Once again...Delmer is home!

Good morning! It's Tricia once again. I know I'm sounding like a broken record these days either announcing that Delmer is in the hospital or that he's home. Well...I'm now happy to announce that he is home! He was released last night and seems to be doing well. Delmer said he is now in possession of a new Internet router which will make it much easier for him to update the blog and said he would do so later today.

When D gets on the blog, he'll explain the latest findings from his last hospital stay and surgical procedure, but, overall, he reports that there's nothing too serious going on - and that Patty K continues to function well! He sounded really good over the phone and that was a relief.

Nothing exciting to report on my end. Thankfully, I am doing GREAT and am getting geared up to go back to work in about a week. These past few weeks have gone amazingly fast (for me, probably not for Delmer...) and I'm feeling stronger every day.

As always, thank you for the continual outpouring of support and prayers for both Delmer and me. D still has quite a road ahead of him, but he knows we're all right there behind him.

Later!

Love, Tricia

D's roller coaster ride continues...

Good morning all. It's Tricia letting you know that our friend Delmer is once again hospitalized. He was admitted yesterday due to the ever-aggravating fluid retention. Later this afternoon he will undergo a minor surgical procedure during which the surgeon will drain the fluid and clean out the area around his incision. They will then test the fluid to determine if there's any infection going on. I talked to Lesley (D's wife) a few minutes ago and she is hopeful that this procedure will give D some much-needed relief and some answers as to what exactly is causing this on-going problem.

The good news? Delmer's new kidney is continuing to function well so that is indeed a blessing!

Please say some prayers today that the procedure goes well and that Delmer can finally get strong and well.

I'll let you know when I get more details.

Thanks!

Tricia

Delmer is back in the comfort of his own home!

Good evening! It's Tricia with the latest and greatest from transplantland. I'm very pleased to report that D was released from the hospital yesterday and we're hopeful that this will be the end of complications! While it was the fluid retention that put him back in the hospital initally, it was respiratory problems that kept him in for a few additional days. While the fluid retention may have contributed to the breathing issues, it appears that asthma may be part of the problem. Apparently D has had some undiagnosed asthma symptoms in the past and the trauma he's endured over the past three weeks may have caused a flare-up. But he's breathing better now and, to make sure it stays under control, he will soon undergo some pulmonary tests.

While in the hospital, D also went through some testing on his new kidney. Those tests came back great! Delmer reports that the doctor said the kidney is in "pristine" condition. I believe that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about any of my body parts!

Delmer also said the fluid retention is getting better, but the drainage tube is still in place. Continued prayers are appreciated that these nagging issues will soon go away so that Delmer can finally enjoy good health and healing.

Compared to Delmer, I'm pretty boring (thank God!) My stomach is behaving much better and I'm experiencing very little pain at this time. The only thing I'm really having to recover from, at this point, is three weeks of couch potato-ness (that's my new word of the day). I'm trying to get out and about a little bit more each day so that my body won't be in total shock when I go back to work in two weeks. This morning I even made it to Mass. I was sitting in my usual back-of-the-church spot minding my own business when I hear Father Connor calling my name. He put me on the spot and made me go to the front of the church to give an update on how Delmer and I are doing. I really can't complain though as Father Connor and the parishoners at North American Martyrs church have provided tremendous support and prayers over the past several weeks. The kids at the school even made homemade get-well cards that are absolutely precious.

So...that's all I know at this point. I will continue to hound Delmer for updates on how he is doing. I told him that I am now his sister so he'll just have to put up with my nagging.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support through this amazing experience.

More later!

Love, Tricia

Big D is back in the hospital

Hi all... This is Tricia. Just want to let you know that Delmer is back in the hospital. He had a post-op check-up at the Med Center today and his surgeon wanted to admit him to deal with the ongoing fluid retention. Apparently, the drain they inserted last time isn't working sufficiently so they made some adjustments and will watch him through tomorrow. If things haven't improved by Wednesday, they will do a surgical procedure to help the fluid drain more rapidly. The fluid retention is a condition that should resolve eventually, but for now, they're doing all they can to make Delmer more comfortable. We are happy to report, however, that Patty K (Delmer's new kidney) is working great and that, other than the fluid retention, Delmer is doing well. Please continue to send your prayers his way!

I also had a check-up at the Med Center today and came out much better than Delmer! The only concern is ongoing stomach issues, but we're working on that. Today is the first day I've really been out and about and it felt good, but I'm sure ready for bed!

So...that's all I know for now. We'll keep you posted.

Later!

Tricia

Hey everybody....

