Sunday, January 6, 2008

8 days & counting

One week ago right now I handed off my baby boy for a 6 1/2 hour surgery.

After watching him disappear down the hallway with the OR nurse, there was nothing much for us to do but head for the waiting room... and...well.... wait.

The wait started with 5 of us, and then 2 more added on, and then more and more. We were so glad to have visitors to help pass the time. We didn't spend the whole time stressed or sitting silently or anything. Yes, we were distracted, and sometimes tense, but we laughed and talked and ate too.

Every so often, phone on a shelf on the wall would ring. Greg was always the one to answer. On the other end was Alan's nurse in the OR, letting us know what was happening. The phone would ring, and the waiting room would go silent. Greg would listen, and then turn to us to report: "They just now got all his IV's and lines in and surgery is about to start"
or
"The old liver is out and the new one is going in"
or
"The new liver is in and blood flow is good. Just another hour or two to finish up."

At one point in the middle of the afternoon someone brought out Alan's old liver for us to see. I won't post a pic of that here. :) Unless, of course, you want to see it. ;)

Finally, around 7pm, Alan was brought up to ICU. Once he was all settled in, we were allowed to come in and see him.




And that is where we've been for the past week. Three people are allowed in Alan's room at a time. We take turns. We take shifts.


We've had visitors. We've had meals. We've slept (in all sorts of places, and all sorts of combinations).

Time will drag, and then time will fly. We talk on the phone. We do stuff on the internet (Praise the Lord for laptops!!!).

For all the medical stuff, you can go
here and read the journal for the past week.

Or for the more random 'what we're doing' type info, check back here. Now that I'm all caught up on the story, who knows what I'll find time to write about. ;)

8 comments:

Shannon said...

Thanks for the story. I'm off to check the medical stuff. What an amazing little boy!

Anonymous said...

Call me weird but I want to see liver pictures. You show me your(Alan's) and I'll show you Jen & Jon's. lol

Karen _ Jen & Jon's mom

Anonymous said...

I was so happy to hear that Alan avoided another trip to the OR! I'll be counting down the days along with you :) Do tell how Dale is doing, too.

Blessings,
Keri


Psalms 103:1-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

whoops! how did that get their twice? can you fix that? ;0

Michelle said...

I am so glad the 2nd surgery was avoided! I prayed all the way home last night from Kevin's house (I got to keep his girls so that he and Jolee could celebrate her birthday.) and I got out of the van feeling very positive. And I think that it worked! I will keep it up. xoxo

Kara said...

I am so happy things are going well! You are an amazing family blessed by God...hang in there:)

Amanda said...

So weird. I clicked on Rocks in a Dryer's blogroll, clicked on your blog and something strange inside of me told me to. I've never gone looking on Sharon's blogroll before. Prayers are much needed your way I see. How amazing that God is good and gave your baby boy a new liver. My prayers are with you and your family. It's not easy being stuck at a hospital w/one baby clinging on for life while your other baby isn't with you. We went through this as well, however, I have a cardiac baby. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ellagaribay

I'm adding your entire family in my prayers.

~Amanda