Record breaking recovery...

Dad, protecting himself with a mask from four of Terry (his son)'s star softball team, who visited and brought him an amazing photo collage.

While at his 2nd of twice-weekly follow up visits with the hepatologist at Henry Ford, dad found out from his (nurse case manager?) that he was the fastest discharge from liver transplant at the hospital. Tuesday surgery, Sunday discharge. Though he had some trouble, you know that he was REALLY happy to hear that. He wants it done, like NOW. This is the same man who, walking to all the monuments on the Washington DC Capital Mall, tries to see them all in one day. Surprised!?

He's also been WALKING AROUND THE BLOCK; he gets mad that he gets tired. But he's doing it.

The visits are pretty much to track his bloodwork and the liver transplant. The oncology tracking will also be part of his follow up care. They track bloodwork twice per week. The medications are many, as are the side effects, interactions, and guidelines for use. Lots of heady stuff. We looked them all up on the NIH's Medline site. Check this out for an example of just one medication and it's issues: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202914.html

The surgeon on the transplant team who did the surgery, as well as the last 2 of his 3 tumor removals, wants dad to have CHEMOTHERAPY after he heals. This is because if there is any cancer at all in his system, they can get it. All signs point to no cancer. There was no cancer in:

• the lymph nodes right near his liver, or
• in the blood vessels of the "old" liver.

This is great because they'd likely show up here if there was metastases. There was new cancer growing in the old liver, though, so this is definitely a good idea. The anti rejections drugs, one in particular, not only inhibit the action of the immune system (needed to fight diseases and infections), but one actually encourages cancer to grow if any is present (also need to be careful in sunlight as skin cancer is much higher risk).

SO MUCH GOING WELL! Just lots to be aware of.

HE NEEDS YOUR DISTRACTIONS. TV is not enough (or really edifying enough), and though he's got audio books, book-books, and even a plug-and-play Ms. Packman game, he really needs to share his thoughts, talk and be busy not trying to lift things or get into trouble!

THANK YOU!