update on india erickson, weblinks to journal updates, guestbook, photos, etc.

[Guest guest]

thanks for reminding me that i needed to post an update on india erickson!

michelle, there's a reason india's been on your heart: as it happens, she

had another surgery (this time to remove her colon?), just this last friday.

from an earlier journal entry, i knew this was going to happen, but i didn't

realize this had taken place until just now going to their CaringBridge

website to read all the details.

india and her family certainly have been through an up-and-down roller

coaster since india's living related liver transplant back on march

20th/since *first* returning home on april 19th, and subsequent

hospitalizations for this 'n' that... i would suggest, for those in PSC

support who are interested, that you go to their CaringBridge main page at

http://64.225.121.48/wi/india/index.htm ...then backtracking through their

journal history at http://64.225.121.48/wi/india/history.htm ...please

backtrack to at least the month of may, in order to get a fuller

appreciation of all this sweet little girl and her amazing family have had

to endure:

continuing problems with Crohn's Disease; colonoscopy; ultrasound; a

Pramidronate Disodium infusion done July 8th; diuretics for the ascites;

procrit injections 3x weekly for her blood problems and getting her off

steroids and her blood count up prior to a colectomy on July 26th;

preliminary pathology report for india's colon surgery indicated Ulcerative

Colitis, which could likely mean another surgery later on. the surgeons

said india's colon was extremely diseased: " Because she was on so much

immune suppressant medicines for her colon, and her colon was still this

bad, they felt her disease is a very aggressive immune problem... They have

taken a biopsy of the colon, liver and her warts. Then we'll know more as to

what the future will bring as far as more surgery etc.. Surgeons thought her

liver looked great, from what they saw. "

praise God, mark (india's dad and donor) is doing great.

once again, india's CaringBridge home page is located at:

http://64.225.121.48/wi/india/index.htm

for greeting cards or notes of encouragement, india's snail-mail address is:

St 's Hospital,

14th Ave SW,

Rochester, MN 55905

if you prefer, you can easily post a note of greeting/encouragement at their

website's guestbook -- http://64.225.121.48/wi/india/guestbook.html

Email address for india ( & mom lori and dad mark erickson):

indiaerickson@...

their CaringBridge photo album has not been updated, but it's nice to go

back there anyway to refresh your memory as to just how tiny/young india

is... gives an even deeper appreciation to all that she and her family have

been through -- http://64.225.121.48/wi/india/photo.htm

here's (mom) lori's latest post from their CaringBridge website, Tuesday,

July 30, 2002 at 12:38 PM (CDT) <-- just yesterday!...

love to all at PSC Support,

maureen

From Lori kson:

Sorry its taken so long to update, you know how busy hospital schedules are!

I updated yesterday and then when I wanted to add it to the journal, I

accidentally deleted it!!! So here I am again.

India's doing great.

Yesterday she passed gas and a little stool through her stoma, so she was

allowed to get a popsicle and broth. She thought it tasted yummy. She hasn't

eaten since Thurs. at noon. Today she is allowed yogurt, ice cream and

pudding. If her stoma continues to work properly, tomorrow they have said

even more of a variety of food. They like to go slow with the introduction

of new foods. She's just happy to have anything, so she's not complaining.

Yesterday Bill (Britt's Bill) and Mark took India for a walk in a little

wagon. They put a bunch of pillows in it, so it was nice and soft. And then

Mark pulled the wagon and Bill pushed the IV pole. Britt and I went to the

cafeteria to get a bite to eat. Anyway, They were down in the main lobby,

and India had to go potty. When she has to go, she has to go, due to the

swelling after surgery. The urgency will go away after a while. Anyway, they

franticly tried to find a place to bring her that wasn't right out in the

open in the main lobby. They tried to hide her behind a pillar, and then

they put her on her bed pan, right in her wagon. When she was done, Mark

lifted her up, and Bill took out the bed pan. Now they are in the lobby with

a full bed pan and a naked little girl. Mark said they looked at one another

and said, " What do we do now? " India looked up at them and replied, " Wiping

me would be good!! " I thought it was hillarious(sp?). Britt and I are not

allowed to leave her at the same time anymore!!!!

Her liver biopsy came back looking great!!

Her preliminary pathology report for the colon indicates Ulcerative Colitis.

Which is great news. Ulcerative Colitis is contained in the colon, so the

idea of a pull through surgery later on is looking good. India is not

thrilled with the idea of another surgery, but in time I know she'll be fine

about it.

That's about all I can think of right now.

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Maureen, if you have direct email to India's family,

please let them know that www.jpouch.org is a super

place to get information about ileostomies, jpouches,

etc and that is very helpful.

=====

Michigan Hunter . Dx UC 1984, Jpouch 99/2000, PSC dx 97, first PSC symptoms

2000.

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