Monday, Sept. 8 updates

Happy "De-Liverance and Re-Liverance" Day to Dan today -- it is 2 weeks today that Dan received his gift of a new liver and an extension of life.

Results of yesterday's back xray were normal, nothing broken or out of place. Dan's dad remembered his recent kidney stone problems and maybe that is causing some/all of the back pain, so we mentioned that to the doctors and they will be doing a kidney ultrasound tomorrow morning to check on that.

Results from the liver biopsy showed several things. One, he had a slight rejection issue which raised the liver counts and the bilirubin which explained the jaundice yesterday. Also there was concern about imflamation or something with his bile ducts, but after further review of the biopsy, doctors decided all is well there. For the rejection, they increased his anti-rejection meds and his steroids, and by this morning the jaundice was gone and the labs looked good. However, his kidney output was down a little and his creatinine was up, most likely from the increased anti-rejection meds and the anti-fungal and anti-viral meds they are still giving him. And his blood sugar went very high, up to 375 this morning, also due to the increased meds.

Today was a crazy day with meds and meals. They brought Dan's breakfast, but he couldn't eat because the doctors made med changes, meds that must be taken 2-hours before or after meals, plus the timing of eating is also based on a blood sugar test then the appropriate dose of insulin is given, then he needs to eat, so he finally got to eat his breakfast at 11am. Then as luck would have it, his lunch arrived at 11:30, but he wasn't hungry then so lunch was held till 1:30, again after all the meds protocol, so the PT and OT had to come back later to get him up and walk around, which he did only 1 lap around the floor today due to the back pain. Dinner came at the usual time and Dan's folks were there to help him while I took a little break. He rested most of the evening while we watched Star Trek Next Gen on Sci-Fi channel. Sure hope tomorrow things can be more "normal" for meals and meds, whatever normal is these days. And now it looks like rehab will be delayed until end of the week, they are waiting for his kidney and liver function to be stable and in sync.

More lessons from everyday things: I'm reading this great book by Francine Rivers called "The Priest". It's another Biblical novel, this time about Aaron and Moses. As I read about the Hebrews praising God one minute and then grumbling the next, how God answered their prayers for freedom in His time, how He provided for their needs one day at a time, how He led them to the promised land the long way through the desert rather than the quick way through the land of their enemies, which the Hebrews didn't understand. I can see how God is doing the same thing for us. He answered our prayers for a new liver for Dan in His time, He is providing for our needs one day at a time, He is leading us to our promised land (Hawaii nei!) the long way through the desert of recovery challenges, rather than the quick way which might have been through the land of our "enemies" of pride and self-sufficiency. And funny how we are actually in the Phoenix desert as well. Our "desert" road leaves us with no self-sufficiency, we only have open hands to receive each day's strength from God, and open arms to praise Him for it. So, it's time to rejoice and remember Dan's "De-liverance and Re-liverance" Day, and to not be dismayed by the long recovery process but expect and receive God's gift of strength for each day.

Now I'm having a 70's flashback..."I've been to the desert on a horse with no name..." Was anyone else an America fan?

Debbie and Dan