Back @ UWMC Sept 8 2009 for surgery

We are back in Seattle. As posted a couple of days ago Emily is here to have a surgery to repair a herniation in her diaphragm which is letting her liver poke through to where it doesn't belong. The past few months have been filled with great deal of pain for her. It has become a constant and has caused her to have to take a powerful blend of pain meds in an attempt to find some comfort.

These powerful pain meds help but bring there own issues. Emily is very sleepy much of the time and usually not able to drive. The relief from the pain is not complete and the days are often not much fun. I think this level of pain would just stop most of us, through the years she has proven to have a pain tolerance that is just much higher than we most of can imagine. She has also had to endure way more than is fair. The hope, but unfortunately not guarantee, is that this surgery will not only repair the hernia but help relieve some of the pain. Over the last couple of months she has seen a roster of specialists puzzling over the source of the pain and coming up with ideas to help control it. Because of interactions and allergies many drugs are not available. The cause has been elusive and the herniation was discovered while looking at other things. So, for Emily this has been a frustrating few months of quite limited activity. Although, in her typical stubborn fashion she did manage to do a five day rafting trip on the Rogue River last month. This was a stretch but she felt a need to get out and do something normal. 

So, the surgery today is a pretty big deal. Normally, the herniation repair would be a fairly straight  forward repair. But because for the previous operations and transplant it will be more difficult and may take quite a long time. The surgeon, same one who did her transplant, just was not able to say how long it would take. It is going to be a long day for sure. We we up at four, at the hospital at six, she was back in pre-op by seven. The pre op area was the same as day of transplant. That day there was only one other person in this very large room. Today at least twenty two beds had patients with every bed being swarmed by techs, nurses and docs. It is a surreal scene. So many people so intently focused on there very vital tasks. It is both strangely comforting and quite scary all at the same time. Emily seems to thrive in this situation, she is totally calm, answering the the endless queries and being her usual bossy self to make darn sure that the IV, shots, wrist bands, etc....are done just so. But she does have a world of experience at this and usually establishes a strong rapor with the staff. She acknowledges their skill and they understand that she has indeed been here before, all too many times.  It is now just a bit before ten, a little after nine we got a call from the OR that they were just beginning. We will hear every now and then how things go but I honestly do not know how often I will be able to post, so it may be well into the evening before I update.

As, Emily said, she reaally loves to hear from everyone. please post and/or email. We will read them to her until she can do that herself. Thanks for the support we will try and keep the blog going. Oh, for the surgery the 4-6 in. incision will be on her rt side about seven ribs up. Then being very careful of that beautiful new lung, work to the diaphragm and make the repair. 

YIKES!!!!  while I was typing the surgeon walked in. She is out of surgery and it went very well and in about one fourth of the time we expected. The repair was successful, now we hope that it was the cause of all of this pain. Cross your fingers. She will be in recovery for a couple of hours and then to the fifth floor. Her new lungs looked 'pristine'     this is really good news to be done so quickly. Emily loves cards.......if you want send them to our house in Eugene. thx for good thoughts.