Home Again

Dad was released from Cleveland today. The doctors changed one of the drugs and took a couple others away. Mom says he is looking and feeling well. I just spoke with them and they are only about 15 minutes away from home. It is a beautiful snowy day here. The snow is sticking to the grass but not the streets so far. It will be a busy week ahead for us with visits from both Sarah's boyfriend and Nathan's girlfriend and our annual New Year's Eve party.

Christmas at Cleveland Clinic

Well, unfortunately Dad had another bout with his kidneys and ended up in Cleveland on Christmas Eve. We were hoping that he would be able to come home after receiving some IV fluids in the ER and go up there after the holiday but the doctor didn't want to take any chances. He was transported and Mom drove up this morning. We know that the anti-rejection meds are hard on the kidneys but he is also still experiencing nausea on an almost daily basis. We hope that the doctor can figure out just exactly what is continuing to cause this problem.

The kids have all taken turns talking with him today and telling him about their Christmas gifts. He seems to be in pretty good spirits despite having to be in the hospital over Christmas.

Sunday

Just a quick update to let you all know that Dad and Mom made it home safely from Tennessee. Tomorrow will be another round of the usual blood work and then doctor appointments for both Mom and Dad.

Out and About

Dad was released from Vanderbilt yesterday. He is feeling much better and sounds good. They are planning on staying in Nashville for a couple more days and then heading back to Findlay, probably on Sunday. In the meantime they will just play with the granddaughters and their cousins - it is a rough job but someone has to do it ;)

A Trip to Vandy

Unfortunately Dad hasn't felt too well the last couple of days and his blood work came back with an elevated number for kidney function. So he is visiting Vanderbilt Medical Center. It appears to be a medicine issue again and he needs to be rehydrated. He went in last night (due to the fact that Vandy is also a transplant center they knew just how to deal with him) and was told he may be out by later today. Any further treatment should be able to be done outpatient. Mom was still thinking that they would head home this weekend.

Christmas in Ohio and a trip to Tennessee

We had a great time with Bill, Amanda and the girls visiting. Dad spent a lot of time at our house this week sitting in front of the fire. He travelled with Jared, Isaac and me to Marion for the boys games on Friday evening. Isaac's team played the first game (and won!) and Jared's team played the last game of the night (and won!). We sat through four games in all. It was a long night!

We had Christmas with Bill and his family on Sunday. The family photo is all of us except Nathan, who isn't home yet. His finals are this week.

Dad decided that he and Mom would drive all the presents down rather than have Bill have to ship them or try to squeeze them in luggage for the plane trip. Then Bill decided to go in the car with them. So early Monday morning the three of them hit the road for Tennessee. We got to enjoy having Amanda and the girls for most of the day and then took them to the airport. All arrived safely in Tennessee. Dad and Mom plan on driving back to Ohio on Saturday.

Here are a couple of pictures from Sunday. Mom and Dad enjoying watching the girls open presents and Ellery Grace "helping" Poppy open his present.

A Quick Update

Wow, I can't believe it's been 9 days since I'e updated! I guess that is a good thing. It means Dad is doing well and keeps on improving. This past week has been a busy one. First of all Dad got the okay to drive again and has been transporting himself to rehab. and occasionally grandkids to activities in town. The rehab. nurses keep increasing the resistance on his exercises so he is getting stronger too. My brother, who is in town this week visiting, went with him today and said he does very well. Sarah arrived home from her semester in London on Tuesday. Bill, Amanda and the girls flew up on Wednesday to celebrate an early Christmas with us. I hope to post some pictures soon. Emery Cate climbed up on Poppy's lap today to "share" his french fries. He is still having some problems with his stomach and anxiety but they seen to be improving.

Out and About -It's Basketball Season!

Dad is feeling some better and getting a little tired of sitting around the house so we have gone to some basketball games. Last night we went to watch a young lady from church who is on an 8th grade team. She is an awesome defensive player!

Tonight Dad and Mom joined us to watch Jared's first basketball game of his Senior year. Here are a couple of photos. If you look closely you will see them in the crowd. Dad has on his favorite hat. Oh, and in case you didn't guess Jared is #14 just like Nathan before him - his poppy's favorite number.

Happy Thanksgiving(and Black Friday!)!!

We spent the day at Dad and Mom's for Thanksgiving. It was just the six of us this year. Our two oldest didn't make it home for the holiday. We had a wonderful meal and then the boys helped Grandma put up her tree and outside lights. (She really seemed to appreciate the help, she was pretty sore from a recent fall at the recycling center.) We also watched some football and Isaac's favorite show, Mythbusters.

