Monday, October 16 - 7:12 p.m.

Wayne, Sharon, and Carissa are in Pittsburgh.  Carissa was scheduled for clinic today after a three week stay in Harrisburg, the longest period she has been away from Pittsburgh since December of 2004.  It's exciting!

Carissa is doing well.  Her labs look good, her blood pressure is lower than it had been, and she is gaining weight.  Dr. Kareem is working towards reversing Carissa's ostomy in January.  He  dropped Cortef down to twenty-five milligrams (dropped from 50 to 35 milligrams three weeks ago) and would like to take her off of it totally before her reversal (closing of her ileostomy), if possible.  Carissa is thrilled because lowering the dose of Cortef makes her feel a lot better. 

Wayne will have an MRI in the morning and will see Dr. Kassam in clinic afterwards.  Wayne is recovering steadily, but more slowly than he expected.  Dr. Kassam will, hopefully, clarify what is and isn't safe for Wayne to do in the coming weeks. 

We would appreciate prayer for a transplant friend, Jessica, who will be having her transplanted small bowel removed tomorrow.  She has been in the hospital for months fighting rejection and related problems.  Dr. Kareem has decided that the only solution is to remove her transplanted organs and give her a full multivisceral transplant (including a liver) when it becomes available.  Her body is more likely to accept the organs if she receives a liver is transplanted at the same time.  Jessica is in her mid twenties.

Thank you again for all of the prayer support you have given our family.  We are watching a miracle as a result.