6:00 PM CST update from Barby's CaringBridge site

[Guest guest]

The doctors have come through to look Barby over & are again saying that

everything is going as well as they can go for a liver transplant patient. Her

adema is slowly receding - starting with hands & arms & slowly receding

downwars. The doctors expect that it should be mostly gone within the next week

or so. Her pain is under control & considered routine. She is fully independent

at this time....not requiring help to get out of bed, use the restroom, walk or

wash her hair. I've pulled up a Christian praise music site & have had it

playing all day in the background from the computer. Barby has really enjoyed

it. We've enjoyed watching the snow from the sixth floor penthouse suite -

that's what we call this room. It's a corner room with windows on each corner

looking over a beautiful KC panorama reaching from downtown southwards to the

Plaza....very pretty....especially shrouded in snow. The lights at night are

pretty as well. Barby & I stood together & just looked at the lights for awhile

this evening. Her apetite is growing. Another backup IV was removed. Soon they

will remove the central line - her final tube. She began with over a dozen wires

& lines potruding from her body & is now down to one. Her walks do not require

assistance. We hold hands for pleasure rather than need!

On our last walk we visited another liver patient who Barby knows through her

online support group. He has been here in KC for almost two months. He lives in

another region where livers are less redily available. Where he lived he could

expect to wait for well over a year. By coming and living in KC, he only had to

wait a few weeks. However, he had a problem duiring surgery & has had to have an

extended hospital stay of over 1.5 mos. We are very thankful that Barby has had

such a short and successful stay.

Barby's cousin had a liver transplant several years ago & lost his first liver

immediately and had to be retransplanted - along with multiple setbacks along

the way.

Please continue to bathe Barby's recovery in prayer. We appreciate it deeply and

God obviously cares for the details of His children.

The current plan is for Barby to leave KU Med Ctr tomorrow afternoon. We plan on

eating dinner at home in Topeka. My mom will be coming over to fix dinner for

us. Extra meals throughout the week are welcome. We can either freeze them or

use them for that day's meal.

Barby & I will return to KU Med Ctr on Monday & Thursday for the next two weeks.

Then once a week for several months. After that, she can arrange to have labs

drawn in Topeka, or on vacation, wherever we happen to be - for the rest of her

life. KU Med Ctr will continue to monitor her labs & make any adjustments that

are needed to protect her new liver.

She has very few restrictions when she goes home. For the next four months Barby

cannot lift more than 10#'s. She'll be restricted on any housework which

requires lifting or pushing of any degree approaching the 10# limit. Persons

with active infections & coughs should avoid her. However, her immune system

will continue to gain strength and handle common viruses. The first few weeks

she needs to avoid persons who are sick.

As you pray, please remember that there is a family out there that is greeving

the early loss of their child. Please pray for that family as well.

Thanks! & Barby