The Next 24 Hours

July 18, 2010
Monday



Monday morning we had a visit from the sweetest liver doctor. He had met with all of the liver docs and they decided that what I needed was a liver with multi-visceral transplant. In English that means a transplant of the liver and any bowel, stomach or pancreas that precludes a liver transplant. One of the doctors explained it like removing a cassette and inserting a new one.



There are only 4 centers in the whole USA that actually do these transplants. Mayo suggested Omaha, Nebraska at the University of Nebraska Medical Center(UNMC) as being the best. Our second choice was Indiana. I am not sure of the medical center but we were told that it is a good center as well. We will still have to be accepted by UNMC and until then everything is in the air.



Kaiser and UCSF got together and had a pow-wow and decided that I needed the transplant. They could no longer help me and that I needed to go to Omaha as soon as possible. This made us happy and once again Kaiser comes through for us.



We have to jump through some hoops to be accepted, one of them being the weight issue. I am down to 114.7 lbs and this is unacceptable. So we decided to have a feeding tube placed. I hate it! But hopefully it will put the weight back on. The good thing is that I can eat and drink while I have it in. Boy, it is very uncomfortable.



Kaiser wants me to leave for UNMC on Tuesday, but I am not sure that I will be ready but we will see. Mayo doesn't think I will be able to go commercial with my abdomen drain and may have to go on their emergency medical flight. How cool that would be.



Monday, July 19, 2010

Bodie Aldrich Dawson made his not so quiet presence into our world. He was very angry about being born and let out an impressive squall upon his entrance. He is beautiful, pink, chubby and a very peaceful baby. He weighed 7lbs 1oz and was 21 inches long. All he does is eat, sleep and mess his diapers. Other than that he is a good, sweet baby. Heather is really enjoying him.

Ruby was a bit hesitant at first, but when they unwrapped him and showed her that he was the baby same as in the books, she accepted him just fine. Now she loves him and is totally fascinated by all of his care.

This has been another interesting week and we are still in God's hands and leave it all to Him.
I have written everything up to date and will continue to inform you all what is next. Please continue with your prayers and any emails or comments. Please hold your cards until we find out where we go next.

God is Great,
Steve & Steph