“Without the organ donor, there is no story, no hope, no transplant. But when there is an organ donor, life springs from death, sorrow turns to hope and a terrible loss becomes a gift.”
We will always be forever grateful to the family of Benjamins organ donation for their selfless act. Our prayers are with them in their loss and grief.
Ben’s transplant surgery took about 14 hours.
What began on February 3rd finished early afternoon February 4th.
After they took Ben into surgery I was shown into a waiting area. I tried to busy myself visiting with Ben’s young friends and girlfriend. We watched part of an episode of the bachelor, funny I know but it was something mindless to distract me. Around 2:00 a.m. I convinced my young support team to head home for a few hours of sleep, Assuring them I would reach out if I needed them. Then I went in search of somewhere to try and get some rest.
A nurse from the OR made arrangements to call me and update me on progress of the surgery every few hours. During one of these calls she asked me if I needed anything. I asked her if she knew where I could possible get a pillow and blanket. She so sweetly offered to bring me one.
The Cleveland Clinic surgical center has a really nice huge waiting room with couches a small eatery and tons of space. It is a very busy place during business hours but is closed at night, meaning there isn’t anyone at the check in desk, the eatery is closed and it isn’t manned by employees. I decided to walk over there and see if it was a place I could wait and rest. It was perfect. I was the only one there and was able to get some sleep in small increments. As much sleep as a person can during a time like this. Around 5:00 a.m. the place started to come alive as employees and people started arriving for out patient surgeries.
A funny little moment.... At one point during surgery the nurse called me from the OR and said Dr. Kareem had a question for me. He’s a funny guy with a dry sense of humor. He says to me “Have you been feeding this boy lentils? I replied no. Dr. Kareem said, his stomach is lined with what looks like lentils. We determined it was seeds, from all the green salsa Ben would put on everything. :)
My sleep area/waiting room.
At around 8 or 9 a.m. Ben’s young friends Brandt and Michael rejoined me in the waiting room. Around 12:00 noon I got word that the transplant was finished and everything went well. They were just closing him up. I was called into a consultation room to meet with Dr. Kareem. As I was waiting in the consultation room, in walks our transplant coordinator Anita. I was so grateful to see her there. She has been with us from the very first appointment and we have built a very real level of trust and because we have worked with her so frequently we have a very good communication system. She has come to know us personally, so it was nice to have her there to ask questions after I finished talking with the Doctor. We love and respect our transplant team, Dr. Kareem, Dr. Osman, Dr. Fujiki, our coordinator Anita and our PA Marissa.
Doctor Kareem said surgery went well and the donated organs were very healthy. I was so relieved. They told me Ben would be moved into the ICU and we would be called when we could go up there to see him. They did remind me he would be on a ventilator and heavily sedated. As I left to rejoin my young support team Anita walked with me to meet these fine young men who had looked after me and were such good friends of Bens.
I believe it’s a little unusual for them to have patients develop a local support group so quickly and easily. We truly have been blessed as our church community rallied around and supported us so quickly after our relocation. Especially for Ben make friends and integrate in the area so easily. I don’t think they see this in their other transplant patients too often.
Ben’s friend Scott and Lincoln arrived from the airport just after 1:00 p.m. and within 30 minutes we were called to the ICU to see Ben.
This was our first look at him. He is on a ventilator.
He has IV access through his Hickman, he had a regular IV in his left arm
And an IJ in the Right side of his neck.
They kept him restrained so that he would not pull his ventilator out.
We were told this is common practice.
This web of tubes on his right arm is connected to the IJ.
Posted to Facebook February 4th:
Update on Benjamin.
Transplant Surgery, check!
He did great and is in the ICU!
There is real power in prayer!
We are forever grateful for all the prayers, good thoughts, love and support you’ve all given.
Keep them coming that he will not develop infection or reject these new organs.
No comments:
Post a Comment