Happy re-birthday!

[Guest guest]

- to Ron (and Suzanne!) 12/4/02 (has it really been

that long?)

From the archives of 2002:

From: "Suzanne M"

Date: Sun Dec 8, 2002 12:08 am

Subject: Update, Ron & Suzanne-Transplant

Dear friends,

First of all let me say thank you to all of you who sent us well wishes

last time Ron was in the hospital.......sorry I haven't responded but

it has been SUCH A MONTH! Ron has been very ill but was miraculously

well enough last week & we were able to travel to our youngest

daughters wedding. It was a blessing!!! Three days after we arrived

home the hospital called to say they had a liver for Ron. We went in at

8 this past Tues night Dec. 3rd. They started his surgery at 2:00am

Wed. morn & it did not end until 2:30 pm Wed. afternoon. TWELVE

HOURS OF SURGERY. It took EIGHT HOURS of the surgery to just get his

old liver out. So many adhesions from his by pass & previous

surgeries & his liver was very shrunken seemed to be sucked back

onto the abdominal wall. Four hours was spent putting the new liver in.

The transplant surgeon, Dr. Wood, said if they were all like this he

wouldn't be doing transplants. They were exhausted. We finally saw him

at 4 pm. He is still in transplant ICCU & not doing well at this

point. Thursday night he extubated himself while having a hallucination

of sorts. Then at 10am Fri. his blood pressure crashed he was in a lot

of pain ...they rushed him back to surgery & when they opened him

up masses of blood spilled out. He almost bled out...a number of bleeds

but not due to any of the transplant surgery. Now the new liver is not

totally functioning (they don't know why) & they are having trouble

stabilizing him. His Pro time is still in the 20's range...his

bilirubin has not come down nor some of his enzymes...his blood

pressure not stable, his kidneys hardly putting out any urine. He is

VERY despondent. The surgeon told me today we will be taking it hour by

hour until & unless there is a change for the better soon they will

be relisting him. They are giving him numerous meds, fluids, platelets

& plasma....rejection drugs ...some morphine but they have to watch

that as it affects his blood pressure. There is a line or IV in just

about every possible place... the good news being that he doesn't have

to be stuck. They have been unable to take him off the respirator &

he will be on it for a few more days at least they say. He is just

getting very swollen & edemic as the kidneys are not putting out.

We remain optimistic but things aren't looking so good right now. This

is the first time I have been home....needed a bath & change of

clothes...have been sleeping at hospital.....but NOT TOO WELL. Many

churches & friends are praying for Ron .......PLEASE include him in

yours! The children are all here & they are a blessing to us. They

made me come home.........but I can hardly stand it & will be

returning as soon as the dryer gives forth some clean jeans & I get

my bath & hair washed. I will try to update all of you if I can but

I find it very hard to leave him or the ICCU waiting room. I am very

frightened but have put my faith & hope in GOD & know he will

carry us through this. BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU

Suzanne