Journal entry by Nadine Bernal —
Today, February 6, marks the two-month liversary for Melia and Elizabeth! HAPPY LIVERSARY LOLIVER! How does Melia celebrate? By returning to work! I'm not sure if she realized that her first day back at work was a special day for Loliver (honestly, every day is a special day for Loliver but two months is a big deal). Armed with her supply of face masks, Purell, and (hopefully) Clorox wipes, Melia resumed the routine of taking the T to Boston's Downtown Crossing. Those disposable face masks aren't that comfortable or all that cute, so it's probably time to look for some cute cloth face masks to wear on public transportation and in crowds (have to avoid all those germs and sick people).
What else has happened in the last month? Typically, upon release from the hospital, the transplant patient is under the care of the surgical team for the next 3 months, with twice a week visits the first month, weekly the second month, and then every other week for the third month. In Melia's case, she was doing so well that the surgical team cut her loose on week 5! She was back to her regular hepatologist (referred to as Schilsky Schilsk in past posts) for week 6. Instead of returning for week 7, he asked her to return in a month. Hooray! She is still required to have her labs done weekly--the fight against rejection is a daily battle--but she can have them done in Boston. Once the transplant team receives the results, they call Melia to discuss any adjustments to her medications. So far, she's had only slight modifications to her meds and is doing well with them.
I finally returned to San Clemente and Melia to Cambridge in mid-January. Surprisingly, it only snowed a few times while I was in New Haven, and nothing that really stuck to the ground. I left just before the first big winter storm hit the East Coast. Obviously Mother Nature was just waiting for me to return to the Best Coast before announcing winter's arrival.
Tomorrow is 9 weeks since transplant. At this point, both Melia's new liver and Elizabeth's remaining liver have regenerated back to their original size. ISN'T THAT AMAZING?!
Melia is progressing wonderfully--exercising regularly (mostly using the couch to 5k app to monitor her pace on the treadmill). She is still restricted from lifting anything more than 15 pounds and won't be able to do any core exercises for awhile yet (her Mercedes incision needs several months to heal). She has her food restrictions too, but a pleasant surprise is her ability to now eat many foods that caused her discomfort before transplant. That should help balance the loss of sushi, poke and kombucha!
Elizabeth is also recovering well. She reports that she feels great and her energy has returned. She is a treasure! One big fear for us of having a living donor was how that donor would fare after donation. We are so greatly relieved and thankful for such a positive outcome. Thank you for your prayers, positive vibes, and incredible support of both of our families. Believe me, we have felt the love! We are truly blessed!
Now for other news. Melia's plan after college graduation was to take some time off school and go to grad school . . . to study something yet to be determined. We were hoping Louis (her old liver) would get her through undergrad and he did, just. She was officially listed on the transplant list six months later. The year after graduation was a year of uncertainty. So many questions that no one had answers to: When will a living donor be found? Who will that person be? When will the transplant happen? If Melia enrolls in a class or two, will she have to withdraw mid-term for the surgery? She was treading water and unable to make long-term plans. Now with Loliver, pieces are starting to fall into place! We are thrilled to see our girl finally able to move forward.
In August, Melia will be returning to New Haven for Yale Round 2, Grad School Edition. She will be pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing at Yale School of Nursing. Her experience as a patient will definitely help her become a great Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. She is so excited!
It's been a really great 9 weeks!
What else has happened in the last month? Typically, upon release from the hospital, the transplant patient is under the care of the surgical team for the next 3 months, with twice a week visits the first month, weekly the second month, and then every other week for the third month. In Melia's case, she was doing so well that the surgical team cut her loose on week 5! She was back to her regular hepatologist (referred to as Schilsky Schilsk in past posts) for week 6. Instead of returning for week 7, he asked her to return in a month. Hooray! She is still required to have her labs done weekly--the fight against rejection is a daily battle--but she can have them done in Boston. Once the transplant team receives the results, they call Melia to discuss any adjustments to her medications. So far, she's had only slight modifications to her meds and is doing well with them.
I finally returned to San Clemente and Melia to Cambridge in mid-January. Surprisingly, it only snowed a few times while I was in New Haven, and nothing that really stuck to the ground. I left just before the first big winter storm hit the East Coast. Obviously Mother Nature was just waiting for me to return to the Best Coast before announcing winter's arrival.
Tomorrow is 9 weeks since transplant. At this point, both Melia's new liver and Elizabeth's remaining liver have regenerated back to their original size. ISN'T THAT AMAZING?!
Melia is progressing wonderfully--exercising regularly (mostly using the couch to 5k app to monitor her pace on the treadmill). She is still restricted from lifting anything more than 15 pounds and won't be able to do any core exercises for awhile yet (her Mercedes incision needs several months to heal). She has her food restrictions too, but a pleasant surprise is her ability to now eat many foods that caused her discomfort before transplant. That should help balance the loss of sushi, poke and kombucha!
Elizabeth is also recovering well. She reports that she feels great and her energy has returned. She is a treasure! One big fear for us of having a living donor was how that donor would fare after donation. We are so greatly relieved and thankful for such a positive outcome. Thank you for your prayers, positive vibes, and incredible support of both of our families. Believe me, we have felt the love! We are truly blessed!
Now for other news. Melia's plan after college graduation was to take some time off school and go to grad school . . . to study something yet to be determined. We were hoping Louis (her old liver) would get her through undergrad and he did, just. She was officially listed on the transplant list six months later. The year after graduation was a year of uncertainty. So many questions that no one had answers to: When will a living donor be found? Who will that person be? When will the transplant happen? If Melia enrolls in a class or two, will she have to withdraw mid-term for the surgery? She was treading water and unable to make long-term plans. Now with Loliver, pieces are starting to fall into place! We are thrilled to see our girl finally able to move forward.
In August, Melia will be returning to New Haven for Yale Round 2, Grad School Edition. She will be pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing at Yale School of Nursing. Her experience as a patient will definitely help her become a great Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. She is so excited!
It's been a really great 9 weeks!
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Melia Stay Connected to Family and Friends
A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Melia's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?
