pRE-tRANSPLANT UPDATES
01/04: Plasmapheresis - Plasma Exchange Day 5
The Plasmapheresis stage of the blood cleansing has just completed.
Everything went as planned. However, they will not have results of
the new "cleaned" blood tests for two weeks, so any cross-matching
done until that point will still happen using her old blood
samples.
Noticable today is Kelli's lower then normal blood pressure.
Her "post cardiomyopathy" normal blood pressure is around 80/60;
sometimes her blood pressure is hypertensive at 110/65. But today,
her blood pressure has fluctuated from 79/34 to it's current 89/34.
So, she's feeling somewhat groggy today, feeling pain in her mid
section, which they say is a result of the treatment and they were
really surprised that she hadn't felt that prior to this last
treatment.
I expect as per pattern, that she will progress from here throughout
the day as the treatment wears off. Tomorrow they begin what I can
only call the "sealing up" of the plasmapheresis (because I don't
know the proper terminology). This process is designed to keep
these anti-bodies that have just been removed from reforming. This
procedure will be done of the next two days and then on Tuesday be
released from the hospital.
12/31: Plasmapheresis -Plasma Exchange Day 1
8:40 AM - Kelli is taken for placement of the heart catheter. In
order to proceed, Kelli's INR's had to be 1.6 or below or they would
have to giver her plasma. Kelli's blood test came back 1.6
9:40 AM - Kelli is out of IR and off to the cath lab holding area.
10:15 AM - Kelli is taken to the cath lab for a swan catheter in her
neck. This should take an hour and then she will be off to CICU
(Coronary Intensive Care Unit)
11:00 AM - Nurse came in and said the swan line went in good and
they are finishing it up and waiting for CICU to come and get her.
11:35 AM - Kelli is in her CICU room awaiting the plasma exchange
(blood cleaning.) See pictures in the photo album under
(pre-transplant)
1:00 PM - The Plasma Exchange began and ran for 62 minutes. All
went as planned and without incident
12/30:
The doctors decided during Kelli's appointment this morning
that it would be in her best intrest to come on into the
hospital and let them adjust her IV, do a "tune-up" and go
ahead and schedule the blood cleaning which is medically
called, plasma phareese (fa-ree-se) [I am sure I have not
spelled it correctly]. Originally intended for Monday, the
doctors were able to schedule this procedure to begin
tomorrow, Dec. 31. So, that puts the projected discharge
date for Tuesday, January 6, 2009 rather than getting
started on the 5th.
This procedure will clean the anti-bodies present in her
blood that cause her to fail the donor heart cross-matches.
The doctors did alert us that the procedure can cause the
patients blood pressure to drop. So, with Kelli's blood
pressure already at low levels, they will start this
procedure in I.C.U., not because she is "ill" but should the
procedure drop her already low blood pressure even lower,
they want to be prepared to deal with that should it become
an issue. They have told Kelli that she could spend up to
the first three days of the procedure in the I.C.U. as a
precautionary measure and then be moved back to her private
room to complete the rest of the treatment once it is clear
that any potential danger is cleared.
This treatment will take 7 days. 5 days to filter the blood
and 2 days to run a medicine through her to prevent
anti-bodies from returning.
While this sounds like a lot, the doctors were very
reassuring that this procedure is not as bad as it sounds
and once completed she will not have the cross-match
problems she has had heretofor.
12/29: Kelli will be going for a regularly scheduled appointment tomorrow during which time we will hopefully learn more about the intended procedure and clarify the "IF" and "WHEN" questions. Stay tuned to this site for tomorrows update.
12/24: Here's what we know - the doctors have decided to proceed with the cleansing of the antibodies from Kelli's blood. She could be admitted on Monday 1/5 and the treatment will take a total of 7 days.
12/23: It remains uncertain concerning the possible admission to the hospital for blood cleansing, probably not so much as in "if", but "when" remains the question.
12/22: Kelli was given the news today that she has failed three cross matches and may be hospitalized as early as this coming Friday, 12/26/08 at which time they will "clean" her blood thus removing the antibodies which are causing her blood to fail the compatibility tests for successful transplant. Please keep her and family in prayer this week as she faces this uncertain situation. We will keep you posted as more information is available.