Today Mom, Jared, Isaac and I hit the stores EARLY! Poppy slept in and joined us for breakfast at Panera. It is tradition that he skips the shopping and buys us breakfast. Yum - thanks Dad! After breakfast he and Mom went to the mall. Dad people watched while Mom did some more shopping.

Each day he seems to get stronger. He is attending heart rehab. three times a week and hasn't been back to Cleveland in almost two weeks. He recently celebrated his two month transplant anniversary.

Visitors from WVA

Mom's sister, Janie, and her husband, Hank, were in the area for business this week and stopped by to say "Hey!" Dad enjoyed seeing them. Hank took Dad to his heart rehab while mom and Janie had some sister time and then they all went out for dinner. A busy day for Dad. Rehab. is going well. The therapists keep adding a little bit at a time and he is getting stronger. The doctors adjusted some of the anti-rejection drugs this week and we are waiting for results from yesterday's blood work to see if it had the desired result.

Here is a picture that Mom snapped and sent me.

A New Normal?

Dad is steadily improving. He went to both worship services on Sunday and even stayed around to chat awhile (he didn't shake any hands and stayed his distance). We have had several from our congregation with health problems and several were back on Sunday. It was good to see them all visiting together.

Monday brought the usual trip to the lab for blood work. He is down to one visit a week now. Eventually it will be once a month. The numbers looked good. Heart Rehab. was also Monday afternoon. That went fine as well. He is eating better and maintaining his weight.

Mom has started teaching the water aerobics classes at Birchaven again. Dare I say - it looks as if we are on our way to a new normal. The holidays are just around the corner and that will bring kids home from college and basketball season. Also, Bill and his family are coming up for a visit in early December.

Thanks again for all the prayers!

Home Again

Well, we are home. Dad is eating fairly well and his lab numbers were looking good so they let him out. He was home in time to watch Ohio State beat Iowa (they will win, right?)

Home on Saturday?

Dad is doing much better. He's eating well and looking healthier. The results from the liver biopsy were fine; there's no indication of any level of organ rejection. His abnormal blood tests were apparently due primarily to dehydration. If his blood levels continue to improve in the morning as they have over the past few days, we are expecting that he'll be released tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's continued prayers. Mom and I are enjoying spending some time with our friend Clarice this evening.

Thursday Update

The Ultrasound of Dad's liver came back A-Ok. Some of his lab results are still running a bit high. His kidney numbers are a bit high but that is mostly due to the fact that he was dehydrated again. His liver numbers were also somewhat high. They did a liver biopsy earlier today but results from that aren't back yet. If it shows some rejection then the docs said they will adjust his meds. They didn't seemed concerned about it so I guess we aren't either.

On the up side, once they took Dad off of the liquid diet he needed to be on for tests, he ate a hamburger for a snack and then ate a fairly good dinner. More than he has eaten in one sitting in awhile. His mood also seemed to improve today. We are hoping to go home soon. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Another Visit to Cleveland

We are back in Cleveland again. Dad's nausea got worse and his coordinator said that some of his labs were running high so they asked us to bring him back up here to get checked out. He still complains of "fuzziness" in his head. We are thinking it is a side effect of one of the medicines but haven't been able to figure out which one. They are running several tests so we probably won't know anything until later tomorrow.

Sunday Update

Dad had his first major outing today. He and Mom went to worship services this morning. They sneaked in late and out early to avoid germs.

Nathan and his girlfriend Becca were up this weekend. They cooked dinner for all of us last night. It was a delicious meal. Dad came over and ate a little but is still having some problems with nausea. He also rode out to the local Boy Scout camp with us Saturday morning.

Heart rehab. begins tomorrow afternoon. During his evaluation they had him walk for 6 minutes on the treadmill. Mom said that he didn't have any difficulty with that at all.

He seems pretty strong but still gets anxious when he knows something new or different is on the schedule.

Home Again

Dad was released today. They got back in Findlay about 3:30 PM which made him happy - still time left to vote!

He is scheduled to start heart rehab. this week and will have a check-up with a cardiologist later this month.

Still hanging out in Cleveland

So far the doctors have found nothing wrong with Dad. His fever went away Sunday and hasn't returned. They have run all sorts of tests looking for infection but haven't found anything. His anti-rejection med levels are good. Yesterday the doctor said they were waiting for a couple more labs to come back before they sent him home. So it is just a waiting game at this point.

Mom has been driving about 40 miles to stay with our good friend Clarice. They enjoy each others company and it makes the evenings more pleasant for Mom than hanging out in the Guesthouse on her own.

We are hoping that Dad will be out in the next day or so. Our oldest son, Nathan will be coming home this weekend to see his Poppy (and us too , of course).

Back to Cleveland

Dad has been doing pretty well but is running a low grade fever. Since it has been several days now the doctor wants him back in Cleveland to check him out. Mom called this morning and they are headed back to the Clinic. His appetite is improving and he was to start heart rehab. on Monday.

