surgery update 9:18 pm

Today was a very long, but good day.  We started out getting up at 3:30 am to feed Claire for the last time before surgery.  We then had to be at Duke by 6 am.  They called us back pretty soon and then we met with the anesthesiologists and the surgeon to go over the plan again.  They took Claire back to start getting her ready for surgery around 7:30 am. 

Finally at 9:25 am, we asked for an update since they were supposed to start around 8:30 am.  They had just started at 9:20 am.  The morning went by really slowly.  The only updates we got were that they were "still working" twice.  We saw so many other patients come and go while we sat there.  FINALLY at about 2:30 pm they called out and said they were closing Claire up.  Seriously, these were the only details we got all day! 

We met with the surgeon around 3 pm and she said the case went great and Claire stayed stable the whole time!  She was able to remove the big huge cysts on the right side of her liver.  Basically Claire didn't have any liver tissue on the right lobe - it was all cystic which we knew.  But the cysts were so big that they went from right under her rib to her pelvis according to the surgeon.  Trent asked if it was the size of a cantaloupe and she said yes.   This thing was huge to say the least.

Since it was so big, she had to remove part of the left lobe with the right lobe to make sure she got it all.  This left the small cyst on the left lobe.  But it is deep into the liver and not on the surface like we thought.  So to remove this cyst, it would take too much of her liver away that it might not be enough to function since she already had to take part of the left lobe with the right.  So the small cyst in the left lobe is still there.  This was disappointing because we can't completely relax.  We still have to be aware that a cyst is there and it could do the same as the other ones.  Or it could stay the same.  No one knows. 

She was able to repair both hernias without making a separate incision so that was good.  And she also performed an inversion appendectomy (sp?).  Claire's appendix was up really high.  It was probably displaced like her other organs from the cyst.  So to prevent it from getting infected in the future, she went ahead and basically did an appendectomy.  So that was good.  One less thing to have to worry about!  But the surgeon did say all of her other organs looked good. 

We asked how long it would take for her liver to regenerate and she said maybe just a few months!  So if by chance Claire did have to have the other cyst removed in a few months, she should have enough liver tissue that she could take it out and the liver still function.  So that was good news too. 

Claire then went to the PCICU since she is still considered a cardiac patient.  She is in the exact same bed space as she was when she had her heart surgery.  She even had a nurse that she had previously had so that was a relief.  Her nurse tonight seems good too and Claire is her only patient.

Claire is hooked up to a central IV (in her neck), an arterial IV (in her artery to measure blood pressure), an IV in each foot, breathing tube, NG tube to remove stomach contents, a drainage tube in her lower abdomen, an oxygen thing on her head and belly, pulse ox, and of course has her large incision.  The incision is in the shape of a big frowny face.  It pretty much almost goes across her whole belly horizontally. 

When we got to see her she looked good except her hands and feet were really purple.  They were cold but they said also she was a little dehydrated and her blood pressure was up.  Later on tonight, they looked a little better. 

They have been drawing labs all afternoon to make sure things are going well.  They increased her pain meds to keep her sedated a while longer since she is in a lot of pain and she needs to rest.  The cardiologist said her heart looks and sounds good!

Visitors today were momma and daddy, Granny, Grandma, Eliza and family, Remi and family, Rev. Berry, Amanda and Colby, Nurse Marie, Nurse Susannah, and Dr. Rachel.  Claire is so loved!  She also got lots of Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and BBMs. 

Our prayers were answered and hopefully Claire can now move on and feel "normally" in her belly.  You can tell a HUGE difference in the way her abdomen looks.  I will post before and after pictures soon so you can compare. 

Follow up will be in about 3 months with an ultrasound with the surgeon and then go from there.  Hopefully the breathing tube and some of the IVs can come out by tomorrow. 

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.  God works miracles each day in our lives and we are so blessed. 

Here are a few pictures from the past 2 days!

having fun at pre-op appointment

first hotel stay

farm girl in my John Deere tractor outfit

getting ready for my surgery

with momma and daddy before surgery

Eliza came by!

So did Remi!  (the picture with Remi's mom didn't turn out for some reason)

Aunt Amanda stopped by before work

So did Colby!

so man wires and tubes, but resting well

Dr. Rachel and Nurse Marie came by too!

Nurse Susannah had to check on Claire too!

Love,

The Scott Family