The regrowth of a liver

The perfect speciman :)

So I blame this post on why I was absent for a couple months.  I've been trying to figure out how to blog about this big surgery and havent figured out how to, so bear with me, this may be an interesting post. Plus it's a novel, so good luck if you decide to read it!

Back in the early 80's before Jason was even thought of, his dad was in a horrible car accident.  As part of his medical treatment, he recieved a blood transfusion.  Back then they did not test the blood.  Shortly before Jason left on his mission, they found out that his dad had heptatis C contracted from that transfusion.  This eventually led to Cirrhosis of the liver or his liver started to fail.  He had many complications because of this and was on & off the transplant list (it all depends how sick you are and with how many people need livers you have to be REALLY sick).  

I remember one time in the first couple years of our marriage when this started going on, I told Jason about how the Liver is the one organ that can grow back, thus making it possible for live liver donors.  Jason told me then that he was going to donate part of his liver to his dad.  It wasnt an option in Utah then and we didnt really discuss it more.

Last year we heard the the University of Utah was in the process of becoming certified to do live liver donors.  To begin testing to see if you could become a live liver donor, you first had to have a blood match.   Jason was the only one of his siblings that was a match.  Our brother in law and his cousin were also a match but they just test one person at a time and prefer to start with blood relations.  

When Jason found out that he was a blood match, he again told me that he was donating part of his liver to his dad.  He said many times that he couldnt bear the thought of something not matching or being wrong so he wasnt able to donate.  He of course asked me many times if I was okay with it (and I know if I would have said no that he wouldnt have done it) but it was very important to him.  

He started testing last fall and went through about 2-3 months of testing.  He had multiple blood tests, he went from being terrified of needles and getting a flu shot he needed me right there to having contests with his dad on who had more viles drawn.  His dad usually won but Jason averaged about 15 viles of blood each time his blood was drawn.  He got a CT scan, chest xray and an MRI.  He met with support coordinators, social workers, psychlogists, dieticians, and many doctors.  I cant even tell you how many papers we filled out and signed.  At every appt or test, we would hear multiple times if Jason was sure he wanted to do this.  They were very through making sure that it was his decision and that he was in no way being coeherced.  There was even times that I couldnt be in the room.  He got asked over and over why he wanted to do this. Which his answer was always the same.  Jason did not have a good relationship with his grandpa, he said he was always the old man in the chair.  He didnt want our kids to have the same memories of their grandpa and wanted to do what he could to help his dad be healthy to enjoy his grandkids.  Plus he of course hated seeing his dad suffer and wanted to help.  

Now we knew the program was just starting and going thru testing it was easy to see that Jason was one of the first live liver donors at the university of Utah.  When we would go to appts they would refer to him as the liver. He asked them at I think his third appt and found out that he would be the first live liver donor at the university of utah and the second adult to adult live liver donor in Utah.  This freaked him out a little but he mainly thought it was cool.  The doctors were efficient and we knew they would do an amazing job.
Now I will say, Jason has not had much done medically.  He got his adenoids out as a toddler, broke his arm 3 times and got his wisdom teeth out.  There was multiple times before the surgery where he would compare it to my csections.  He envisioned that he would be in the hospital for a couple days and would be back to work in a week or two.  He did exceptionally well but it didnt go quite as he planned.

The two men  the sunday before surgery with their liver pillows.  I had seen the organ pillows forever ago and thought they were so cool and I finally had an excuse to order some. :) 

The surgery was scheduled for February 16th.  Jason worked the day before surgery, as it was a deadline day and he wanted to make sure his team was ready to be without him for a few weeks.  My sister flew in on the 15th as she is the best and put her life on hold for a week to watch my kids :).  Jason also had to go to the hospital for a couple of blood tests that needed to be done the day before surgery.  We got to Salt Lake about 7:30, picked up Elsa and Adelynn, got dinner for her and the kids, then took them to the hotel/family housing to get settled in while Jason and I went up to the hospital for his labs.  We also had to make a stop at Chipotle, if you know Jason you know he LOVES chipotle so of course he wanted it for dinner the night before the big surgery.  There was some complications with the lab so we didnt make it back to the hotel until 11.  The kids all knew the next day was a big day so of course gave Auntie Ella a hard time about going to bed and waited for mom and dad.  Needless to say it was a late night for us.

Jason had to be at the hospital at 6AM and family housing where we were staying was about a half hour away so needless to say we had an early morning.  After saying goodbye to the kids (Elsa took them home that day) we were off.  Jason's parents came with us (his's dad's surgery wouldnt start until a few hours after Jason's started), and Chris & Ray met us there shortly after we got checked in.  It took a little while to get Jason checked in and then we got back to his pre op room.  KSL then came and did an interview.  And then it was time for him to go.

Bright and Early ready for surgery.  I found a shirt like this online a couple days before surgery but wouldnt be able to get him one in time so I made him one.  

After Jason went back and we went to the waiting room, Ray and I quickly went to get something to eat.  I didnt want to eat in front of Jason but with morning sickness I knew I had to get food in me soon.  We basically spent the day in the waiting room.  My sister in law, Ray, was awesome and put her self on my duty and made sure I was never alone.  Which was good because then I didnt get lost in my thoughts about my husband being in surgery.  Jason's dad went back to get prepped but I mainly stayed in the waiting room.  The nurses would call every couple hours to update me on the surgery and I didnt want to miss an update.  I dont really remember a whole lot from the time Jason was in surgery except that it was forever.  I tried to distract myself but I couldnt focus on anything.  His social worker and support coodinator came to check on me a few times and give me updates.  They made sure I took some breaks from the waiting room.  I felt really supported that day which was nice.

