We loaded up and headed out to drop off our other two kids with their Mammaw, and headed off to Gainesville. It was a typical morning, we pampered Nate and got him junk food to eat on the road, along with his well requested sippy of orange juice! We passed our notorious suicide bridge(for some reason this overpass has a gate on both sides?!)meaning we were almost there. My phone rang and it was the "352" area code, well having had that number burned into my head I knew it was a doc! I assumed they were calling to cancel his clinic appointment, but I was oh so wrong! Sweet Miss Deb, said "Have you talked to anyone yet" I replied "No Why?" she said "Well we have a liver for Nate"..My emotions came rolling to my sleeve, as I thanked her over and over again. I then made a call to my mom! I didnt know what to think, I was happy, scared, excited, among other emotions!!! My mom, dad and sister met us at the hospital where we spent the WHOLE day trying to keep a "not sick" child in a small boring room while we waited for them to "harvest" the liver! At first they told us he was going back at 6:30, then it was 8:00 well they finally came and got him something to 10:00pm! Don't get me wrong we had a good time that day playing with him, coloring, and flying paper airplanes! He wasnt one bit scared! They wheeled him down we said our goodbyes and the rest is history. They made the first incision at 11:00 pm. It was all said and done at 4:30am. The DR's said he did beautifully! When we first got upstairs to see him I was a little taken back, he had alot of wires and tubes but within days 90% of the stuff was removed. The incision goes all the way across his tummy and then up the center of his chest! Nate was out of the PICU within 4 days!! Thats right I said FOUR days! He spent 2 days in the IMC(intermediate care, one step down from PICU) then was released from the hospital 2 weeks to the day! He has been home for almost 2 weeks, and is still doing wonderful. He had his first post-op appointment wednesday 1-30-08 and it went VERY well..they lowered his blood presure med from 3 times a day to 2 times a day!! He takes a bit of meds but their goal is to have him weened to 2 by the end of the year! FK506(prograf) is one of his anti-rejection meds, Prednislone is another anti-rejection/steroid. He is also on magnesium oxide(a side affect of the FK is lower magnesium levels),Acyclovir(an anti-biotic),Prevacid(antacid),Nystatin(to prevent oral yeast)Enalipril(blood pressure) and on Mon,Wed,Fri he takes Septra(anti-biotic) and on Wed,Sat he takes Aspirin(to keep blood clots down)..so yeah its alot, but he takes it with no problemo! I hope to post even more positive news when we go back on 2-6-08!
Thank You ALL for your continued prayers for Nathaniel, he is truly a blessed soul.God is GREAT!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! It's been far too long since my last update. NATE is GREAT! The 3 yr post transplant mark is coming very soon, less then a month. It's so surreal to think that it has been three years since Nate received his transplant. We are blessed each and every day with his presence because someone said YES. How A-M-A-Z-I-N-G is that?! Nathaniel has developed some behavior issues, nothing we can't handle though. We are working really hard to get it all sorted out and get him on the right path to getting better. He is doing fantastic in school(1st grade I might add) and is the TOP yes TOP reader in his class. I'm so very proud of him, even though he drives me crazy on the regular :) God is GREAT, and has blessed us so very very much. Praise him!
*UPDATE*
Nate is almost 4 years post transplant and is doing beautifully. He is in 2nd grade and loving life. He has not had any 'liver' issues since transplant and we are PRAISING GOD for that!!! Not many liver kiddos can say that! He is only on 1 anti-rejection med, and he is on a low dose of it. How awesome is that?!?!