Day 43

Mike had a good follow-up appointment with the surgeon today.  She said he is doing well and on the right road. 

His drain tube was taken out (he's so happy about this).  There's a small infection around the drain site, but he's on antibiotics for three days to clear that up.

He has some fluid accumulating through his abdominen, but it is different than the fluid that accumulated near the liver which put him back in the hospital.  The surgeon said this fluid accumulation is normal and part of trying to get everything in his system back in balance.  Mike is going back in for an ultrasound this afternoon and a procedure that will drain the abdominal fluid.  (It's not uncommon for liver surgery patients to need to have 2-3 of these procedures during their recovery).  The ultrasound will also check the flow and pressure in the liver.

Mike has been having some speech issues, but those appear to be clearing up as well.  He has another follow-up appointment scheduled for next Friday, but if he feels well, continues to eat well, and has good physical therapy sessions, he has the liberty to cancel that appointment.

This is very good news after a stressful month, so we are all thankful!  Thank you for keeping him and our family in your thoughts and prayers!

Day 42

Six-weeks post-surgery and finally we have an update on the physical therapy situation.  A physical therapist went to the house yesterday to access Mike's strength. The therapist will be coming to the house 2-3 times a week to help build his strength back up.  Mike's personal goal is to get as much strength back as possible by September 1.  When the physical therapist is not around, Mike has exercises he's supposed to work on 2-3 times per day.

Day 39 Post-Surgery

No updates yet on in-home or out-patient physical therapy.  Mike is still pretty weak, but he's able to eat three meals a day.  Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

Back Home

Mike has been back home since Tuesday afternoon.  He's hanging in there.  We are still waiting to hear how the physical therapy is going to be arranged.  Mike has been good about getting up on his own initiative and walking around the house, sitting up, etc.  Many thanks for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

Hospital Day Eight

Mike will be discharged from the hospital today.  Unfortunately, Anthem did not approve an inpatient physical therapy rehab program.  Someone is trying to arrange an outpatient physical therapist to come to the house, but that hasn't been worked out yet.  Fingers crossed.

Hospital Day Seven

Mike is still in the hospital.  We are waiting to find out if his insurance has approved a 7-14 day in-patient rehab program.  If so, he might get transferred today.  If not, he might get discharged home for an out-patient program.  We would all prefer an in-patient program.  Mike is all for it if it will help him get better faster.  It's all still up in the air right now.

Hospital Day Three, Part II

The procedure to unclog the drain tube finally took place this afternoon.  They had to start a new drain site and will eventually remove the old one.  Mike is probably going to experience a real increase in abdominal discomfort once the pain meds wear off.

The surgeon came by today and told him that she would like to keep him in the hospital until she can find the right in-patient rehab for him: one where he will be challenged but not in over his head. 

As always, the prayers and thoughts are very much appreciated!  Thank you all!

Hospital Day Three

The procedure to unclog (possibly replace) the drain tube was delayed to this morning.  It is supposed to start at 8:00 a.m.  We'll post when we know how it went.  Also, it is looking more and more like Mike will be going to a rehab center when he is released from the hospital.

Hospital Day Two

The CT scan results are in and have provided some answers.  When Mike left the hospital at the end of June, he went home with a drain tube to remove fluid from around his liver.  The drain tube has become clogged internally, causing an accumulation of fluid in the abdominen.  This accumulation was pressing on his stomach, making it uncomfortable to eat, which has in turn contributed to the drop in his nutrition and energy levels.

This afternoon the doctors will perform a procedure to try to unclog the drain.  The blood tests and liver function look good and part of his liver is starting to regenerate, so that is great news.  Mike will be in the hospital for a few days.  They haven't given an estimate on when he will be released because they want to get his nutrition and strength up before sending him home.  They are really watching his nutrition and calorie intake right now.  There is also talk of him undergoing physical therapy once he has been released, but whether it is at home or at a rehab center is still TBA.

The surgeon said Mike is on the right track, as hard as it is for him to believe right now.  She said it could take 8-10 more weeks before he actually starts to feel good again, given how much his body has been through. 

Thank you for the continued prayers and support!  We will keep you updated on his progress!

Back in the Hospital, Part II / Day Twenty-Six

Mike is in room 3717 at IU hospital.  Tonight they are going to do a few x-rays and tomorrow morning a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis.  They are also going to draw more blood and run tests.  His blood pressure has come back up and his temperature is normal at the moment.  He is very weak and is experiencing an increase in abdominal discomfort.  We don't know yet if this is just a bug, if he is dehydrated and his fluids are out of balance, or if it has to do with the liver.  We are glad he is back in the hospital where they can monitor his condition constantly - it brings a certain peace of mind, even for Mike, although we would obviously prefer he was at home and feeling better.  Please continue to pray for him and for Karen, who has endured so much and has been so patient and caring and strong during this time.

