3 weeks post transplant

Last Saturday night marked 2 1/2 weeks since transplant for Ray and he was able to go out to dinner with friends who visited us here in Durham. He was SO EXCITED and had a great time. Each day he is getting better and better and better, stronger and stronger and stronger! As of Monday July 2nd he is weighing in at 205 lbs and looking GREAT! Monday we went to clinic for a check up and again they were pleased. Rays kidney function was back up to 1.9 so they stopped the lasics, which they felt had obviously gotten rid of a lot of fluid anyhow. However yesterday afternoon they discovered that his cyclosporene level (antirejection drugs) was like 387, much higher than they wanted it so they turned that back down...that should help the kidney function...we will find out on Thursday when he just has to go back for labs. Yesterday morning we went to a liver support group while waiting for our appointment. We met a man who was on the list for 10 hours when he got the call and one that waited 2 weeks...both were o's....AMAZING though right. We also met a man named Jimmy Hodges who is currently awaiting a transplant. His daughter was with him and Ray and I were able to talk with them for a bit and shared our emails and the blog site for them to visit or ask us any questions....It's a great feeling to be able to reach out to someone else like that. I told Jimmy I would be praying for him to receive a new liver soon and for others to please remember him in prayer too as we have walked down that path.

This morning we went back in to clinic however because he had "sprung a dripping leak" in his side out of the staples....it was nothing to be concerned about and they said it was just "belly fluid" still from some swelling that was just trying to find a way out. After looking at the staples again today and meeting with Ray's original surgeon she decided they would be fine to take the staples out and did. It wasn't nearly as painful as Ray thought it was going to be and his scar looks great! He still has some "oozing" out of one side of the scar but they said that should subside in 1-2 days, it would just be annoying....not dangerous! So they put steristrips over the scar for a few days and that was that.

We hope everyone has a GREAT 4th of July. The kids are at Myrtle Beach with Mimi and Granddaddy and enjoying every moment of it! I miss them lots but Ray and I are also just enjoying the quiet and stillness of just being together and in one place! It is nice! :)

Continue to keep Ray in your prayers for his health and strength. We are hoping next Monday when he meets with the surgeon that they will give us the release back to Greenville date...we are HOPING maybe by the end of next week if all continues well!