5:00 PM CST update from Barby's CaringBridge site

[Guest guest]

Barby keeps waiting for the other shoe to fall. It's beginning to look like the only shoe that's going to fall is the one that will kick her out of the hospital. Currently, the doctors are planning on sending Barby home Friday. We will do the pre dismissal conference on Thursday with the post transplant coordinator. That is when Barby's custom follow-up program will be explained. It is the job of the post transplant coordinator to receive regular test numbers from Barby & make any necessary adjustments to her medication..in short, to keep her liver healthy.

Barby will be tied to some regimine of immune suppressant therapy for the rest of her life. The goal is to find and maintain a level which allows for the highest degree of immune system activation possible. Right now, most of her immunes system is shut down. Soon they will begin to taper off until they find that balance point which is unique to Barby & her new liver.

Her pain is under control & she began a full diet this evening. Her final drain will be removed tomorrow morning. She is walking full loops around the halls in this wing - almost 100yds. She was doing half loops yesterday. Her pace & personal degree of control is better as well. She got to bathe & wash her hair this afternoon & continues to feel more human as time goes by. Her bilirubin which was 6.5 yesterday, dropped to 2.0 today!!!!!! All liver numbers are " excellent " . Her other blood numbers are all normal as well. " Normal " is a word that hasn't described Barby's blood chemical numbers for a very long time...

Will post again when I have more news. Barby's sister in law, Mona, stayed with her last night while snuck off & got in a long pre-dawn bike ride. Two of her college friends & roommates, Linelle & Sandy, will be staying with her tonight. will be staying Wednesday night & Mona Benteman & Daren Nigus will split Thursday night. Again, Barby should begin her homebound recovery Friday.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

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[Guest guest]

Go Barby go !!This is wonderful news.LeeBarby keeps waiting for the other shoe to fall. It's beginning to look like the only shoe that's going to fall is the one that will kick her out of the hospital. Currently, the doctors are planning on sending Barby home Friday. We will do the pre dismissal conference on Thursday with the post transplant coordinator. That is when Barby's custom follow-up program will be explained. It is the job of the post transplant coordinator to receive regular test numbers from Barby & make any necessary adjustments to her medication..in short, to keep her liver healthy.