Update from 's CaringBridge site (www.caringbridge.org/visit/melaniejs)

[Guest guest]

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2008 08:46 PM, CST

Ready for the surgeon's report? Well, here goes...My pathology report came back and I was told it was fine - no cancer was found. Yea! The difficulty in eating, I'm told is not typical (as you stated ) but not completely surprising due to the rerouting of the large intestine (right again, ), etc. He is not concerned and told me to eat as I can, and drink Ensure or Boost for nurishment when I cannot eat. He told me to continue to take the small doses of pain meds (they don't want me taking anything other than what they've given me) when the pain is unbearable, but he expects it all to calm down in time. The back pain is apparently very typical. I thought it might have something to do with compression fracture I suffered several years ago. He thinks it may be a bit worse from that, but in general it is not uncommon to have large amounts of pain in your back from both the work they did and stretching the ribcage in order to do the transplant.

Bottom line, he and my coordinator are very pleased with my progress! Every thing looks good and my liver function tests just keep coming down - improvement continues and that is a blessing! They lowered both my Prednisone (immunosuppressant) and my Prograf (antirejection) doses, today, which means I AM headed in the right direction! Next Wed. they will take out my staples and then I shouldn't have to return to clinic for 4 weeks. I will continue to get labs drawn twice a week until I'm told otherwise, though. This, I assure you, is not a big deal!!! I was getting them drawn twice a week for months before transplant. At least now I feel better all the way around and a needle stick is a small price to pay for that!

Lastly, my coordinator said point blank today, " We caught you at a good time, this WAS the time to do this. " I almost started to cry. I'd had some issues with people stating that there was no way I could have been given 18 months to live 13 months ago (of course not to my face), because of this or that and I was devastated. Why would anyone make up such a thing?! I was insulted and hurt, feeling as if they were saying I was just a lot of hoopla but a hypochondriac under it all. I knew the loss of energy, brain power and new levels of itching and nausea were not in my head and now even the idiot doc at that gave me such a hard time has to admit (upon viewing my liver) that my liver was shot. Truly, months were all my doc expected out of me and now I KNOW it was with good reason. It may sound crazy that I even care that people would say such things because I knew I was sick, but I admit it was tough to ignore.

Regardless, I am eternally grateful for this chance at a happy, healthy life filled with good friends, and lots of laughs and love!!!!

One last good note, I gained about 12 lbs. in fluid after transplant and I have lost all of that and a couple more. Yes, I weigh 5 lbs. less than I did the day I went into surgery. In fact, I wore the jeans I had on when the call came in, to clinic today. I was so excited! I expected to retain far more fluid and to hold it a lot longer. Just another way in which God has been good to me. As stated, I am a perfect example of a miracle of what God and man can do together.

Loving life more every day! Smiling from ear to ear on the inside and out!

Love,