Hello readers! It’s Paul dropping in once more to fill you in on the latest happenings whilst Ben’s away.
Unfortunately, he is back in hospital a little sooner than we expected. The plan was to have the reflux operation this Thursday however, a problem arose in his routine checkup on Monday which meant another unscheduled stay at Prince Charles.
What is it this time? Rejection. Yes, rejection has reared its ugly head again which explains the discomfort Ben has been experiencing the past few weeks. Whilst we don’t know exactly the severity, the doctors believe after a good dose of Prednisolone, administered via drip, he should be emitted this Thursday afternoon (fingers crossed). If the rejection wasn’t enough, they’re also dosing him up on antibiotics to try and fight infection as well. Whoever came up with the ‘one step forward, two steps back’ rule certainly wasn’t lying.
It’s an unexpected knock back and it means that Ben won’t be having the reflux operation this Thursday, as planned. Instead they’re going to let him recover from this first and have pushed the operation back to early March. He’s probably thinking ‘great, another anxious wait.’
With transplants, as with life, there are no certainties. Yes, people have had them before but there is no clear path a patient should take, they’re all different. Some patients feel ‘fantastic’ and thrive from the beginning, some struggle with all sorts of adversities early on and others have patches of great health here and there. It’s very much a balancing act. Doctor’s are constantly balancing the levels of drugs vs the health of the patient, the patients are balancing the ups/downs they’re experiencing and the families go along for the ride. It’s not always easy and that in itself is a reflection of life. Just know we’re all very positive about the future and this is little more than a small setback in the bigger picture.
One thing is for sure; throughout this whole experience I’ve been truly grateful to have had Dad here. I can’t recount the number of times, just this past month, I’ve selfishly picked up the phone and dumped my life’s problems on him and his always been there for me, either with sound advice or a swift kick up the bum (the latter probably being the more needed). I’ve deeply appreciated it and now, after everything we’ve been through, it’s this last couple of months, more profoundly than the others, which have inspired me to be a better/bigger person. Thanks Dad!
Paul.
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Hello Paul: I am so sorry to hear of this latest set-back with Ben. However, I know he's going to accept it with the same positive outlook and grace with which he seems to have accepted all else. I, too, am thankful for your father's advice and, yes, a swift kick up the bum from him when needed. It's true - you are not the only one getting both the wisdom and the kick!!!! He is a constant source of inspiration for me and, thus, my family.
So, it now looks as though he and I will be having our Nissens about the same time. I wish him and all of you well; always in my prayers and thoughts.
Rebecca
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