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.