On the list-----finally!!!

After a long dramatic wait to be put on the transplant list we finally made it!!! He was put on the transplant list today. I am extremely thankful and many people are very excited!!! The official day was supposed to be on Wednesday. They decided they wanted to go ahead and put him on the list today. 

He also tested positive for TB several times BUT TODAY tested negative. This is a very good thing as well. 

Needless to say we have A LOT to be thankful for. 

The only concern I have now is they told me today (for the 2nd time) that I will not get a pay check in March. I also will lose April's and May's check as well (due to time missed for Abel and his transplant). This is a little concerning obviously but someone also told me that I will just have to pay back the money. I am hoping this is true.  Either way God will provide. The birds don't have to worry about a thing.....why should we have to be concerned about that? God will take care of us....this I am sure!!! 

We have so much to be thankful for tonight. I will go to bed tonight with a smile on my face. :) My hope is you will do the same. 

Testing done

Abel is 1) out of the hospital and 2) the testing is done. That is the big news this weekend.

Wednesday is a big day too. The day the doctors meet and decide to put him on the transplant list or not. They have already told him that he will be 1st or 2nd on list when he is approved.

Items for prayer:

1: Insurance will pay
2: Doctors will agree to put him on the transplant list
3: Liver will be available soon.

We had a great weekend and enjoyed attending DEC (Deaf Evangelism Conference) when we could. It was amazing to meet some new people and see old friends too.

That's all the news for now. We are very thankful at this point.

Moved/ up and moving

Abel got up and started walking today for the first time in a week. This was good progress even though he is having to use a walker right now. Hopefully he will be walking more steadily as the week progresses.

He also was moved from ICU to a regular room. The room he is in is Roberts 1421. I know a lot of people will be going to DEC this weekend and want to see him. The address is 3500 Gaston Ave. When you find the hospital you will need to ask exactly how to get to Roberts (there are several hospitals in one). The 14th floor (where Abel is) is for transplant patients and I believe specifically liver transplant patients. Even though he is not on the list yet....he will be and this is where he will stay after his transplant. This is good for him because all the doctors he needs to see are on that floor. The doctors don't have to go down looking for him in a different hospital. He is easily accessible to them.

Friends have also asked for the mailing address to the apartment (not the hospital).  The apartment is

Abel Torres
Seville Apartments
 10651 Steppington  Apt 4059
Dallas, Tx 75230

The phone number (if you want to talk to dad and if he is at home) is 214-485-0736

They wanted to remove the nasogastric (feeding) tube today. They gave him a "swallow test". Basically just checking to see if he could swallow some water. He did not pass the test because he got choked. They will try again tomorrow. If he passes the swallow test they will start him on real food....I am assuming liquids like jello and broths. They also are going to try to clean out his throat to see if that helps the situation.

Very good news today and we are pleased with the progress. Slow and steady progress and very thankful.

I also told Abel about the fundraiser at school (the first time he has been awake and alert enough since last Monday -sleeping until Saturday). He was amazed and VERY THANKFUL (as am I). We raised $1,128 just on soup and sandwiches. Thanks for everyone from work for your generosity. I know $10 for soup and sandwiches is a ridiculous price but many of you even paid over the $10. I don't know who you are but God knows and will bless you. Thank you all!!!

Abel also talked about how much he liked the hospital and the people there. He said the service was great and liked the nurses who were taking care of him as well. Thankful for all of those people who are "just doing their job" but making a difficult situation much easier. Thank you.

Abel told Karla today that he was very thankful for my dad staying with him. I think that is a huge understatement. He doesn't have words to describe nor do I. It has been a huge blessing. Dad is able to stay there with him while I continue to work (as much as possible). Thanks dad for taking care of my hubby. We couldn't do it without you!! Love ya!!!

