Libby has more spring in her step

cody · December 19, 2009, 09:19:06 PM

Several have asked about updates on how libby is doing since her surgery, she is doing much, much better. She had a minor reaction that had her rushed back to the hospital a few days ago, one of the kidney stents became inflamed but medication took care of that. The procedure that she underwent is a new procedure that is being developed for people just like her that have serious problems with plaque buildups in their arteries, it's highly experimental to the degree that the surgical team filmed the procedure and it's being documented for publication, I think they said she is only the 7th to undergo it. In the past patients with buildup to the degree she has were rejected from a lot of medical procedures because of the risk doctors faced with plaque breaking loose and lodging in other parts of the body or the brain, the risk used to be sky high, she was in surgery for about almost 9 hours and came out immediately looking better, she had color in her face that had been gone for 10 years or more, she now has energy to the point that I feel left out lol. The surgical risk is still quite high but like all new things will come down as the process is perfected, since she had it done she has been doing very well and I'm pleased, I had originally been told that she would probably not make it thru the winter and I was preparing myself for that to happen but now they feel that she will do very well and her long term outlook is great at this point, as with anything else they are approaching it with cautious optimism, an infection or other complication can undo their work and the stents they have scattered thuout her body but for now she is doing better than I hoped or expected. She is still dependant on her oxygen and weekly bloodwork and occaisional dialysis but we're hopeful for her recovery.

grantgoold · December 19, 2009, 10:50:53 PM

What a wonderful Christmas gift!!!!

PCC · December 19, 2009, 11:30:41 PM

Fantastic. You have both been on the minds and in the hearts of so many people, and I am thrilled with the good report.

Thank you for sharing. We will continue to pray.

JackConrad · December 20, 2009, 05:00:32 AM

Cody,
Jusy wanted to send big hugs to both of you from Paula & I as well as Tom & Fran. We are all glad to hear the great news. We will continue to keep ya'll in our prayers. Jack

Dreamscape · December 20, 2009, 05:02:50 AM

That put a smile on my face cody, just make sure you obey orders!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Paul

white-eagle · December 20, 2009, 05:27:41 AM

Yayyyyyyy!!!!

like jack said, we are all happy that Libby is doing so much better, Cody. Make sure you tell her we are rooting for her to get going again.
You know, the back end of this place looks a little bare without your Eagle in attendance. But guess someone has to watch our Northern borders and signal Santa so he finds us OK.

by the way, i think you left a door open and some cold draft made it down here to Jack's last nite and for the next few nites. please close that door. 36 deg in our bus in Florida is COLD!

Have a Merry Christmas!

cody · December 20, 2009, 07:47:49 AM

Yikes, 36 degree's? at jack and paulas? wow, I'll check the back door, has anyone set out a blanket for mama kitty? I don't want her to get cold.

JackConrad · December 20, 2009, 08:00:27 AM

Actually, it was in the low 50s, but they are forcasting a couple nights in the low 40s-upper 30s. Momma Kitty is doing fine, the shop is still HER place. Jack

cody · December 20, 2009, 08:10:44 AM

Oh ok, I misread that, it was 36 degrees IN the bus, I can relate to that, libby is often frigid too lmao. Sorry, that was wayyyyyyy to good to pass up lmao.

travelingfools · December 20, 2009, 03:24:23 PM

Cody, great news for the holiday season ! You keep us posted and we'll keep the prayers going !

TomCat · December 20, 2009, 08:26:27 PM

Merry Christmas Cody!

Enjoy your incredible gift!

Jay
87 SaftLiner

cody · December 20, 2009, 08:40:57 PM

This certainly has been an incredible gift. Now if I can keep up with her I'll be lucky, I see her now and worry that she may be doing too much too soon but she seems to feel so much better and looks so much better.

Busted Knuckle · December 21, 2009, 08:09:16 AM

Well don't just sit inside watching her shovel snow, go help!

BK

cody · December 21, 2009, 08:12:50 AM

I'm thinking that this may be a good time to bring up the idea of mounting a snowplow on the front of my chair and having her push me up and down the driveway lol. I thought about mounting a snowblower on the front of my power chair but found out that would void the warrenty on the snowblower.

cody · December 22, 2009, 06:23:26 AM

Yesterday I took libby to her doctor for a checkup, he is pleased with her rate of recovery and the blood work is showing consistancy with her creatine levels at around 1.8 and thats well within the confort zone for her. He said there will be no dialysis for her this week but she will continue her blood tests. There have now been 11 people that have had the procedure, one didn't make it but that was the result of a cardiac arrest and not the procedure, that makes 11 people that have been removed from the transplant list. When you think of all the thousands that are on the list waiting for a donar, this is a miracle that boggles the mind, each one that undergoes the transplant will have a lifetime of worrying about rejection and the drugs that go along with those worries as well as the multitude that wait for a donar and one doesn't come in time for them, now that I've walked that road, my heart goes out to the families of the ones that don't recieve a donar in time. I hadn't been aware of how extensive the problem is until I sat with libby in the dialysis room and saw all the chairs and beds lined up with all the people undergoing it, if there are that many in just our area, I can see where it is a costly and huge problem nationwide.