Whew!

My summary of the last few days, beginning around 6:30 PM on Monday, would be one word: Whew!

We knew Micah was listed to receive a new liver, but we never knew when.

We knew having a transplant comes with many challenges, but we never can tell what they will be.

We knew that God has always shown Himself mighty, but we hoped it wouldn't have to occur as it did.

On Monday evening around 6:30 PM, I received a call from Sarah who was in Virginia visiting family with all our boys (minus me who was still in Raleigh). Her first words were: "So Dave just called from Duke." Dave is the transplant coordinator for pediatrics. There was no guesswork to figure out why Dave from Duke had called. But she continued, "They have a liver for Micah." 

Immediately Sarah began to journey back to North Carolina and to Duke Hospital. I began preparing to get everything together on my end to meet them at the hospital.

We all arrived at the hospital at around 10:00 PM Monday evening. Micah was admitted and work began to prepare him for the transplant that didn't begin until 6:00 AM on Tuesday morning. The surgery ended in the late afternoon.

An ultrasound would be done of the liver each day for at least the first few days. The Tuesday night ultrasound reading came back showing no flow in the portal vein. Micah's previous portal vein clotted off in the first year of his last transplant. This is really what started us down the road to where we are today with a second transplant. A CT Scan confirmed a clot had obstructed the portal vein.

I had traveled home to get some sleep when Sarah called at around 2:00 AM to tell me. One of the longest drives I've ever had back to Duke took place early Wednesday morning. Micah was heading into emergency surgery to hopefully remove the clot. Clotting was removed and flow restored. The bile duct was also repaired that showed some leakage. Steps were taken to try to fix what may have caused the clotting.

Two follow-up ultrasounds showed a small clot still in the portal vein though blood was flowing through it. A decision was made to go back to the operating room again to remove this clotting. This was done successfully and the vein has continued to remain open as of right now.

In the meantime, our oldest son Isaac celebrated the entrance into double digits on Wednesday. In the middle of having Micah operated on twice, our family gathered in the PICU waiting room for pizza and cake to celebrate his birthday.

Today Micah has rested most of the day, getting his breathing tube out this morning. We continue to pray for the portal vein to remain open and healing to occur timely and well. 

We cannot express enough our grateful we are for your encouraging words shared, prayers offered on our behalf, and visits with us and our family. Please also take time to give thanks on our behalf for God's favor that He has poured out in answering our prayers. May we be like the one beggar who returned to give thanks to Jesus for the healing Christ had given. My heart is overwhelmed by His goodness and grace. I give Him thanks.