Awake

Finally, yesterday morning Abel woke up. He had been sleeping this week because of the medicine they were giving him. They needed to give his body a chance to heal from the bleeding in his esophagus. He had a ventilator down his throat but that is out now. He is doing better since and he has been off all blood pressure medicine. Yesterday when he woke up he was very groggy and did not make much sense when he tried to sign. The nurse this morning said he was more alert. They were also calling for an interpreter to come this morning at 9.

Good news

Abel is still sleeping. They took him off the medicine which causes him to sleep all the time. Since 1 (when they turned off the medicine), he still has not woken up.

1. He is down from 3 antibiotics to 1 which is a good sign.
2. He is also breathing partially on his own now. His oxygen level has been reduced so that he is breathing and not depending so much on the machine.
3.His blood pressure medicine has been cut down by about 70% today.

This is WONDERFUL news. We are very pleased with the progress he has made today. Slow day but made steady progress.

Re-hospitalized

A lot has happened since last week when I posted. Here is an update on the "Days of Our Lives"

A huge praise is that Alfredo and Papo were able to come from Puerto Rico. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO thankful for this HUGE blessing. They came and were very supportive of Abel (when he was aware they were here) Karla, my dad and myself. We had a WONDERFUL visit. Words can not express my thanks to these two AMAZING gentlemen who came. I pray that one day they will be repayed for their goodness to Abel and especially myself. They blessed us beyond measure. Thank you Papo and Alfredo for your selflessness!! Abel has no idea how well I was treated but I DEFINITELY plan on telling him when possible. It is such a blessing to be part of a wonderful "adoptive" family. I love them so much . It is amazing as much as we struggle to communicate with the language barrier, their love was shown in their generosity. 

Abel was also very thankful for the generous contribution from the Puerto Rican community as a whole. The fundraisers they have put together and constant support from the family and friends. Abel was honestly overwhelmed by the generosity of the "poor people". They do have a lot less than we Americans in some cases, but their hearts are FULL and running over with love!! Thank you all!!! 

Abel was released from the hospital last Wednesday. He enjoyed Wednesday through Friday with his brothers here in Dallas. Friday Abel's brothers (Papo and Alfredo) went with me to Amarillo to see Karla. 

Valentine's (Monday) morning as I am ready to leave for school, dad texts and says that he has taken Abel to the ER and he is being admitted. I find out later he has been vomiting blood. The doctor decides to do a scope and finds out the bleeding was in the esophagus (yes....again) but in different places this time. They admitted him to the hospital and put him in ICU. They obviously had to stop the bleeding; and wrapped (rubber) bands around his esophagus to help it heal. 

Abel's brothers and I decided to drive back down to Dallas Monday night to check on him before their flight home today. 

They are wanting to control the bleeding by keeping Abel asleep and not allowing him to wake up (drug induced coma). To prevent him from breathing through his mouth, they have him on a respirator. HE CAN BREATH ON HIS OWN...they just want to protect his throat!!! He is also on medicine to stop the bleeding.

All day he has been asleep and didn't even know his brothers or my dad or anyone has been here. 

They say with hearing patients to go ahead and talk to the patient even though they are unconscious because they may be able to hear you. Since Abel wouldn't hear me if I did talk to him, I have decided to touch him every so often so that he knows he is not alone. I massage his legs or hold his hand even rub his face. Something gentle so maybe he will know we are here with him. 

This afternoon his nurse kept saying that his blood pressure was dropping a lot. She cut back on the medicine and the blood pressure still continued to drop. This can be a sign of continued bleeding, so she ordered blood tests which came back fine (thank you Lord). Secondly, she noticed a note where the doctor had ordered more fluids for Abel. Once they gave him the fluids....his blood pressure began to rise again. (another praise)

The medicine causing Abel to sleep has been cut in half today and also his blood pressure medicine as well. Over all a good day and seeing progress with the stopping of bleeding. 

The goal for tomorrow is to take him off the medicine that is causing him to sleep. The danger in that is that he will want to rip out the ventilator (down his throat) but his hands are tied down so that is not possible.

Very eventful few days and truly alot has been going on. I feel horrible I have not had time to update the blog but with family here.....they deserved my attention as guests. 

