herself, on the way to the SICU. They placed a mask on her face and she seemed to be doing welll. We saw her on Friday evening and for the first time in days she was not confused and we all had a normal conversation with her. I expected her to back in a regular room the following day.

Saurday morning (1AM) we received a call that she was again having difficulty, and they were attempting to intubater her again, she flatlined. They did get a heart beat back within a minute. However they were not able to intubate her, and it took twenty minutes for them to do a bedside trach. We are beyond devastated right now. The liver is functioning as it needs to. Now to have this happen I cannot find words. We are questioning the hospital as to why it took so long for them to do the trach. So far we are not getting answers.

My mother in law is not responding at all, she is having siezures. Tomorrow they are going to do an EEG to see what brain funciotn is there, and they will also have family counselors available for us, as we may have to make a very difficult decision. Please pray for all of us and for my mother in law. She has been through so much... I just cant explain how confused we are.

Thank you
Amee
Posted 9/28/2009 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Amee....I'm so sorry to hear this! I'm new to this forum and was just reading through the posts thinking that everything would be OK....and then this! I will definitely keep you and your MIL in prayer.

JoAnn
Posted 9/28/2009 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
JoAnn,

I do not want to discourrage you in anyway. The liver is working beautifully. There was an error at the hospital. They waited too long to give her a trach. She would have had a chance had they trached her sooner. But the suregon was not as quick to respond as they need him or her to be.

Again, the liver is working the transplant was a success, it's has been in vain only at the hand of the hospital. Please keep your faith in the process.
Posted 9/28/2009 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Amee....my distress is mainly for you and your family. It's just so sad that such an error was made.

(((hugs)))
JoAnn
Posted 9/28/2009 4:36 AM (GMT 0)

Amee, I am sooo sorry to hear this.  Indeed, if she was without oxygen that long, together with the seizures, there could be serious consequences.  The best thing to do now is pray for a good outcome and for God's will for your MIL.  The poor thing has been through so much, as has the family.  There are always risks with invasive surgeries and sometimes, unfortunately, things do not go as planned.  How is your husband holding up?

My prayers are with you all tonight.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 9/28/2009 4:50 AM (GMT 0)
JoAnn... thank you so much. The last thing I want to do is to discourage a family that is waiting for a wonderful second chance.

Connie,

Thank you also for the prayers. My husband is doing well, considering. His brothers are another story. The one who lives with us, is again in denial as he was when we tried to tell him about her liver disease. He (understandably) believes she can pull through this too. The oldest son, who was just diagnosed with HepC, has me concerned. He's very distant, and had only been to the hospital twice since this all happened and for short stays. I know that everyone handles things differently and I'm sure that he is questioning a lot of things with his own health at this moment. I am here for my husband and his brothers. I love them all.

Depending on how tomorrow unfolds I may post an update, but of course as you all understand... I don't want to promise.
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