We keep reminding ourselves that the liver transplant team warned us that the first 6 months or so involves alot of adjusting to meds and trips to Cleveland just to be certain that everything is okay. They always want to play it safe. They told us not to get discouraged.

We probably won't know much until the doctors round on Monday morning but if I do get more info. I will post it.

Headed Home

Dad was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. The car keys arrived this morning so they are heading back home this morning.

Thanks once again for your prayers - a special thanks to their neighbors who are thoughtful and look after the place when they are gone!

Tuesday Update

Dad is supposed to be released from the hospital today. His kidney function has continued to improve and the doctors are still trying new combinations/doses of the meds to make things the best with the least amount of side effects. He will be doing some heart rehab. when he returns to Findlay. We hope that will help him regain some strength.

Bill and Amanda got home safely last night but discovered on the way that Mom's car keys had somehow (Emery Cate?) made their way into Amanda's purse. So. . . . Dad and Mom will be staying in Cleveland one more night while the keys make their way back to Ohio via FedEx.

Never a dull moment with this family!!

Sunday Update

Dad's kidney function continued to improve. The doctors continue to adjust the doses of his medicines to find a good balance. He is hoping to get home sometime this week but no one has mentioned a day yet.

Bill, Amanda, Ellery Grace and Emery Cate started on their way home today. They stopped in Cincinnati for the night. We were all so glad that they came to visit! Here are a few pictures. I'll probably post more later. Mike and the boys came to Cleveland today as well.

A Pretty Good Day

Dad had a pretty good day. His kidney function improved somewhat. His mood has improved as well. Not much else to report. The doctors haven't said when they will release him but they don't seem to be in any hurry this time.

Here are a few not-so-good pictures. Mom took some with her camera that I can post when I have more time and better internet. This is Dad waiting for his "ride" to Cleveland. Middle is Emery Cate saying "cheese" and then the other is Ellery Grace taking a picture of herself and Grandma.

Surprise Visitors from Tennessee

Bill, Amanda, and the girls came up to surprise Dad and Mom. They arrived right before supper time. Dad was so happy to see them!

The doctors are pumping him full of fluid and tweaking meds again. This is what we were told could happen often during the first few months after transplant. Not much has changed since the last post.

I will try to post some pictures tomorrow of the girls and Poppy - if I can get them to stay still for long enough to snap a picture!!

Back to Cleveland

As I type this Dad should be arriving back at Cleveland Clinic. He was sent to the ER again today due to a questionable blood test result. The result dealt with kidney function. The local hospital didn't feel equipped to handle a newly transplanted patient so he was sent to Cleveland. I guess this is one of those many trips to Cleveland they warned us about. Mom and I will be traveling up to CCF in the morning. I will update more tomorrow as we find out what is happening.

Almost a week and only one visit to the ER

The liver "people" at Cleveland Clinic had told us that the first six months post-transplant would be a rollercoaster ride - up days, down days and up days again. They said pretty soon the good days would out-weigh the bad and things would even out.

I think Dad is doing remarkably well considering that he had two major surgeries and he turned 70 last week. He has been home for almost a week now. He is a little stronger - somedays. Mostly he has struggled with being able to sleep and then when he can't that makes him anxious and then he can't sleep and then. . . well you get the idea. He is also uncomfortable sometimes. He says the discomfort is mostly in his chest and shoulder area. He also says he is a little "fuzzy" mentally but at least he realizes it.

He was feeling more out-of-sorts yesterday and thinking maybe he was getting dehydrated again. After a call to CCF, they were told to go to the ER to be evaluated. It ended up being about a 9 hour "visit" with several tests being ran. Everything came back good except a slightly elevated kidney number which would signal some dehydration. He was given some IV fluids and sent home.

He has been out and about some. Last Saturday he rode with me out to Camp Berry, our local Boy Scout camp, to pick up Isaac. Mom takes him along to run quick errands. Today he got his hairs cut (as he would say) and stopped over at our house to watch my husband put the finishing touches on his Ham radio antenna tower.

I probably won't be updating as often as I did when he was in the hospital. I will try to make an update at least once a week and I will update when anything significant happens. Again, thanks to all of you for your prayers, flowers, cards, and calls. We all feel very loved by you. It is wonderful to have such wonderful friends and family.

God has truly blessed us!!!

Home Sweet Home

We finally made it to Findlay! It took most of the day to get everything lined up: staples removed, IV removed, discharge papers, follow-up appointments made, etc. but it all came together so that we could leave Cleveland at RUSH HOUR - Yeah - not! It was a bit slow going at first but once we got on the turnpike, not bad. We stopped at Panera for some soup and so that Dad could walk around a bit. We arrived at their house just in time for Dad to watch O'Reilly. When I left he was in his favorite chair with his blanket and the TV on.

