Daily Archive

Lea underwent another transport to surgery today, although the surgery didn’t go as we hoped it would. Dr. Mah said that he wasn’t comfortable doing any closing of the wound once he looked at it in the operating room. The area looked good on Thursday and Sunday, but wasn’t as clean as he had hoped for, so he chose to just put in a couple of “huge” drains and let her continue healing.

The bright side is that this delay may allow her to lose more of the swelling in the abdominal area, and might permit the skin to be closed nicely at the same time the muscle layer is brought together. Unfortunately, that probably means a couple more weeks of delay in closing and turning that big corner.

Right now, the skin couldn’t be closed without excessive stretching, due to swelling still present, and it may not ever be possible to pull the skin close enough to just stitch it up. A skin graft may be necessary, and that is not going to be attractive. But, I don’t figure that an “attractive” scar clear across your belly would be too pretty any way. The important thing is that we get her back so we can worry about what it looks like.

Lea had been pretty heavily sedated prior to the surgery, in expectation of a more extensive procedure, and remained asleep throughout the rest of the evening. Dr. Mah said that she tolerated the surgery well, and is expected to be alert again tomorrow. She continue to be weaned off the narcotics, and may be given a different, non-narcotic, medication if her pain level requires it, but it is seen as a short term requirement. Her organ systems are working, and her lungs are recovering. The pancreatitis is gone, praise God!

Thank you, again, for the kind thoughts and good wishes. I can’t tell you how heartwarming and quieting the encouragement has been for us over the seven weeks we have been in the hospital! Thank you for your prayers, which have delivered us time and time again from the throes of death. God has been so merciful to us, and worked so many wonderful blessings throughout this time, it has been very humbling, to say the least.

May God’s blessings go with you today, and through the night, protecting and shielding you wherever you go. May your acts of kindness come back to you a hundredfold. May God bless your heart with true love.

As always,

Larry