One Hundred and Sixty Six Days

One hundred and sixty six days after leaving home for the south Alan arrived back home with a healthy attitude, and a healthy liver. Friday, February 22, 2009 when we drove back into town was one hundred and forty three days after receiving the liver transplant.

Of course, we drove through sunshine until we hit New York -- just about the state line at Bingamton it turned to snow. The lake effect snow lasted for two hours -- it was a very nice welcome home.

The three month check up with bone density scan, MRI and Ultrasound results cleared him to be NORTH.

Settling back in to the routine here. Things are going very well. We'll need to make the trip south for the six month check, and are trying to schedule that around the April school break. We'll then have to be there in July for a nine month check up.

Routine weekly labs will be drawn at the local hospital with information faxed to the transplant clinic for reading and followup. If we can keep the potassium and magnesium levels in check I think everything will be okay. The sugar levels are stable now and he can do a fairly accurate prediction of what his level will be based on time of day, what he has eaten, etc. He has even found some tasty chocolate cookies with a low sugar count that he can eat.

I had a very pleasant conversation with a woman on the plane heading south. She was on her way to visit her parents. Her mom has some health issues with the most immediate focus being the liver now. Hopefully all will go well with them, and what I have learned over the past several years and more intensely the past six months will be of some comfort when shared with others.