We are praying that we don't have to go to Cleveland again until the follow-up appointment on the 27th. Thanks again for all the prayers!

Birthday Guy - the Big 70!!

Today is Dad's 70th Birthday! He called early this morning to tell me that they were probably going to let him out of the hospital today. However, as things usually go, the doctors decided to run a couple of more tests and give him a unit of blood just to boost his hemoglobin (which is a bit low) before letting him go home. Also, as is usual, things in a hospital run on their own time schedule. He will most likely be discharged sometime tomorrow. I can't be upset with the doctors though they are very thorough and that makes us all feel better.

I am including some pictures. They were taken from Mom's cellphone and aren't too clear. She also took some with her camera and I may add those later. As you probably will notice Dad has lost some weight and needs a haircut! For those of you not in the Findlay area, I am also including the front page of the Courier's Celebrations insert. The photo on the left is his Senior picture - 1958 Bucyrus High School.

A Slight Set Back

Dad was feeling weak and wasn't sure why. The transplant coordinator suggested that he go across the street to the ER to get checked out. It was determined that he is dehydrated so the docs decided to readmit him for a couple of days to pump him full of fluids. He has already started to feel some better after receiving an IV. So it looks like he won't be coming home on his birthday as planned.

A Rainy Day in Cleveland

Today was really yucky outside here so we hung out in the Guesthouse. This morning we went over for lab work which came back fine. Last night Dad was up and down but from the research I've done about major surgeries (especially heart) that isn't uncommon. Sleep patterns are messed up for awhile.

We just moved from area to area in the Guesthouse to get some walking in. We ordered pizza for supper and ate that in the lobby.

I'm heading back to Findlay tomorrow so I can teach my bible class on Sunday and then I'll come back up to Cleveland on Tuesday for Dad's appointment with the liver surgeon and hopefully drive them home on Wednesday - Dad's 70th birthday.

A New Address

Well we finally sprung him! The docs released Dad to the Guesthouse today. He is currently snoozing in a recliner. He will be in Cleveland at least until Tuesday. The doctors are watching his blood tests results and tweaking his meds so they requested he stay close by until his follow-up appointment with his liver surgeon on Tuesday afternoon.

It has only been two weeks since surgery - so hard to believe that he is out of the hospital! Now he needs to work on getting his

strength back. He will have to go for blood work Fri., Sat, Mon, and Tues. That will involve some walking which should help him get stronger.

We believe God continues to place people in our path to help us. We met a gentleman last night who is 9 months post transplant and he explained the difficulties he had adjusting to the meds. It was a comfort to hear that what Dad is experiencing is pretty normal. He is on prednisone for about another week. We blame it for his grumpiness. He still isn't joking around so that tells you about his mood.

This is the Guesthouse. It is directly across the street from the Main Hospital Entrance. The second floor is dedicated to transplant patients and their families. We have met several other families here and enjoy talking with them.

It's an improvement

Just got a text from Mom. She said Dad did a circle of the whole floor. It is more than he has walked since surgery. He had to stop at a couple of the lounge areas to rest but it is progress. He seems to be in a better mood and is drinking more too. All things the doctor told him he should do.

I pray that he will get a restful nights sleep and wake up even more energetic in the morning.

Thanks for the prayers!

Please Pray

Please Pray for Dad. He has had a couple of bad days. We aren't really sure what is going on. The docs keep ruling out physical causes. He is having some anxiety issues. We are at a loss as to what to do other than pray. He finally got up and walked again today. He hadn't walked for two days except to the bathroom. This is so unlike him.

Thanks again for all the love and support during this stressful time for us.

Monday morning

Today was supposed to be the day Dad would be released from the hospital. We are waiting to hear more from the doctors. There are several groups of surgeons and residents that round. The respiratory therapist said his lungs sound clear. He is up and walking. One of the doctors that stopped in this morning said Dad had a bout of rapid heart rate last night. (Dad said he didn't notice it.) So we are now waiting for the cardiologist to make his rounds to determine if they are still good with Dad being released. If he is released they will stay in Cleveland at the Guesthouse for a couple of days before heading back to Findlay.

A Visit from the Grandsons

Today Dad did well. Not much difficulty with the breathing and he walked much more and with less effort (he lifted up his walker and carried it as he went along).

The guys came to Cleveland to get me and the boys got to see Poppy for the first time since surgery. They thought he was looking good. We gave them a tour of the clinic and got some pizza.

He is getting stronger everyday. He talked with our daughter, Sarah, on Skype for a few minutes. She is in London this semester and was glad to be able to see her Poppy as well. The internet is a wonderful thing in times like these!

