Blair West

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place.  In July 2019,  Blair was diagnosed with NASH.  He has undergone a number of procedures in July, August and September to address esophageal varices (a result of his liver disease). At the end of September and beginning of October he spent a week in the hospital with sepsis due to a kidney stone that blocked urine from exiting the kidney. The sepsis settled in his shoulder and also required surgery to irrigate the joint. A picc line was placed and he went home on 4 weeks of IV antibiotics. Once the sepsis was addressed, he underwent a procedure (lithotripsy) to remove the stone.

His liver disease was deemed “unstable” in October and was referred to Mayo Clinic for a liver transplant evaluation in December.  We spent December 16-20 in Rochester completing the evaluation. Prior to transplant, they want to be sure that all other systems are strong enough for successful surgery and recovery. He underwent cardiovascular, renal, bone evaluation, and imaging of everything! Also they made sure that we had the social-emotional resources for successful transplant. He was approved to be listed on UNOS on December 26, 2019.  A setback put Blair in the hospital December 25-28 in Sioux Falls and then transfer requested by the liver transplant team to Mayo December 28-31. Blair came home with a picc line and 6 weeks of IV antibiotics to clear the infection that was found in his abdomen and spine. We spent February 4-7 completing additional tests in Rochester as they found a questionable result on his stress echo during the previous visit. The ID (infectious disease) doctor cleared Blair for transplant and after an angiogram that was negative on Thursday, cleared for transplant on Friday at about 2pm. We headed home and we’re told to have our bags packed and be ready to come back at a moment’s notice. We got THE call at 1:48 the NEXT day to return to Rochester for transplant.
Through all of this we have had to daily rely on our faith for strength. I continually pray “Lord you promise that ALL things work together for good to those who love you—and we do love you—please bring good from this surgery, this hospitalization, this test, this missed concert, this missed bridal shower, this missed day of work, this pain, this ____.” He is faithful. We have seen it over and over. We are not guaranteed any days. If even one person considers their eternity because of this Blair and I would consider it all worth it. We have said over and over again, even if this doesn’t prolong life here on earth, we know where we will spend eternity.