Pops Update #5

Pops is in the intensive care unit over at University Hospital. He's got a bunch of issues right now. First, his liver isn't working (we knew that). Second, his kidneys have partially shut down so they've put him on dialysis. Third, he has a condition called ATN which is a lesion on the kidneys. Fourth, he has pneumonia. I thinks that's everything.

Here's what happens next:
1. They need about 7 to 21 days for the ATN to clear up. They're treating that now.
2. If the ATN clears up, they're hoping that the pneumonia will have cleared up by that time as well.
3. If both 1 and 2 happen, they'll shut off the dialysis to see if his kidneys will restart. There's a 60% chance that they'll start working again.
4. If 1, 2, and 3 occur, they'll catheterize (I think that's the term) one of the valves in his heart to see if it's working ok - or at least well enough to sustain a transplant. There's a small concern that one of the valves or chambers or something is not right.
5. If 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 all occur, he'll then get the ok from the transplant team and will be put on the transplant list. If this happens, he would probably have a liver within 2 weeks. This assumes that during that 2-week period nothing else happens.

The greatest obstacle is the kidneys. If those aren't straightened out, nothing else will go forward. At that point, they'll send him home with hospice care.

So that's where we are right now. Continue to pray for Pops. He's not in any pain right now, just uncomfortable. He knows the Lord's in control and is waiting as patiently as possible. Again, he knows he wins through life and even more so through death.