I started this post Wednesday night after I had the procedure done to open the stenosis in my veins. I’m going to finish it now and get it up for you, but please note I’m dealing with a computer issue. To get the full effect, you need to see two imaging printouts I have, BUT my scanner decided it doesn’t like my computer. So check back for that! 🙂
It’s the middle of the night on G-101, the Transplant Special Care Unit at the Cleveland Clinic. It’s 2.29am, to be exact, and things aren’t exactly quiet. The buzz of new transplants is in the air. Several new patients are joining the floor, and more are waiting in the post-surgical ICU to come up. The nurses are busy, and thank goodness I’m not needing them too much tonight. Other than pain meds every two hours and anti nausea every six, I’m hanging tight dealing with my never-ending insomnia by getting some work done on my computer. I still have that wide-awake yet very drowsy feeling of post-anesthesia and pain meds. I just ate a bowl of Cheerios and am sipping on some milk, mmm.
Yesterday’s procedure went very well. Dr. Sands went in through my ribs and threaded a stent to where my left renal vein and portal vein connect. The stenosis in the reno-portovenous anatomic stricture was very bad, and the doctors were thankful they caught it in time. The stent is now in place, and…
… apparently that’s where I got distracted, fell asleep, decided to call my nurse for more meds, etc.
So anyways, Thursday’s ultrasound showed the stent was doing well, and we saw increased perfusion to my liver which is exactly the result we wanted. With such a narrowing, my liver wasn’t getting enough blood in/out. So now the stricture is wide open with blood evenly flowing as it should.
I have a “before” and “after” scan from my doctor that shows several cool things, including all of the new blood flow to my liver. When my scanner decides to work, I want to post it for you.
For now, thank you again for all of your prayers! Tomorrow I go back to normal life – driving, events, nannying… everything I love so much. It’s been (almost) six weeks since my splenectomy and other than incisional pain and referred nerve pain in my left shoulder/arm, I’m doing very well. I’m back in sewing class, I’m participating in an event at school tomorrow about our Ireland trip, I have a busy social schedule, and I’m finding time to rest and read and enjoy these slower days before things speed up in the new year. Right now, I feel safe and content. I figure if I’ve been though this much, if God’s carried me through pain this deep, then how much worse could it really ever be? God is my provider, and “an ever present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46.1)
Remember that this week. Oh how He loves us.
Amanda
Amanda's Journey 