It's been awhile since I have posted something on this blog, and my apologies to you all for got getting on often. Right when we got home the first time my router for the computer broke, and acess to my son's computer is somewhat limited. But I wanted to touch base with you all to let you know how things are going.

I won't lie, I have been a bit down the last week or so. The persistent bloating I have had has been a nagging, frustrating issue ever since the surgery happened. Even after I was admitted to the hospital the 2nd time, I though the external drain they surgically put into my abdomen would help, but it still persists. Patty K is still working wonderfully, there are no signs of infection, blood pressure has been fine, and so has my temp. and my blood sugars, it's just this bloating that still persists. It's like I'm carrying around this small person in my abdomen. I am hanging in there though. I spend my days watching TV, walking when I have the energy to do so, and resting. On Friday I went in for a CT scan to see if there were any other pockets of fluid that were developing, and tomorrow (Mon., Oct 19th) I go into the Med. Center for my check up, and hopefully they will find a solution to the fluid build up. I promise I will be more faithful to reporting what has been going on with me. I thank Tricia for her updates and keeping you all informed as to what has been going on with me :-) Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I deal with this. Your e-mails and messages on my homepage have been so uplifting, they have really been keeping me going. I know this is a temp. situation, but it just gets hard sometimes. Know that we all are so thankful for everything you have done for us. I wish you all good wishes and great blessings.

D

Why this surgery was a gift...to me!

Good morning! This is Tricia. It's nearly 6 a.m. and I've been awake since 4 a.m. with all sorts of thoughts rambling through my head, so I thought I would spill some of them out onto the blog.

First of all, a quick medical update. I talked to Delmer yesterday and he is doing well, although he continues to deal with constant fluid drainage. He says it's something that should clear up once his lymphatic system adjusts to all the dramatic changes his body has encountered over the past two weeks. Delmer will have to provide more details when he updates the blog, which he says he will do soon.

I am also doing well. The issues I'm dealing with at this point are minor compared to Delmer's. I'm tired, sore, and have ongoing stomach issues, which I know will get better once my intestines get over the shock of being jostled about during surgery. I'm spending way too much time curled up on my couch with either a book or the remote control - but I have to say...it feels good!

That brings me to the thoughts that are running through my head this morning. I was thinking about what a blessing this transplant experience has been for me - especially in light of what my life has been like for the past four years. As many of you know, my husband, Dave, suffered a traumatic brain injury in July 2005. The issues and challenges we have encountered since then have been staggering. Those issues, on top of a stressful job, have pretty much left me in a continual state of anxiety for the past four years. That's why, when I told friends and family members that I was donating a kidney, some of them looked at me like I was crazy - and asked why I would do that on top of everything else I was dealing with.

Well...I know this was part of God's plan for me. Donating a kidney was not only an amazing gift for Delmer - it's also been a gift for me. Yesterday, for the first time in over four years, it dawned on me that I was feeling totally relaxed - that I had no big projects or deadlines, or issues, hanging over my head. I'm sleeping a lot each day and can feel the anxiety draining out of my body. I know this time is short-lived and that soon enough I'll be back in the thick of things, but for now, I'm savoring this respite from the real world - and am very thankful for it.

Thanks for letting me get all of this off my chest this morning. Now it's time to go back to my couch! :-)

Much love,

Tricia

Fluid retention = no fun!

Good evening family and friends! It's Tricia with an update on the latest happenings in transplantland. First...an update on Delmer. Unfortunately, Big D is back at the Med Center tonight, but thankfully, it's nothing too serious. From the day he came home from the hospital, he has been plauged with very uncomfortable bloating around the area of his incision. The fluid retention became so bad these past couple days that Delmer reports he looked like he was not only pregnant, but overdue!" This morning, doctors gave his some mild sedation, stuck a needle in his gut (ouch!) and extracted a full liter of fluid. They're keeping him overnight to keep an eye on things and hopefully, he'll come home tomorrow - but we'll have to wait and see. Delmer reports that other than the fluid retention, everything else is good. The new kidney is functioning well and his blood pressure and blood sugar numbers are normal. So, hang in there, D, and know we're all praying and pulling for you to get on the road to a full recovery.

As for me, I'm doing quite well today. Friday and yesterday were a little rough as my intestines finally kicked in and were angry at me for some things I had eaten that I shouldn't have. But all is much calmer today. I'm spending way too much time on the couch so am forcing myself to get up and do some laundry and other low-key chores around the house - and then I tell myself "hey...it's okay to veg out on the couch!"

So, that's the latest on this cold, dreary Sunday evening. I'll bug Delmer tomorrow for an update and will let you know how he's doing.