We enjoyed all being together for Easter. Worship at Dan's parents' church (First Southern Baptist Church, Scottsdale) and then Dan's sister Debbie and the kids came over for a big dinner. Swen was very happy in the church nursery.
Dan continues to battle all the same side effects, which can change during the day or night. Dan's days consist of medication, leg wound care twice a day (or sometimes more), and sitting with his legs elevated. It's nice to visit him along with Amy and Swen. He enjoys the cards and letters from home, and REALLY enjoyed the Zippys portuguese bean soup and Hawaiian soda crackers gift from Janice.
Dan had labs on Wednesday and then we saw the doctor. Labs are pretty much the same, ammonia level was 185 (normal is 10-40). The doctor increased the amount of water pills again for the swelling, along with a new prescription of magnesium for the muscle cramps. The doctors at Mayo are so compassionate, particularly Kelly, the doctor Dan sees regularly. She told us the liver transplant team meets every week to discuss patients and they review Dan's condition each week. The one change in labs is his red blood cell count is very low again, so Dan will get another transfusion on Monday. This will protect his heart mostly. Due to that antibody condition he has, the count won't stay high very long. We think of the antibodies eating the red blood cells and it reminds us of Pacman eating the energy packs.
I am relaxing a lot. Just hanging around the house with family and playing with Swen, very relaxing!
Debbie
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Another week
Dan once again visited doctors and the dentist this week. More labs were taken and praise God, the new infection in his leg is gone. Seems the new treatments using silver have helped draw out the infection. His MELD is the same, his bilirubin and ammonia are high again so the doctor increased the dosage on his 3 different meds. Dan also visited his parents' dentist for a toothache, thankfully it was just a cavity and he got it filled. Turns out this dentist enjoys periodic vacations on Molokai.
Another complication or side effect from the high ammonia: Dan is having difficulty walking, often bumping into things or tripping over rugs, often forgetting where he is, like this week he needed help finding his way from the exam room to the waiting room. We hate his health getting worse, yet we know it must progress like this for him to get to the top of the waiting list, which the doctor confirmed he's just about there. Mayo has been getting more livers and the doctor told Dan she thinks Dan is close to getting one.
We are anxiously awaiting God's provision, sometimes feeling well, often times, like now, pretty depressed, but always knowing God is in control.
As Easter approaches, we pray you will understand just how much God loves you:
"I asked Jesus how much He loved me He answered "this much" Then He stretched out His arms and died for me."
Deb & Dan
PS: More photos of Swen here (or go to www.picasaweb.google.com/dananddebvanalstine)
Another complication or side effect from the high ammonia: Dan is having difficulty walking, often bumping into things or tripping over rugs, often forgetting where he is, like this week he needed help finding his way from the exam room to the waiting room. We hate his health getting worse, yet we know it must progress like this for him to get to the top of the waiting list, which the doctor confirmed he's just about there. Mayo has been getting more livers and the doctor told Dan she thinks Dan is close to getting one.
We are anxiously awaiting God's provision, sometimes feeling well, often times, like now, pretty depressed, but always knowing God is in control.
As Easter approaches, we pray you will understand just how much God loves you:
"I asked Jesus how much He loved me He answered "this much" Then He stretched out His arms and died for me."
Deb & Dan
PS: More photos of Swen here (or go to www.picasaweb.google.com/dananddebvanalstine)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Updates
A few updates from recent trips to the doctor:
* The sore on Dan's face is not cancerous, not even pre-cancerous, and the doctor decided it did not even need to be removed. A big praise for this!
* The dietician did not make any real changes to Dan's diet. However, he is watching his diet closely, along with all those meds he has to take.
* The wound care nurse changed the treatments for the ulcers and infection in his legs, this time using bandages and medicine with silver, this should draw out that infection. Dan has been talking with Lindsay, his transplant coordinator at Mayo, hopefully they won't put him on Status 7 during this infection (Status 7 is off the transplant waiting list, he's been in that status before).
We praise God for our friend Wanda Soares in Hawaii who received her liver transplant after many years of waiting.
Debbie
* The sore on Dan's face is not cancerous, not even pre-cancerous, and the doctor decided it did not even need to be removed. A big praise for this!
* The dietician did not make any real changes to Dan's diet. However, he is watching his diet closely, along with all those meds he has to take.
* The wound care nurse changed the treatments for the ulcers and infection in his legs, this time using bandages and medicine with silver, this should draw out that infection. Dan has been talking with Lindsay, his transplant coordinator at Mayo, hopefully they won't put him on Status 7 during this infection (Status 7 is off the transplant waiting list, he's been in that status before).
We praise God for our friend Wanda Soares in Hawaii who received her liver transplant after many years of waiting.
Debbie
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