Back in the Hospital

Mike is being readmitted to the hospital.  He woke up this morning very lethargic and with a fever.  We don't know what is going on yet but will post as soon as we do. 

Day Twenty-Five

Mike is hanging in there.  His blood pressure has been low and he is back on IVs, but the surgeon and nurse practitioner still insist he is doing alright for the surgery he underwent.  As far as comparing him to other patients who have undergone similar surgery to get a gage on how he is doing - it's impossible.  His case has been so unique from the start that the surgeon says he is not following any of the normal protocols, even in recovery.  So, instead of saying he's doing well or poorly, they just say he is doing alright, all things considered.

Mike has another appointment on Friday and he is hoping to be off the IV for good by then.  Thank you so much for keeping him in your prayers - he needs them and appreciates them!

Day Twenty

Mike is off the IV as of today, pending results of a blood test that should be available Monday.  He is able to eat three small meals a day, which is an improvement.  He is experiencing more pain in his abdomen now that his pain medication has been cut back.  He is still very weak, but his doctors believe he is doing alright for being nearly three weeks post-surgery.  His next post-op has been scheduled for one week from Friday.

Please continue to pray for him during this difficult recovery.  The prayers definitely helped while he was in the hospital, and he needs them to carry through this next stage, which is both mentally and physically challenging.  Thanks so much for your continued support!

P.S.  His home computer went on the fritz following a lightning storm a few weeks back, so he hasn't been able to read or respond to any e-mails (neither has Karen for that matter).  We share blog comments with him, but if you have e-mailed him or Karen and haven't received a reply, that's why. 

Day Eighteen

Happy Birthday, Mike!  Today we celebrated his birthday and he said he was thrilled to be able to celebrate another year.  Mike's appetite has been improving slowly as his sodium levels go back up.  He seems to have more energy today and is walking with a lot more spring in his step.  The surgeon said he probably felt so bad last week because his sodium was so low, but now that it is getting back to normal, he's feeling better.  He's still getting an IV transfusion every afternoon.  He has another post-op scheduled for later this week.

Day Sixteen, Part II

One very important detail was omitted from the earlier post (sorry!) - yesterday the surgeon said that the pathology reports on the tumor show that the margin was good and they are confident that they removed all of the cancer from his liver!  Please pray that this is true and that Mike remains cancer free for the rest of his life. 

The surgeon called Karen today to discuss the results of Mike's latest blood tests.  It's good news!  His sodium levels are almost normal!  His protein levels are normal, which is good because protein will help the liver heal.  His platelet count is up to 91,000 from 36,000 immediately after the surgery - platelets help clotting.  He's not anemic, either, so his iron levels are looking good.  This is a major improvement from his pre-surgery levels, which were practically non-existent.  In sum, the surgeon thinks everything is going to start turning around after today. :)  Mike is doing better today - you can tell he doesn't feel good, but he's doing a lot better than he was the last few days.

Dr. Maluccio, the surgeon, is going to call back tomorrow to check in.  She is a rockstar.  She has been so hands-on and personally involved in the case.  We are very grateful for her guidance, follow up, and attention.  For being one of the foremost liver surgeons in the state, her personal involvement has been so impressive.  She's been able to put a lot of our fears at rest - definitely a God-send during such a trying time.

Day Sixteen

The surgeon said Mike is doing alright for being 2 weeks out from such a major surgery.  She even took all his stitches out yesterday herself - 54 or 56 in all.  She took more blood and is going to keep monitoring his levels.  He has lost 12 pounds since Sunday.  He still sleeps a lot and doesn't eat much, but Karen is trying to make sure he gets 4 Ensures a day and proteins like scrambled eggs and shakes.  He has no appetite and says everything tastes bad - the surgeon said this is also normal and it might be 3-4 weeks post-surgery before he actually develops an appetite and his taste buds get back to normal.

His birthday is coming up and the family is having a little luncheon on Monday in his honor.  We'll try to post pictures so you can see for yourself how he is doing.  He doesn't look anything like he does in the pictures in the sidebar. 

Thank you for keeping him in your prayers! 

Day Fourteen

It's now been two weeks since the surgery.   Please keep Mike in your prayers.  He's not eating well and doesn't have much energy.  Mike was put on a sodium IV transfusion at home last night, and is going to start another one this afternoon.  He'll probably be on a 5-hour sodium IV transfusion each day for the next 8 days.  Low sodium is concerning because it can cause dehydration and also affects the heart and other organs.

Tomorrow he meets with the surgeon to find out what the long term recovery plan is going to be.