Thanks to all those who helped with the boys while I was in Cleveland. I will be updating from here for the next few days until Dad and Mom come home - probably by the middle of next week. Dad's immune system was basically destroyed by meds when he had the surgery to reduce the risk of rejection of the new liver. Because of this he will not be out and about for a while and visits will be very limited. He can't afford to be exposed to germs or get sick.

Here is a picture of the boys at the Rooftop Pavilion.

A Day with +'s and -'s

This has been a day of ups and downs. Mom went to the hospital early to help Dad with getting around. When she arrived he was having one of his "breathing spells". The docs have run several tests and still are convinced that is just a lung congestion issue. He will feel short of breath and start breathing shallow. Once he gets calmed down and can cough he feels better. This morning his blood pressure went low and he felt weak so they adjusted some meds and that seems to have improved.

On the plus side, he has made several trips down the hallway and the physical therapist said that he had improved since she saw him last two days ago.

The respiratory therapist has been giving him breathing treatments today and that is helping the congestion.

All in all each day sees some improvement and the current plan is to release him on Monday. However, they will stay here in Cleveland for a few days just to be sure that the bloodwork is ok and all the meds seem to be at the right dosage.

Amazing stuff: a younger man who had a double lung transplant the same day as Dad's surgery was released today.

Some Pictures

This first picture is of the sunset from one of the patient lounges on Dad's floor - it is looking down Carnegie Street toward the Cleveland Indians stadium. The middle one is taken from the Rooftop Pavilion on the top floor of the Miller Heart Building. It is looking at downtown Cleveland. The one on the right is taken from the same location just looking out at the lake. The Rooftop Pavilion is all glass on one side and is very relaxing. The Clinic hosts tea there several days a week, they also have chair massages and cooking classes. Patients, if they are able, can go pretty much anywhere in the hospital. You see them in the cafeteria, out in the front sitting on benches in the sun, and at the Rooftop Pavilion you can take them for breakfast or lunch. It is really a neat concept - get them out and about if they are up to it - walking with IV poles or in wheelchairs. It gives them a sense of some freedom and seems to improve their mindset.

A Better Day

As I type we are sitting in the lounge at the end of the hallway. Dad is sitting here in the sun. He walked all the way from his room. All the tubes, IVs etc. are removed. He had a little trouble with his lungs but the respiratory therapist put him on breathing treatments and that seems to be taking care of it. The "head liver dude" (as we call him) walked in and said your liver is great - let's work on getting you out of here.

Thanks again for all the prayers - he is steadily improving and we should be heading back home in a short while. We will keep you posted!

P.S. He still won't let me take a picture of him but he got up this afternoon and shaved and washed up. He is lookin' good :)

A Rough Night

Dad was moved to the transplant regular floor last night about 6:30 PM. After he had his supper he had some heaviness in his chest. The resident ran some tests and they think that it is just some fluid around the lungs. He said that the nurses ran blood and vitals every two hours through the night so he didn't get too much sleep. They took him downstairs for a CAT scan at 3:00 AM.

When we got to the hospital this morning he was very uncomfortable. The physical therapist had already had him up to walk. He is very weak. He made it from his bed to the hall way and back. He was exhausted. He tries to tough it out and wait longer for the pain meds. We are going to try to convince him to take them a little sooner so he doesn't get so uncomfortable.

On a lighter side: Here are a couple of pictures looking out from the lobby of the main hospital. One a daytime shot from yesterday. It was so windy here that the fountain had waves on it. The other is the same view last night as we caught the shuttle back to the guest house.

Address

For those who have been wanting to send cards the address is:


Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Ave./G101-11
Cleveland, OH 44195

Movin' On Up

We were just told by Dad's nurse that he will be moving up to the transplant unit after they come back from lunch. Several of IV lines have been removed as well. Fewer and fewer tubes and lines coming from his bed.

He shaved himself this morning and combed his own hair. He looks fairly presentable now -but not good enough for him to let me take his picture.

I've heard a few small wise cracks from him but still not too much joking going on. He sat up in the chair for well over two hours this morning and stood for awhile while they were getting him back to bed. He says he is feeling stronger. The doctor took the pain pump away and put him on pain pills. She said that they last longer. He was pretty uncomfortable this morning but the pills kick in fairly quickly.

Monday Evening Update

Just a quick update before we head to bed. Bill flew back to Nashville today - I bet his girls were happy to see their Daddy. We were glad that he and Amanda could be here with us.

My husband hasn't been able to come back up because he has a cold and we can't risk taking any germs into Dad since the anti-rejection drugs make his immune system very weak.