Jason's surgery got done about 3 and about an hour later I got a call from his SICU nurse saying he was awake and ready to see me :) I can tell you I could not get upstairs quick enough.  It's always fun when people get out of anthesia and Jason is no exception.  He becomes super loving and everyone is the best at whatever they are.  Every nurse that came in the room was told they were the best nurse ever.  He started calling his brother by his childhood nickname for him.  He told everyone how much he loved them.  It definitely feels good to complimented over and over again.  (side note: Jason is naturally a loving person so it was just him on steriods).  He did say some embarrassing things that is fun to remind him of sometimes :)

I spent the rest of the day in his room with him.  He basically slept and I relaxed.  A couple hours after the surgery, the whole day caught up with me and I had a minor meltdown.  Jason just kept telling me that it was okay, I was just pregnant and it would all be okay.  It did get me laughing that he really thought I was just crying because I was pregnant, nevermind the fact that it had been a long stressful day and I had only got about 3 hours of sleep the night before.

Mommy and Kaezli

That evening, my dad drove down to see Jason and brought a little girl as surprise.  I definitely missed my kids so much that day and it was such a nice surprise.  We got lots of snuggles in.  Poor girl had never spent the night away from mom before, so that week was a huge adjustment for her.

Jason's dad got out of surgery about 9.  Jason asked me to stay in his room until his mom or myself could give him a personal update on his dad.  We figured it would be about 10 when his mom could go see his dad. A little after 11, Jason decided he would just have to wait until morning as he was beyond ready to sleep.  I went back to the waiting room to wait with his family. Chris, Ray and Jamie decided to call it a night a little after midnight.  Shortly after they left, Jason's mom and grandma were able to finally go see his dad for a couple minutes.  Then we headed back to family housing where I immediately crashed, until about 5AM where I was just anxious to get back to see Jason. 

We (myself, mil and gmil) all got up to the hospital about 8.  Jason was doing okay, but obviously he was in a ton of pain.  He asked me multiple times for the keys to the truck that hit him. That morning his dad walked into his room, which definitely made Jason's day.  The first thing he said was, that's my awesome liver.  Jason got a little stressed that he wasnt up and walking but the dr's reminded him that his dad has had a bad liver for so long that it is common for reciepents to have boost of feeling great.  Recipents often feel better soon but have a lot of up and downs, where donors usually just continious feel better once they start. Jason did get up later and walked to his dad's room. It was competition from then on for Jason on who could walk farther.   

The first time they saw each other since the surgery.

One of Jason's turn to see his dad.

I think this was Jason's first time walking to his dad's room.

The remainder of Jason's hospital was pretty much the same.  We watched lots of star wars and hgtv and just talked.  It sucked being in a hospital but I enjoyed  all the time I got with my wonderful husband.  He progressively felt better and better.

Jason got released from the SICU on Wednesday and so the kids came to visit him really quickly thursday night.  We had been facetimeing but it was so nice to see my kids.  They stayed at family housing with me that night.

We got lots of mommy time in which was wonderful!

On Saturday night, papa brought the kids to build a bear to get cuddle buddies.  I snuck away to spend some more time with them.

Kyler got darth vader bear, Korbin got captain hulk and Kaezli got an Anna bear.

Kaezli ended up changing anna's outfit and she convinced papa to buy her some gummy bears.

Elsa was supposed to fly home that sunday and my dad was going to take the kids that night, I would come get the next day.  The kids woke up sunday and had hit their breaking point from the stressful week so we changed plans and had them come down with Elsa to spend sometime with mom and dad.

They all enjoyed some quality time with daddy.

Elsa's flight ended up being overbooked and since Adelynn wasnt feeling well she offered to take a later flight so that she could get adelynn seen by a doctor.  The airlines hooked her up with hotel so the kids and I joined her that night.  

The next morning I took the kids to Jamie's while I went to the hospital for Jason to get discharged :) 

Kaezli was so excited that her daddy was home, she spend lots of time cuddling with him.

The first couple weeks of Jason's recovery he spent in our recliner downstairs as he couldnt lay back completely.  These three spent many of those nights sneaking into my bed with me.  This whole surgery was really rough on them and I was so grateful for how strong they were.

Walks were an important part of his recovery, so we would take short walks around our neighborhood.

Like I said Kaezli was so excited to have her daddy home.  She definitely missed him.

Jason's dad's recovery definitely had it's up and downs. Sadly there was a lot of downs the first few weeks.  Jason called his mom at least once a day to get an update.  He hated that he couldnt visit his dad but car rides were really rough for him and he had to focus on recovery.  At the beginning of March, frozen on ice came to town and my dad got the kdis and I tickets.  I wasnt ready to leave Jason home alone so he went and spent the time at the hospital with his parents.  He definitely enjoyed that time.

And as you can tell the kids, especially Kaezli loved frozen on ice!

Jason has been back for two follow up appts and both times everything has looked great.  :) He went back to work part time a couple weeks after surgery and slowly worked up to full time about a month after surgery.  All in all he is doing wonderful.  He still has days where he over does it and has a long day but those dadys are becoming farther and farther apart.  

His dad got released about a month after the surgery and they stayed at Jamie's house for another few weeks. Almost two months after surgery, his parents were finally able to go home.  His dad is doing really good.  It has been years since he has looked this healthy.  He also has some rough days but all in all the surgery was a success. :)

I cant say thanks enough to everyone who helped us through this surgery.  I recieved so many texts of love.  We got so many meals, some even weeks after surgery just saying they were thinking of us.  Those meals came at much needed times.  I cant thank my sister enough for watching our sweet kiddos.  and for everyone for all the prayers that were said in our behalf.  I am so grateful that everything was so successful with the surgery.  I am so in love with this man and he never stops to amaze me.

Oh and if anyone wants to see the KSL blurb, go here. Fox 13 and KVNU also did segments but KSL's was the best!