12/7/2010 update

Lab and Ultrasound Results

Posted Dec 7, 2010 1:08am

Walt and I went to Sutter today as scheduled. The lab results shows further decline in the kidney function. His creatinine level is now at 4.0 which is pretty high. The Director of the transplant center puts him at 17% kidney function. Clearly, not the news we wanted.
They sent him in for a stat ultrasound to see if by chance there was a blockage of some sort, but none were found during preliminary results.

We are still waiting on the ultrasound from the bladder. We still may have some luck there. Sounds weird, but we want him to have a blockage so that this challenge can be turned around. If they find a blockage, he'll be taken into surgery and the blockage reversed.

What the doctors think has happened is that the two small bouts of rejection Walt has had in the last 2 months did enough damage to the kidney that it can't recover. They don't know for sure, since nothing is pointing to rejection.. biopsy results show no cellular or tissue rejection.

As it stands now, it looks like he will be relisted on UNOS and we hope for a quick match. He will have to start his wait all over again but there is some positive news there when you calculate age and surgery recovery - it's twisted logic, but it works for me for now.

We will continue to do labs at least weekly for now and watch the levels. We hope to maintain at 4 or less, and hopefully can wait out the UNOS listing.

Walt, being the strong guy he is was the rock today, me on the other hand, not-so-much. I will lean on him for strength and hope. We need to stay upbeat and strong for the kids and I think we have a wait and see approach to this.

The kids were well taken care of today, Maria (our very dear friend) picked up the kids from school, fed them, sent them in the shower and brought them home to sleep in their own beds. She is an angel in our life. Don't know what we'd do without her!

I'm sure there is a lesson in here somewhere. What it is remains a mystery.

good night
~Susan