My next step was to find another way to get to Omaha, Nebraska in a hurry. I called Eagle Medical Flights of Hays, Kansas and was told they would meet us in Goodland in 85 minutes. We drove to Goodland, Kansas (about 90 miles from our home) in total fog. Upon getting to the Goodland Airport, we could see the plane coming in. Not wanting to waste any time, I kissed my wife good-bye, hugged my son and climbed into the plane. The flight took 86 minutes from Goodland to Omaha then I was taken to the hospital by an airport driver.
Once in the hospital, I was admitted and rushed to pre-operative unit and readied for transplant surgery. I spoke to the anesthesiologist, surgeons, and operative care Nurses. The pre-op tests were started and it wasn't long before I was put under.
This is about as far as I truly remember. The events following the pre-op are a mystery to me. The next bit of my story is pieced together by reading the notes my wife made and by recalling what some of the nurses said. It is a scary ordeal to go through something like this. My wife took pictures and maybe someday I will want to look at them and see what all I really went through. For now, just knowing what I know and knowing that I am alive and doing fine is enough for me.
The transplant surgery was started at 9:40 A.M. The first order of business was to remove the old, worn out liver. This portion of the surgery lasted until 1:30 P.M. Then the process of putting in the donor liver began about 3 P.M. and ended around 5:45 P.M. By 7:30 P.M., the head surgeon came out to say all was going well and they should have me in ICU within 30-45 minutes. I opened my eyes around 9:30 P.M. and moved legs on command shortly after that.
At 1:40 A.M., 9-26-98 I was very alert and wanting to be off of ventilator. By 5 A.M. I was very restless and wanted to get up out of bed. ICU Nurse was heard to say I was the "most active of any liver patient" she had ever seen. At 7:10 A.M. I was sitting up in chair! I was able to remain up until 8:10 A.M. before wearing out and needing to be back in the bed. Then I was up in the chair again at 10 A.M. Actually, my back was killing me and I was bouncing in and out of bed most of the day dragging my tubes and IV lines everywhere with my poor wife and the ICU nurse trying to keep me from tangling all the wires and tubes. I was doing so well by 3 P.M. that same day, I was moved to 7th floor Liver Special Care Unit. I was walking around the unit within the next half hour.
I experienced some horrendous dreams and believe this was caused by my morphine habit I developed prior to transplant. My wife said I pulled every tube I could get ahold of and I was "bouncing off the walls" (restless, irritable, and even silly at times). My back hurt terribly due to surgery and I was told I will have to live with it for around 3 months.
9-28-98 at 11 A.M., I was transferred to the new Cooperative Care Pilot Unit where the spouse (or other family member or friend) does most of the care for the patient while being supervised and helped by the nurse on CCPU. This part was very easy due to the fact, that my lovely wife is an excellent RN and is so gentle and kind. At this point, I was walking around the unit and eating full meals and attending physical therapy for 45 minutes daily. The physical therapy was hard at first but it is a definite plus for healing faster and getting your strength back.
I was released from the hospital campus after just eight (8) days and was termed an "outpatient". My wife and I stayed an an apartment/suite just 6 miles from the hospital. As an "outpatient" I was required to return to the transplant center daily for bloodwork so that the doctors could adjust my medicines. Routine lab work continues even now that I am home as my body continues to adjust to my new donor liver. This is a life-long deal. My body will always see my new donor liver as an alien-being and try to fight it. I must continually monitor myself for signs of rejection
I am on a 5 year study of NEORAL, one of the anti-rejection drugs now available, and am currently taking 150 mg. twice daily.
On my 21st day after transplant I was seen by the Liver Transplant Team Leader and upon examination and reviewing bloodwork, I was released to go home, which is 400 miles from the transplant center. We were shocked but we were ready to go home and get our lifes going once again. We were informed that I was the quickest released liver transplant patient that they could ever recall. I attribute this to fantastic surgeons and doctors, a wonderful wife who is an RN, and the support and prayers of so many people, plus, the presence of the good Lord with me through this whole ordeal.
We are now at home and it is great to sleep in our own bed!! It is so wonderful to see all of our friends again. I am still having to have bloodwork done twice a week and have it sent to the transplant center. I also go to our local hospital for physical therapy twice a week.
Organ Transplantation has saved my life and even though I do not know who donated their organ for me, I wish to thank all organ donors from the bottom of my heart. I also wish to say thank you to the families-- without you very special people who are willing to carry out the wishes of your loved ones, many more people would die each day. Thank you, once again.
***Click the revolving organ donor ribbon to view photos of Rich during his stay in ICU and throughout recovery following transplant surgery. Please note that some photos may not be suitable for all viewers.
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