Post Transplant Day 14

I can’t believe its been exactly two weeks since transplant!!

We’ve come a long way baby. ;-)

1 JP drain gone and 3 to go.

The JP drains are used to drain fluid from the abdomen.  Ben came out of surgery with 4. The drains are placed to help drain different areas. One goes up near the pancreas, one by the liver, two by the pelvis. When the output decreases they remove them.  These drains also help them to see if he has Chyl leaks.  This is a form of lipid or fatty fluid that your lymphatic system makes.  It is not uncommon for intestinal transplant patients to have Chyl leaks.  They keep patients on very low fat diets until they know they aren’t leaking Chyl into their abdominal cavity.  Chyl leaks will most often heal themselves.  Currently it doesn’t appear that Benjamin has any Chyl leaks. 

Today they removed one of Bens JP drains. This is exciting for all of us, but especially for Ben as sometimes they leak a little around the incision sight and it’s bothersome for him. 

Biopsy 3 was today and still with normal results!  

Today we also started our education for the next phase of recovery at home. 

Ben will continue to have biopsies twice a week for the next few months, these biopsies are the method for detecting rejection in the small intestine.

And, finally they are going to take care of the Venogram and blood clots tomorrow.  Let’s hope they don’t delay this procedure again. 

Ben’s quote of the day: “Can I get a grape popsicle?”

Bens abdomen with four drains.  Two from each sight.

The removed drain.  It was interesting, they just cut a few stitches and pulled that thing right out.  It was in there a lot farther than I thought.  Ben said it felt freakishly weird, because he could feel it moving through his insides as they pulled it out.  He said it was like if someone was pulling a bendy straw out of you... not pleasant.  If you look at the tube you can see a dark line where the stitch was, everything else was inside his abdominal cavity. 

Resting as the sun goes down, listening to music. Ben has been having a really hard time relaxing and has the jitters a lot.  He said the closest thing he can think to describe the way he feels would probably be anxiety, but he’s never had anxiety before so he’s not even sure that’s an accurate description.  But as I watch him, he’s very restless and jittery so I think anxiety is a good description. 

He has found that blocking out all outside noise and listening to music can sometimes help alleviate the anxious feeling. 

We continue to see positive things every day. 

Transplant is not for the weak at heart that is for sure.  I’ve probably said it before, honestly I can’t remember, but recovery is a process for him and for us. 

Even through the tough stuff we feel the blessings of heaven being poured out upon us all every day!