Today is Game Day

Today is the day we have been looking forward to with mixed emotions of excitement (to get rid of Mr “C”)  and apprehension ( Mr “C” could have moved to other locations.) The Lu day started very early with the skin prep pre shower at 4:30am at Casa de Lu, followed by hospital check-in at 5:30am.   In pre-op or SPA (Surgical Perioperative Area) the Dr’s all came by and commented on how good Daryl looked  and gave the green light for surgery. This picture  was as  they were rolling him to the OR (Operating Room) at 7:30am.  Daryl is READY, physical, emotionally and spiritually!

I knew the day would be a long one, filled with hopes, prayers  and many thoughts of what the news would be.   It was wonderful surprise to have Doug Lu come down for moral support.  He chronicled the day by sending Daryl creative texts, for him to read, when he recovers, inclusive of emojis and Lu humor.   I bring great levity to the day. Also a bonus of free Christmas cookies in the Surgery waiting room!  On a work note,  I did get a great deal of busy work finished. This  included,  five  30 minute timed, manager required videos, with Knowledge Checks with  my favorite question, ‘select all that apply”. Let’s say some Knowledge Checks, took a few tries to get 100% , hence a wee bit longer than 30 minutes

In the  Surgery waiting room, Vicki the surgical liaison nurse, would be giving us periodic updates on Daryl’s progress.  When finished, each Dr. would give a personal update.

In the spirit that Daryl loves baseball, I thought I would explain it  in similar terms of a batting line up

First up to bat:  Dr. Mansfield

He will be looking at the esophagus and the surrounding tissue to see if the cancer has spread. If Mr “C” has spread to the spinal column, the surgery will go no further, and we will need to look at other options.

10:30 –  Vicki gave us the great news,  Dr. Mansfield said tell Charlotte “Everything is a GO!”  What a relief, Doug and  I just had a 100lb weight lifted off our shoulders!

11:20 – Dr. Mansfield himself came out and said “we got it out! Everything looks clean.”  The smile on his face and the big hug was the best medicine. We still have a long way to go but what a great way to start!

Second up to  bat: Dr. Barone

He will be doing the small bowel resection for the transplant. He performed Daryl’s previous abdominal surgery and we are hoping everything is healed and looking good.

12:50 –  Dr. Barone appeared and  told us everything went well. Daryl has some “good looking blood vessels” and his abdominal portion is all complete.

Third  up to bat:  Dr. Halls

Dr. Halls will be taking the resection of the bowel and reconnecting to make Daryl’s new esophagus. This is a very delicate surgery to  reconnect all the previous blood supply to the new blood supply, a critical step in success for the transplant. We are talking microscopic connecting of veins and arteries.

2:40 –  Dr. Halls appeared and said everything connected beautifully, but when they releases the clamps there was some arterial leakage. They  fixed it all up and things look great! Dr. Mansfield will now completed the final closes and putting everything back together.

Time for a long commercial break of silence

4:20  Dr. Halls appeared again and informed us that the vein had done a similar leakage, but they fixed everything up and things look great! Dr. Mansfield was finishing the final close.

Clean up hitter: Dr. Mansfield

5:10 – Dr. Mansfield appeared and said “everything went really well and looks great” Lets say this team hit a HOMERUN!

ICU:

Daryl was transferred to the ICU and I was able to see him around 6:15pm. They are keeping him heavily  sedated with two of my favorite drug friends Propofol nd Fentayl. These will help him sleep and with pain. As an old ICU nurse, I was glad to see familiar  things that will allow monitoring by the nurses, without having to disturb Daryl. (art line, CVP, femoral line) They will be frequently checking his vital signs, blood sugars, blood clotting  and other misc  blood work. Every  hour doppler checks, to  listen for a good sounding “swoosh  pulse” of the blood being sent thru the new graft site. Knowing he is in the good hands of he ICU nurses, this old ICU nurse headed to Casa de Lu.

Words cannot express how truly blessed to know that, today prayers were answered for Daryl.  We know  this would not have been possible without each and everyone of you sending and asking for  prayers and positive thoughts. Today at St Vincent’s, which  is our parish,  the entire school prayed for Daryl in the Mass.  We could feel everyone’s love, support and  will be forever  humbled by  generosity and support of this experiences.

Thank you to each of you and please continue to keep Daryl in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers.