We started our wait at 4:15 AM, yes AM!, the waiting room lights were partially lighted and the room was quiet. Around 7AM we began to have company in the waiting room. People would come, smile at others, and usually wait by themselves. Each person having their own thoughts and concerns. Heather, Corey and I had set up our own little waiting area and we watched as people would come, the doctors would come and talk to them, then finally they would leave to meet up with their loved one who was recovering from surgery. Our breakfast that day consisted for crackers, Oreo cookies and water. I didn't feel much like eating, none of us did, we just sat and waited, silently praying for good results.
It was 1:05PM, when this man dressed in surgical greens came into the roon. He was talking to the Volunteer there and I heard him day "Where are the Auger...." before he could say family. I jumped up and said "Here we are". He lead us into a private room to let us know that Eldon had done well in surgery. The liver appeared to be functioning as expected. He informed us that a small complication presented itsself while in surgery. They had discovered a blood clot in the portal vein, this is a vital vein and without it being a strong structure, without this he would have never been allowed to have a transplant. They were able to remove the clot. The plan was to give him blood thinners to keep a clot out of the vein. He would be transported to Shock Trauma ICU and we would be able to see him soon.
Instead of waiting we went immediately to the ICU and let them that we were waiting in the waiting room. Finally at 3PM we were able to see Eldon again. He was in pain and having residual effects from the anesthesia.
The next post will be about our time in the ICU. Again, nothing has been easy and we have had our trials. Yet, we give thanks to our God above and His son Jesus Christ for standing with us as we walk this path.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Waiting for surgery
I have to tell you that sitting in a waiting room waiting for someone to get out from a major surgery is very difficult. Eldon was taken to surgery at 4:15 AM on Monday morning. The transport person told us to say our goodbyes and then she showed us to the waiting room. When we walked in the room was dimly lighted and seemed like a nice place to attempt to relax and wait. As time went on more people came into the waiting room and at one time it seemed to be pretty full. We took up spots that we thought would be out of the way. The furniture isn't too bad if you are only there for a short while but as the hours passed the seats became less friendly and the sitting part of our bodies became more uncomfortable. We watched people come and go and the more they came and went the more it became frustrating for the three of us sitting there.
It was 1PM when a man dressed in greens walked into the waiting room and I could him ask the sweet older volunteer for the Auger family. It was the surgeon. We were taking into a private consultation room and he told us about the surgery. Eldon had done really well in surgery and things were looking really well. He instructed us to go to the Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit on the 5th floor. It might be a little bit before we could see Eldon but that is were we would be for the next couple of days. Finally a little after 3PM, we were allowed in the STICU from 504. Poor Eldon he was in so much pain and not very coherent. That first night was very difficult, he was awake frequently and the pain was 9-10 on a scale of 1-10. Tuesday morning we had so many doctors, PAs, nurses, physical therapist, pharmacists, and others to come in and check out Eldon. I was able to see the incision and I can't believe this scar, it was/is impressive. Because of the need for Heparin he was to stay in the ICU for an extra day. Seems when they got into the liver they found a major vessel had a blood clot. If they hadn't been able to transplant him the clot would have made the vessel damaged and not been able to use it. We would have never been able to have a transplant.
Tuesday night was by far more calm and sleep was possible. I did go home on Tuesday for a shower and check on Wyatt. The plan was to get him up and prepare for us to be moved to a regular room on the 10th floor, this is where all transplants come and surgical patients.
Looking forward to having some privacy. The ICU staff was wonderful. I so appreciate all that they did for us, especially for Eldon.
Later, update on Wednesday and the move to the regular room.
It was 1PM when a man dressed in greens walked into the waiting room and I could him ask the sweet older volunteer for the Auger family. It was the surgeon. We were taking into a private consultation room and he told us about the surgery. Eldon had done really well in surgery and things were looking really well. He instructed us to go to the Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit on the 5th floor. It might be a little bit before we could see Eldon but that is were we would be for the next couple of days. Finally a little after 3PM, we were allowed in the STICU from 504. Poor Eldon he was in so much pain and not very coherent. That first night was very difficult, he was awake frequently and the pain was 9-10 on a scale of 1-10. Tuesday morning we had so many doctors, PAs, nurses, physical therapist, pharmacists, and others to come in and check out Eldon. I was able to see the incision and I can't believe this scar, it was/is impressive. Because of the need for Heparin he was to stay in the ICU for an extra day. Seems when they got into the liver they found a major vessel had a blood clot. If they hadn't been able to transplant him the clot would have made the vessel damaged and not been able to use it. We would have never been able to have a transplant.
Tuesday night was by far more calm and sleep was possible. I did go home on Tuesday for a shower and check on Wyatt. The plan was to get him up and prepare for us to be moved to a regular room on the 10th floor, this is where all transplants come and surgical patients.
Looking forward to having some privacy. The ICU staff was wonderful. I so appreciate all that they did for us, especially for Eldon.
Later, update on Wednesday and the move to the regular room.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
It Happened, Finally! We have a new liver.
Just when we began to wonder if we would ever get the new liver it came. Sunday night, September 15th, at 9:11PM. The phone rings and it's an LDS Hospital number pops up. We are on stand-by, again! It was the 9th time we had been put on stand-by. At 10pm we just figured we will go to bed and see what happens. I had just turned off the TV and the lights around 10:30PM. It was about 10:50PM and the phone rings. Eldon and I had made an agreement if the hospital called and said to come in that he would point at the bathroom so I could hurry and take shower. So he starts pointing and I looked at him and said "Seriously?" It was our turn and the liver was coming from out of state. We were to come to the hospital immediately.