The doctors removed three of the tubes today. They decided to keep Dad in ICU one more night just to be sure he didn't experience any complications from the removal of the tubes.
He should be able to move more freely now. He sat up in a chair for about 45 minutes today. The nurse said he did 100% better than yesterday. The plan is to move him to the transplant unit early tomorrow.

Good Night!

Real Food

This is the view from the Family Lounge. We can see the Lifeflight landing pad from the window. They come and go quite often.


When we arrived at the hospital this morning Dad had just finished his breakfast. He was happy. They had given him "real" food - not liquids. He had pancakes, eggs, bacon and a banana.

He is trying not to push his pain med button as often. The cardiac and liver doctors are discussing when to remove the rest of the tubes. Once some of those are gone Dad will be moved to the transplant unit. This is similar to a regular floor but is just for patients waiting for, or who have had transplants.

Sunday Afternoon Thanks and Update

First I want to thank everyone for the encouraging calls, comments on this blog and Facebook and especially for the prayers! We have seen God's hand in this in many ways. (Maybe someday I'll do a post just on that.)

Dad is steadily improving but this will be a long haul from what we have been told. The nurses had him sitting up in a chair for awhile this afternoon and said he did great. He continues to be in some pain but then again who wouldn't be after having two major surgeries. They gave him his own pain button that he can push whenever he feels he needs more medicine. He was happy to get broth and a soda for lunch. About 3:30 he was wondering what he would get for dinner :)

I asked him about his mental state and he said he is still a bit fuzzy. He isn't joking around so you know he isn't comfortable. We have some funny stories to tell him about our time outside the ICU but we will wait until he can truly appreciate them.

I know a lot of you are wondering how Mom is holding up. She is doing well. It has been a rough few days for her but she can feel the support from friends and family. She rested better last night than she had for the previous few. She gets to Skype with Bill's girls in TN and that is fun for her. We even managed to connect once with my daughter, Sarah, who is in London, UK. The internet is wonderful! If you call and don't get her please leave a message. We have to turn off the phones when we are in ICU.

Thanks again for all the love and prayers - we certainly feel it!

Sunday Morning Update

The NG tube is out and they are letting Dad have clear liquids. However, Dad said he didn't sleep much last night so he is very sleepy today. We are headed to the nearest Wal-mart to get Mom's meds refilled.

We haven't seen any doctors today but the nurse said if he continues to improve that he may get to move to the regular transplant floor tomorrow.

Saturday Evening Update

They have moved Dad to the Surgical ICU. This is where the transplant patients usually go after surgery. (Dad had been in cardiac ICU due to the valve replacement.) He is awake and trying to watch the Ohio State game. He is doubtful that the Indians will play tonight since it has been raining most of the day here. He is having some pain but they are keeping him comfortable. He is hoping for at least some liquids tomorrow.

Amanda got home safely. Bill plans to go home Monday.

More later.

Some random photos

These aren't the best because we took them with cell phones but thought you might like to see a little bit of where we are. This is the clinic at night. The tree is in the lobby of the main hospital. It is projected on the wall. It sways like the wind is blowing and changes seasons if you stay there long enough. We changed hotels yesterday. We had to check out of one and then wait to check into the transplant floor in the guesthouse. So. . . we all had a little snooze in the lobby. Mom took this of Amanda. The other picture is of our family bonding time in the laundry room. Fun Times!!

Saturday Morning Update

A couple of new things this morning - Dad smiled. Amanda went back and when he saw her he smiled. Then she started showing him pictures of Ellery Grace and Emery Cate and he really smiled. He is more alert but still sleeping most of the time. The nurse said they would like to remove a chest tube and the ventilator today if he wakes up enough.

We will be going to the airport soon. Amanda flies back this morning.

The liver transplant doctor was just here. He said the kidney function has improved and everything is looking good.

Thanks for all of your prayers!!

Evening Update

Dad is finally waking up some. He is still somewhat agitated. However his blood gases have improved throughout the day and the respiratory therapist has continued to reduce the force and percentage of oxygen he is receiving. We are hopeful that by morning the ventilator will be out.

He responded to questions we asked by shaking his head. He says he isn't in any pain.

We have found ways to keep occupied - doing laundry, visiting Dad, eating, surfing the net, visiting with other transplant families, and even squeezing in a nap or two. It is hard to believe we have only been here 3 days!

Amanda is supposed to fly home tomorrow. We have been Skyping with their two girls. Amanda's mom is taking care of them so she can be here with us. Thanks Nina!!

Morning Update

We just went back to see Dad. He is still on the ventilator and he obviously isn't happy about that. He is very agitated. The doctors are keeping him sedated so that he will stay still. They are going to switch some meds to see if they can get him calmer. The liver surgeon is pleased with his progress.

His is not awake but is understanding enough that he will respond to commands to squeeze a finger or wiggle his toes.

