Another quick update:
Things have not gone well since Greg came to the hospital on Monday. He's actually put on more fluid and they can't seem to get it off of him. The doctors explained that the diuretics squeeze fluid out at the kidneys - but his kidneys are dry as a bone. The problem is that his heart is not able to pump enough blood to the kidneys for the diuretics to work. Between not being able to get fluid off of him, having trouble finding an anti-arrhythmic medication that will work and not cause a dangerous reaction, and the recent heart catherization results, and everything else that has happened in the last 2 months, it is clear that Greg's heart is degenerating faster and faster.
As of last night they have decided to bump Greg up to a 1A status on the transplant list. The regional transplant board will have to approve the new status, but the doctors think that'll happen very easily. They are all really concerned about Greg and don't want to be in a "too late" situation. Once he's officially a 1A he should be getting heart offers and if a good one comes his way, they will take it. We could be looking at a transplant within a couple weeks - or months- even days really is possible. There are risks of getting a transplant but at this point the risk of Greg's own heart in his chest is so much greater than a transplanted heart.
We just heard this news this morning and it is tough. We are very scared. We know that a transplant is a blessing and a miracle, yet it is terrifying at the same time.
At this point we don't know when Greg will be leaving the hospital, or if he'll be able to before the transplant. They just added a PICC line this morning to better control his potassium and he needs to lose 20 lbs of water weight before he can go home. He wants to go home so badly, and I miss having him home so much! But we are trying to be patient, to trust the doctors, and ultimately and most importantly to trust that Jesus is taking care of us - even when it doesn't look that way on the surface.
Greg's parents are coming down for the weekend - and we are especially grateful to have family coming after this emotional morning.
PLEASE PRAY:
- for the diuretics to work
- for Greg to be able to come home
- for us both to get sleep
- for me at night - I'm really having a hard time emotionally when I get home late after leaving Greg in the hospital
- for a successful transplant
- for us to be able to live life again! I looked through some pictures from last fall this morning and it seems like a different lifetime ago that we could do things as simple as carve a pumpkin or go to the Natural History Museum. Greg has been sick for so long and we really want to make sweet memories with each other, our friends, and our families again.
- that we would feel Jesus' presence with us at every moment and know that we are never outside of his care.
Love, Elise