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Send emails to Carissa in care of Sharon at Sharon1992@aol.com. No new update indicates that Carissa is doing well. National Transplant Assistance Fund for Carissa Sunday, January 29, 2006 Carissa continues to do well other than reacting to a couple of antibiotics. They have been fighting Carissa's last bacterial line infection with drugs in the Penicillin family. She has broken out with a rash and had some tightness in her chest with two of them. We are premedicating with IV Benadryl before giving her IV Cipro now, which is controlling the symptoms for the most part. We pray that she will be able to complete the round of antibiotics needed to conquer the bacteria. We were reminded again tonight of how many people are praying for Carissa. The Lord is answering your prayers. It is so wonderful to see her able to enjoy life again, even if it is on a very limited scale when compared to normal. We look forward to the day that she is able to drive her Blue Lightning Jeep to visit friends with the top off and her hair blowing in the wind. Karis is improving! It may be a rather slow process, but there is notable improvement. Thank you, Lord! Wednesday, January 25, 2006 Carissa saw Dr. Bond in the transplant clinic today. He was happy to see that her platelets are going up. She still hasn't gained weight, but is doing well otherwise. We visited Karis and Debbie today. Karis is still in the PICU, but is continuing to wake up. She is able to reposition her legs and arms, and is making an effort to talk. So far, what she says isn't understandable and there is no clear evidence that she recognizes anyone though she appeared to smile a time or two. She happily ate all of the ice chips offered to her and her small bowel is functioning so well that they plan to take her off of TPN (IV feedings) tonight. For more details, go to http://www.aup.org/Karis/latest_update.htm Monday, January 23, 2006 Carissa's g-tube came out this morning, so we had to go to the transplant clinic this afternoon. As Dr. Bond was replacing the g-tube, he mentioned that he had gone to look at organs for her last night. We weren't notified because Dr. Bond suspected they wouldn't work for Carissa, and he was right. But he went to look at organs for her again, the second time in six weeks. That's a good sign! Jenna, our spunky small bowel & kidney transplant friend, is finally doing well. Jenna has had a lot of tough days and some very scary days, as well, over the past six weeks since her transplant. But she is able to sit up and play computer games now, and she wore her Steeler's shirt and swung her "Terrible Towel" while watching the Steeler's game last night. She will soon be moving from the TICU and will wake up the transplant wing (12N) of Montifiore Hospital. Watch out! Saturday, January 21, 2006 Carissa is back to her "normal" self. It's great to see her up and around, making trips to the kitchen to get something else to nibble on and visit with friends. There's a group of transplant friends at the Family House McKee that I have never mentioned. Here's a glimpse of a few of them: Thomas has been here for a year waiting for a liver and heart transplant. He is of Mexican origin, but has lived in the US since he was thirteen. He has stimulated Sharon's memory of Spanish, which has been a lot of fun, not to mention the Mexican food... Frank received one of the first kidney transplants forty-two years ago. They packed him and his identical twin, Fred, in ice before transplanting a kidney from Fred (the live donor) to Frank. They have many stories to tell. Frank is waiting for a new kidney and Fred is his caregiver this time around. Glenda received a small bowel transplant about six to eight weeks ago. She adds life to the party and is a pleasure to have around. Lance, one of her sons, is here to care for her. He brought the youngest of his four children, Abby, with him. Being a spry three year old redhead, she keeps us all in stitches or on our toes. Eimy (small bowel transplant last June) and her dad are back at the Family House McKee. She hopes to have her ostomy reversed within the next few weeks. Eimy is doing well and so is Caroline, her sister. Caroline (four organ transplant last April) plans to return in a few weeks for the reversal of her ostomy, as well. Karis is not at the Family House, but we are heavily burdened for her. Please pray for her and her family. This is Karis' second transplant. The first time she caught Legionnaire's disease after the transplant and, as a result, lost her new organs. She was in the ICU for seventy two days in a coma and she just recently (prior to her second transplant) regained the ability to move the toes on her right foot. Here's a link to her site for the latest: http://www.aup.org/Karis/latest_update.htm Thursday, January 19, 2006 Carissa was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. She's thankful to be back at the Family House and, though tired, is doing well. Please continue to pray for Karis and her family. She has been largely unresponsive the last couple of days. Here is a link to her site for more details: http://www.aup.org/Karis/latest_update.htm Tuesday, January 17, 2006 Carissa had a new IV feeding line (Hohn) placed in her neck today and the femoral line was removed. We are so thankful that they succeeded in placing the line. It is an answer to prayer! Patients with femoral lines are not allowed to leave the hospital because of the high risk of infection. Carissa has a g-tube (for sake of emptying her stomach) that was surgically placed at Hershey Medical Center in May 2004. It is her best friend in that it allows her to savor and swallow food that she hasn't eaten in years. But she had a weird situation this week for the first time ever, two days in a row. Carissa's g-tube clogged in spite of the meticulous system that she has developed to prevent it from clogging. Dr. Costa had to remove the clogged g-tube and insert a new one (slips in and out of her stomach like a pierced earring) on Sunday and, then again, on Monday. What clogged it? A capsule (Urisodiol) and a tablet (Prilosec OTC)! Solution? All liquid medicines. Carissa happily ate a hamburger tonight to make up for the one she missed on Sunday. She's still a bit bummed that she wasn't able to eat vegetable lasagna! Saturday, January 14, 2006 Carissa is enjoying a visit from her sister, Celeste, this weekend. The weather is cold and snowy, so it's a good day to be cooped up in a hospital room, as long as a sister is there. Carissa's fever has stayed down and she is feeling well. She was given a unit of blood last night, and continues to be given IV Vancomycin every 18 hours and Amoxicillin every 12 hours. We believe they are keeping her in the hospital to flood her system with antibiotics before placing a new line. Otherwise, she feels like getting out of the hospital. Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:00 p.m. Carissa's temperature was under control by this afternoon. It tends to rise again at nighttime, but was okay when I left her tonight. Carissa's IV feeding line (in her neck) was removed today and a line was placed in her femur instead. They plan to treat Carissa with antibiotics over the weekend and will attempt to place a new line in her neck on Monday. All of the veins in her neck and chest are occluded. She will have to keep the femoral line, if they don't succeed. A femoral line is at much greater risk of infection and will be used as a last resort. After transplant, Carissa's new organs need time to adjust to her body. It will be a while before she will be able to eat. It is essential that she have an IV feeding line for the first month or more. Thank you for continuing to pray. In His time... 9:30 a.m. Carissa's temperature spiked to 103.9° last night. We are so thankful that she was in the hospital when it happened. This morning her temperature is staying between 102° and 103°. So far, nothing is growing in her blood cultures. We know that the bacteria Carissa was fighting from the last bout with sepsis (was still taking Vancomycin once a day) was difficult to kill. Dr. Kareem kept her Vanco level high in her blood stream, but the level was too high when it was checked a week ago. They lowered her Vanco dose to once a day. It's possible that the same bacteria has grown in her blood stream again. Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 8:45 p.m. Carissa's fever didn't spike the way it has in the past with sepsis. We caught it early and are thankful! The doctors are treating this round of sepsis as a bacteria, though they took blood cultures this morning to rule out a fungus. They have increased Carissa's dose of Vancomycin to twice a day and she is also receiving Amoxicillin by IV. We appreciate the attention to detail the doctor's give in regards to Carissa's potassium level, which tends to drop with sepsis. They have avoided the risk of cardiac arrests that was common prior to Pittsburgh. We are reminded from time to time that there are many "out there" praying for Carissa that we have never met, and so many friends, as well. Our hearts are touched by your compassion and encouraged by your faithfulness. Thank you! Here is a link to Karis Kornfield's website for those of you who would like to follow her story: http://www.aup.org/Karis/latest_update.htm Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 3:30 a.m. Carissa was admitted to Montifiore Hospital about 1:00 this morning. She had felt well earlier in the day, even to the point of getting up and ready to go to the grocery store to find something new and different to eat. However, about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, she began to chill and have a fever. Carissa's comment as I left the hospital early this morning was, "Maybe I'll get my transplant since I'm in the hospital. Karis did." Karis' Monday night visit was made possible by a pass from Children's Hospital. Karis was also fighting sepsis but, thankfully, it was a bacteria and didn't prevent the transplant. Tuesday, January 10, 2006 Karis and her sister, Valerie (visiting from Brazil), came to visit Carissa last (Monday) night. They enjoyed playing Jenga together and we (Wayne & I) enjoyed hearing the chatter and laughter from the room next door. About 8:30 this morning, Wayne and I were walking to Presbyterian Hospital when we saw Debbie, Karis' mom. Debbie told us that Karis was called late last night for a possible transplant. Karis called us a couple of hours later to say, "It's happening!" Debbie brought a customary puzzle (1000 pieces) to the hospital for entertainment and distraction. It was the focus of friends and family that came to visit and made the time pass more quickly. Every encouraging report was relished. Please pray for Karis. Our heart's fervent prayer is that Karis will will pull through the transplant with flying colors. There is always a battle the first several weeks after a multivisceral transplant (5 organs), but we pray for victory. Please pray for the donor family, as well. A lady from the Pittsburgh area who was in very good health passed away following an auto accident. Through her death, she gave the gift of life to several people. We pray God will comfort the family. Wednesday, January 4, 2006 When Dr. Kareem examined Carissa in clinic today he commented, "Honey, you just get smaller and smaller. We need to do you soon." They are familiar words, but we believe he will act on them as soon as organs are available. Bonnie (a caseworker for transplant patients) mentioned one day last week that Carissa's size is a major factor in the delay of her transplant. Most Americans are overweight and their organs are fatty, so they wouldn't fit into Carissa's teeny body. Her blood type is A+ which is common, so that helps. But the size... Our friend Jenna is still in intensive care. Jenna had a transplant three and a half weeks ago, and has needed surgery four times since then. Her new kidneys are working and they hope to be able to close her abdomen soon (small bowel transplant, as well). We are looking forward to the day she can bop down the halls of the hospital once again. Karis is hanging in there! We hope to see her tomorrow and meet members of her family that have been here for the Christmas holidays. Gary passed through the transplant clinic today to our delight. He still looks skinny, but his color is great and he says he is feeling a lot stronger. He had a multivisceral transplant (five organs) last April. It's encouraging!
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Life on a Feeding Tube |
