The internal bleeding has stopped, but Delane did not go back into surgery on Sunday as was expected. The transplant team that worked on Delane had another multi-organ transplant to do, and Delane was initially bumped to Monday. However, given that Delane has done so well--though given this type of surgery he is still listed as critical and is being kept sedated in ICU--and given that the bleeding has stopped, the final step of the surgery will take place either Thursday or Friday, and should take only a couple of hours.
According to the doctors, Delane has anywhere from twenty-four hours to six months to show signs of chronic rejection, where his body will definitively reject one or more of his transplanted organs. That will demand another transplantation of all five organs, should that occur. Delane's prognosis is guarded, of course, but at this very early stage it is more hopeful than we've felt for some time.
We thank you for your prayers and your support. We ask that you continue to keep Delane in your prayers in the months ahead, specifically that his body won't reject the organs, and that he may return to a healthy life with his wife, Terri, and children, Elizabeth Zachary, and Lucas.
O Lord Jesus Christ, in your mercies and loving kindness, spare Delane's life, bring recovery of health, and mindfulness of your powerful grace, through the prayers of the Theotokos, St. John of Kronstadt, St. John the Wonderworker, and all your saints, amen.
Posted by Clifton at October 19, 2004 08:45 AM | TrackBack