Micah was admitted to Duke Hospital on Monday afternoon for what we had hoped would be an overnight stay for observation. It is Thursday night and I have just returned from the hospital, leaving Sarah and Micah there.
It all began Sunday night. Micah woke up during the night with a fever. He's had several recurring ear infections over the last few months. Given that he has recently been in the river and ocean waters, as well as having an ear infection just two weeks ago, Sarah and I decided it must be another infection. After a trip to the doctor, this was confirmed.
Sarah and Micah were on the way home from the doctor when Micah became ill, vomiting a large amount of blood. This led us to Duke and that led us to a week's long stay there.
On Tuesday, an endoscopy was performed that revealed a couple items of concern. The first is an enlarged blood vessel that appears to protrude through the esophagus wall and enlarged lymph nodes in the small bowel. To get more information, Micah had an MRI and an ultrasound of the abdomen. These tests provided some additional items, but still nothing conclusive. Tomorrow morning, Micah will have two more tests--an MRV and a liver biopsy. In the midst of this, Micah continues to appear visibly healthy.
There are two main things that are being presented as concerns.
The first is something called PTLD. Micah faced this shortly after transplant. It is sometimes referred to as the Cancer of Transplant Patients. While the biopsies from the endoscopy did not indicate this to be the issue, there is still some concern that it indeed could be an issue again.
The second issue is related to his clotted off portal vein. After transplant, Micah's portal vein clotted off. His body created a bypass system and doctors said it may need to be addressed in the future, but nothing to date has been or has need to be done. There is concern right now that the blood flow may be restricted because of this creating pressure on blood vessels, perhaps causing the blood vessel that was observed pushing into the esophagus wall.
It is possible that none of this is the issue or the cause of what occurred on Monday. Please continue to pray for wisdom for doctors, healing and peace for Micah, and for God to be glorified.
We know God is bigger! Bigger than our problems. Bigger than our fears. It has been five years ago since we learned Micah would indeed have to have a transplant. It was almost five years ago exactly since we learned the exact date of that transplant. And in just a few short months, it will be five years since God worked a miracle by the hands of doctors. God is big, He is powerful, and He is able. God has taught me so much and challenged me so deeply through the life and trials of Micah over these last five years. Clearly I have more to learn and much more growing to do. And God is still teaching and growing me.
It all began Sunday night. Micah woke up during the night with a fever. He's had several recurring ear infections over the last few months. Given that he has recently been in the river and ocean waters, as well as having an ear infection just two weeks ago, Sarah and I decided it must be another infection. After a trip to the doctor, this was confirmed.
Sarah and Micah were on the way home from the doctor when Micah became ill, vomiting a large amount of blood. This led us to Duke and that led us to a week's long stay there.
On Tuesday, an endoscopy was performed that revealed a couple items of concern. The first is an enlarged blood vessel that appears to protrude through the esophagus wall and enlarged lymph nodes in the small bowel. To get more information, Micah had an MRI and an ultrasound of the abdomen. These tests provided some additional items, but still nothing conclusive. Tomorrow morning, Micah will have two more tests--an MRV and a liver biopsy. In the midst of this, Micah continues to appear visibly healthy.
There are two main things that are being presented as concerns.
The first is something called PTLD. Micah faced this shortly after transplant. It is sometimes referred to as the Cancer of Transplant Patients. While the biopsies from the endoscopy did not indicate this to be the issue, there is still some concern that it indeed could be an issue again.
The second issue is related to his clotted off portal vein. After transplant, Micah's portal vein clotted off. His body created a bypass system and doctors said it may need to be addressed in the future, but nothing to date has been or has need to be done. There is concern right now that the blood flow may be restricted because of this creating pressure on blood vessels, perhaps causing the blood vessel that was observed pushing into the esophagus wall.
It is possible that none of this is the issue or the cause of what occurred on Monday. Please continue to pray for wisdom for doctors, healing and peace for Micah, and for God to be glorified.
We know God is bigger! Bigger than our problems. Bigger than our fears. It has been five years ago since we learned Micah would indeed have to have a transplant. It was almost five years ago exactly since we learned the exact date of that transplant. And in just a few short months, it will be five years since God worked a miracle by the hands of doctors. God is big, He is powerful, and He is able. God has taught me so much and challenged me so deeply through the life and trials of Micah over these last five years. Clearly I have more to learn and much more growing to do. And God is still teaching and growing me.
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