I called Heather, #1 daughter, and told her to call her siblings and to meet us at the hospital. We arrived in the parking lot at 11:23PM. We made our way to the 10th floor. Everything seemed to be happening so fast. My thoughts running through my head of how this journey began and where would it take us. I knew I had to be positive and have my emotions in control. Eldon was so scared, I couldn't act stupid now. My Mom use to say, pull up your boot straps..do what needs to get done and when it's all over you can fall apart then. She was right.
When we walked up to the nurse's desk and she asked how she could help us we told her we were the Augers and here for Eldon's transplant. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. She said he was the healthiest looking transplant patient she had ever seen. It one of those hurry up and wait things. We were taken immediately to a room, then lab work, IV, Chest Xray, EKG, then they did something they had not done before. The nurse shaved his chest hair and had him do this Hibiclens scrub. Oh good heck! this is the real thing. It's going to happen. In the back of my mind I still had this lingering doubt. Maybe they would walk in and say 'sorry, liver went else where". I mean it had happened before, numerous times before. All the paperwork was signed, the PA, Kristi, came in and went over all the details and what was going to happen. Finally, at 4AM the surgical transport person showed up to take him to surgery.
Heather had met us there and Corey was called. It was really happening. He made it from Vernal about a half hour before Eldon was taken to surgery. We said our good-byes and we will see you later. He had tears in his eyes and that really upset me. He went to surgery and we went to the waiting room.
I will write more later, right now I have some things that I need to take care of. Thanks for reading.
Just when we began to wonder if we would ever get the new liver it came. Sunday night, September 15th, at 9:11PM. The phone rings and it's an LDS Hospital number pops up. We are on stand-by, again! It was the 9th time we had been put on stand-by. At 10pm we just figured we will go to bed and see what happens. I had just turned off the TV and the lights around 10:30PM. It was about 10:50PM and the phone rings. Eldon and I had made an agreement if the hospital called and said to come in that he would point at the bathroom so I could hurry and take shower. So he starts pointing and I looked at him and said "Seriously?" It was our turn and the liver was coming from out of state. We were to come to the hospital immediately.
I called Heather, #1 daughter, and told her to call her siblings and to meet us at the hospital. We arrived in the parking lot at 11:23PM. We made our way to the 10th floor. Everything seemed to be happening so fast. My thoughts running through my head of how this journey began and where would it take us. I knew I had to be positive and have my emotions in control. Eldon was so scared, I couldn't act stupid now. My Mom use to say, pull up your boot straps..do what needs to get done and when it's all over you can fall apart then. She was right.
When we walked up to the nurse's desk and she asked how she could help us we told her we were the Augers and here for Eldon's transplant. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. She said he was the healthiest looking transplant patient she had ever seen. It one of those hurry up and wait things. We were taken immediately to a room, then lab work, IV, Chest Xray, EKG, then they did something they had not done before. The nurse shaved his chest hair and had him do this Hibiclens scrub. Oh good heck! this is the real thing. It's going to happen. In the back of my mind I still had this lingering doubt. Maybe they would walk in and say 'sorry, liver went else where". I mean it had happened before, numerous times before. All the paperwork was signed, the PA, Kristi, came in and went over all the details and what was going to happen. Finally, at 4AM the surgical transport person showed up to take him to surgery.
Heather had met us there and Corey was called. It was really happening. He made it from Vernal about a half hour before Eldon was taken to surgery. We said our good-byes and we will see you later. He had tears in his eyes and that really upset me. He went to surgery and we went to the waiting room.
I will write more later, right now I have some things that I need to take care of. Thanks for reading.
Monday, September 9, 2013
September 9th
Welllll, it happened again. On Sunday nights we sit outside with some of the neighbors, just talking and getting to know each other. Last night was no different.
EXCEPT..............as we were walking into the house Eldon's cell phone went off. He said he didn't recognise the number and I told him he should answer it.
I can always tell when it's the transplant team because he goes into this monotone type voice and his responses are "Okay" over and over again. "Alright" over and over again. He will stare into space. Valerie, the coordinator, called and told him to pack a bag, there was a liver in California, if the liver came to Utah it would be Eldon's. The coordinator said she could call us in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. We did manage to sleep just fine, woke with the alarm, got ready for work and off we went.
Around 9AM I encouraged Eldon to call the transplant team and find out what was going on. They said the liver was staying in California. AGAIN?????? we didn't get this liver either. I hope the person who got it is so happy and I hope they live a long and happy life.
Now,when will it be our turn for real? Who knows, it will happen when it happens. I just feel so bad for my sweet little farm boy as we ride this roller coaster. He's not a roller coaster fan. So we wait, we do our best to live our lives the way we should. We make plans and do fun things to make life enjoyable. We also give thanks to our Lord above and know that He is watching out over us.
EXCEPT..............as we were walking into the house Eldon's cell phone went off. He said he didn't recognise the number and I told him he should answer it.
I can always tell when it's the transplant team because he goes into this monotone type voice and his responses are "Okay" over and over again. "Alright" over and over again. He will stare into space. Valerie, the coordinator, called and told him to pack a bag, there was a liver in California, if the liver came to Utah it would be Eldon's. The coordinator said she could call us in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. We did manage to sleep just fine, woke with the alarm, got ready for work and off we went.
Around 9AM I encouraged Eldon to call the transplant team and find out what was going on. They said the liver was staying in California. AGAIN?????? we didn't get this liver either. I hope the person who got it is so happy and I hope they live a long and happy life.
Now,when will it be our turn for real? Who knows, it will happen when it happens. I just feel so bad for my sweet little farm boy as we ride this roller coaster. He's not a roller coaster fan. So we wait, we do our best to live our lives the way we should. We make plans and do fun things to make life enjoyable. We also give thanks to our Lord above and know that He is watching out over us.
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