Slivers of encouragement

Sara was released from the hospital on Friday and allowed to go back to the apartment in Indianapolis (just down the street from the hospital, but WORLDS away emotionally). She had been in the hospital continuously for almost 3 months, so this is a big deal to us all. Her infection seems to be cleared. Since the current transplanted organs are badly damaged from organ rejection, the doctors are planning to relist her in January for a new organ set (small bowel, pancreas, stomach, colon and an added liver this time to provide added protection to the new organs from rejection), if her strength continues to improve and the viral infection does not re-emerge. Sara and Sheri got a crash course from the home nursing staff when Sara was released and are now a nursing machine. Sara has an appetite and is eating, but her bowel is not absorbing nutrients so she is on TPN again (IV nutrition) to build up some reserve. Sara had a high point at Thanksgiving when her Aunt Elizabeth drove Sara’s silky terrier Ari from Texas to Indiana and brought her to the hospital (with Doctor’s approval of course :-) to visit. Ari was a great surprise to Sara and a big emotional boost. On another note, the nurses and doctors at the Indiana University Hospital are a Godsend. Their personal commitment to Sara and the other transplant patients is far beyond any we have ever experienced. God bless them for everything they have done for Sara and our family. Sara is not yet formally listed, so we hope and pray for her condition to reach a point over the next few weeks to trigger that event. We wish you all a happy holiday and ask everyone to pray for the organ donors and their loved ones who unselfishly give the gift of life to others...m2