A specific prayer request would be that the new meds work to calm him, his kidney function would improve and that his blood gases improve enough to get him off of the ventilator.

More later.

Still Asleep

We got to see Dad this morning a little after 9:00. They had just finished an ultrasound. He is doing well. His color is good and he looks comfortable (except for all of the tubes). The liver surgeon that did the transplant was there when Mom and Bill went in. He said that the old liver was VERY bad. He said that they were going to keep Dad asleep for most of today. He is still on the ventilator which is normal after this surgery. He will stay on it until his blood gases let them know it is time to remove it - maybe late today. The normal process is to be in ICU for 3-4 days and then be moved to the transplant floor for 2-3 weeks.

It is a dreary day here in Cleveland. We are just going to be hanging out in the Family Lounge today.

Family bonding at the CCF

Well finally after 14 hours of family bonding in the ICU waiting room we got to see Dad. He looked good considering all that he had been through in those 14 hours. We will not be able to see him again until after 8:30 in the morning. Visiting hours for family are fairly flexible in the ICU. However during nursing shift changes we are not allowed to even request to go back to see him. He will remain somewhat sedated for another day or so until the breathing tube comes out. We will keep updating as we find out more.

WooHoo!!! It's done!

The doctor just spoke with us. Dad's transplant is complete. They just need to finish closing him up. Everything will be done in about an hour. We don't know when we will see him - it could be several hours yet. Thanks for all the prayers and calls. We will keep you updated.

Update

We just learned from the coordinator that the heart surgery was completed at 9:00. They are now working on the transplant.

In Surgery

Dad was taken into surgery at 6:00 am. They will do the heart valve replacement first followed by the liver transplant. The total time will be 12-15 hours. We are supposed to hear from the cardiac team when they are finished. He should be in ICU for 3-4 days after surgery and they will keep him fairly heavily sedated during that time.

Bill arrived last night and Amanda will be flying up today. We got to spend some time with Dad last night and this morning before surgery. He was being his usual goofy self - teasing nurses and even the liver surgeon! He went into surgery with a great attitude and a joke to the anesthesiologist.

We will keep you all updated as we are updated. Thanks so much for the prayers!

The pic is of the plane that took Dad from Findlay to Cleveland.

Update

Dad has arrived at Cleveland. The doctors have decided to wait until morning to start the surgery. They are saying around 6 a.m. We will keep you posted.

It's a GO!!!

Dad just took off from Findlay airport in a little jet. They are flying him up to Cleveland Clinic. The coordinator says it's a go. They will do the heart surgery as soon as they get there and do the liver transplant after that. We have been told that the surgery is around 15 hours. Please pray for us as we travel to be there. Bill is flying up from Nashville tonight. And pray for mom as she waits by herself. And for the surgeons and all the staff working on/with Dad.

A visit from the Sisters

Two of Dad's six sisters, Jane and Janet, came up today for a visit. Here's a pic.

Home again

The doctor has said Dad can go home today. He is just waiting to get the IV out and the doctors orders.

A No-Go

Well, after waiting all day, we finally heard that the liver was good for the first person on the list. So we are back to waiting.

On the bright side the tests Dad had today showed nothing to be concerned about. He is hoping they will let him have some "real" food now instead of just liquids and soft food. We don't know what the plan is a far as getting released yet. The doctors haven't been here on evening rounds yet.

A Call

Mom got a call last night saying that a liver may be available and to bring Dad to Cleveland as a back-up. Since Dad is still at the Clinic for tests he was already there. Mom has been staying with our friend Clarice in the Cleveland area. The coordinator also spoke with Dad.

We won't know until sometime late this morning if this is a "dry run" or if he will be having surgery. We will let you all know as soon as we do. Please pray for our peace as we wait to know, for the doctors evaluating the liver and for the family of the donor. Thanks!

Tests at Cleveland

Dad asked Mom where she wanted to spend her birthday and teased her about going to Cleveland. Well that is exactly where she ended up onher birthday! Dad's hemoglobin is low and they are running tests to see why. So far he has had an ultrasound to check his TIPS and we are waiting on the results of that. The doctors are talking about running a couple of other tests today as well.

So we are waiting still, again. . .

Still Waiting

Not much happening here. Dad is trying to keep busy while he is waiting. Last weekend downtown Findlay hosted Car Tunes. Dad, Mom and our two youngest boys went to check out all the cars. The pictures above are Dad's and Isaac's top choices. Dad has always been a convertible fan but when you live in Ohio it isn't always the most practical type of car.

On a sad note we all lost a good friend and wonderful Christian lady to Alzhiemers this week. Maxine was a great example of hospitality to us all. Please pray for her family as they deal with this lost.

Additional Points Approved

Dad just got a call from Cleveland Clinic letting him know that the additional points were approved. They have been added to his MELD score. The coordinator told him to be packed and ready to go. He could receive a call soon.

Update and What is MELD, Anyway?

Dad heard from Cleveland today, but in order to understand the encouraging news he got I think I should say a few words about MELD (Model for End-stage Liver Disease).

What is a MELD score? Briefly, it is the result of three blood tests that are put into a formula to generate a number - the MELD score. This gives the doctors an idea of just how sick a patient is. For those of you who want a more in-depth description, here is a link to the Cleveland Clinic website: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/transplant/services/liver/MELD.aspx

The MELD score, however, doesn't always take into account other important medical conditions. As in Dad's case, it doesn't consider his heart valve problem. So the transplant doctors look at each individual case. If there are additional circumstances to be considered they can request additional points be added to a patient's MELD score. If I understand the process correctly, this must be approved by a committee of transplant doctors within the region that the transplant hospital operates.

The call that Dad received today from his coordinator was to inform him that the doctor had placed a request to add additional points to his MELD score. If this is approved, his MELD score would be high enough that he would be more likely to receive a call sooner rather than later.

Visit with a Liver Surgeon

Yesterday we once again travelled to Cleveland. We had an appointment with a liver surgeon. Since it was the decision of the experts to perform both the heart valve surgery and the liver transplant at the same time the transplant committee wanted to be sure that we understood the increased risk involved. We met with a liver surgeon that we all like very well. She is encouraging and has a sense of humor - which is needed when Dad is your patient! She "gets" his humor.

As we were preparing to leave the coordinator informed us that Dad had been officially listed on the transplant list. The coordinator gave Dad and Mom a notebook full of information to help them be ready for "the call" and everything that happens after that. The length of the waiting time depends on many factors and no one can tell us how long it will be. We may even get a call and end up being sent back home. Everyone we have spoken with emphasizes that they will not do anything if they don't feel confident that it will be successful.

Thanks for your prayers!

On the List

Dad and Mom just received a call from their transplant coordinator. The committee decided to put Dad on the transplant list. Now we begin the waiting phase. We will be traveling to Cleveland again next week, probably Wednesday, to meet again with a liver surgeon.

We really appreciate all the calls and emails telling us of your prayers!

Home From Cleveland

We met with the heart surgeon today. He agrees it would be best to replace the heart valve and do the liver transplant in the same surgery. 

Dad's coordinator said that his case will be reviewed on Friday. She doesn't see any reason he would not be put on the list. It will take about a week before he will actually be listed. 

The cardiology team and the liver team will meet on the following Wednesday to discuss Dad's case as well. 

Once he is officially on the list the waiting begins. We will try to keep him as active and healthy as we can until he gets the call to go to Cleveland to have his surgery.

See for Yourself

I thought you all might like to see how Dad is doing for yourself. This was taken a

few weeks ago when Bill and Amanda were up for Father's Day. He is being his usual goofy self with the granddaughters.

Appointment with Heart Surgeon

Dad heard from Cleveland today. The heart surgeon needs to see him before he will make a recommendation. Dad is scheduled to go to Cleveland on Wednesday morning. We will probably leave Tuesday evening since his appointment is early Wednesday. We believe this is the final piece to be added so that the transplant evaluation can go before the committee.

Waiting Again. . .

We got back home from Cleveland this evening about 8:30. Everyone who saw Dad seemed to be of the opinion that both surgeries(heart repair and liver) would need to be done at the same time. We are now back to waiting for the transplant committee to meet and make their recommendation. They should discuss Dad's case next Friday if all goes as planned.

We got to meet several transplant patients and their family members while we were there. It is amazing to see what is being done and how quickly some of these patients get to go home and return to a normal life!

Back In Cleveland

We made an unexpected visit back to Cleveland Clinic. Dad was having some breathing problems related to some side effects from his heart cath. His primary care doc sent him up here. We have seen doctors from both the liver and internal medicine staff. We expect to see the cardiology surgeon tomorrow. The plans for the heart surgery may have changed. We will find out when we talk with him. We expect to be heading back to Findlay tomorrow. More updates when we know more.

This is a Test . . . .

Dad is back home from his week-long transplant evaluation. This is the building where he spent most of his week at the Cleveland Clinic. They tested lungs, heart, kidneys, blood . . . .basically everything. We were all impressed with the staff. They are very thorough! We will not know for a couple of weeks if he will be listed on the liver transplant list. However, during the cardiac testing it was discovered one of the heart valves is worse than we previously thought. The recommendation of the doctor is that the valve be repaired before the transplant surgery. He suggested sometime in the next few weeks. We are waiting to hear from the Clinic when that will be. I will post more details as we know them.