Insurance Frustrations

Writing tonight I am very exhausted and worn out from fighting with the insurance company about everything.

1.Insurance didn't want to pay for Abel's liver transplant. (2 month struggle)
2. The insurance didn't want to pay for the ambulance to transport Abel from Amarillo hospital to the Dallas hospital. (1 day struggle with insurance then another 4 day struggle with weather)
3. Today insurance does not want to pay for us to continue staying in the hospital for the Liver Evaluation that Abel needs to get put on the transplant list.

Seriously, does everything have to be a fight??? They are now wanting to kick us out of the hospital after they brought us all the way here. Shouldn't they have thought of that before now?? It is very frustrating and exhausting. Can they not do the right thing?

Talking with mom tonight she had a good point. It seems that the doctors office should word everything correctly so that insurance would be willing to pay. Maybe that is the issue and not problems with the insurance. Obviously the doctor's office knows what the insurance company wants to hear, couldn't they use the right vocabulary to get the point across to make it at least "sound" medically necessary??

Time is running out and I am growing increasingly frustrated daily. It's hard because I don't know where to vent all my frustrations the insurance company or the doctor's office. Someone made the comment today that I really have to be careful with the insurance company because we NEED them to pay so we don't want to make them too mad or they could deny payment or something. Really have to be careful.

Anyway on a good note, Abel's 2 brothers came today. It was great to see them and Abel was excited too.

Abel has been placed on a 2 gram sodium diet to protect his liver. This has actually been going on for the past
week while he has been in the hospital. They have him on all kinds of medicine but the biggest change I have seen in him is the lack of nausea. This has been a wonderful change.

I am very thankful for the doctors and the nurses doing all they can for my husband. I have absolutely no complaints about any of them at all. We have met some incredible people on this journey and for that I am very thankful!! At both, BSA in Amarillo and Baylor in Dallas, we have received superb care and those that we have come in contact with have done a fabulous job of taking care of both of us. We truly are blessed!!!

Waiting Game

Still here in Amarillo. Not going to Dallas right now, in fact doubting even this weekend. Doctor said they may release Abel here in Amarillo and we may need to drive down on Monday. Three issues as to why we can't go right now and they are all weather related:

1. No ambulance to take him.
2. Not enough workers to take care of patients.
3. Not enough beds.

I have heard that the hospitals (there in Dallas) have had a hard time handling all the patients and all the surgeries scheduled. In fact the rumor has it that they cancelled all NON-emergency surgeries because they don't have a bed for them. Another rumor I have heard is that they have had power outages at the hospital(s) as well.

There are a lot of things we can't see and we have to be very patient. Today has been a relaxing day. Doctor came in around 10 and woke us up from our nap.Yesterday, Abel was moved from a liquid diet to a diabetic and low sodium diet. He is thrilled to be able to eat real food now.

Dad will be in Texas soon. He is a couple hours outside of Dallas right now. Hope to see him soon. Very excited!!

Abel is currently sleeping and I may go take a nap too. I will keep you all posted as much as possible.

Bleeding esophagus

Well, it's been an interesting 2 days. Yesterday Abel went to the hospital for a scope. When they did the scope they found that he had been bleeding in his esophagus. They put a rubber band there to prevent the bleeding. His blood count was good this morning. He is staying in the hospital and they will transfer him Saturday morning to Dallas.I honestly suspect he will stay until his transplant is complete. Another good thing is that he is feeling well and in good spirits. He has had visitors each day. He has enjoyed the attention!  :)

Dad is on the way from NC to meet us there in Dallas. It will be great to see him this weekend and I will turn things over to him so he can take care of my hubby. I honestly can't miss work to do it...as badly as I want to. I know dad will do a great job too.

Abel's 2 brothers are coming as well. They will be here on Tuesday. I am very excited about that. It will be great to see them and for them to see Abel as well.

Abel is down to 210 pounds. He has been losing weight but his stomach is/has been swelling. He has also been on a clear liquid diet here in the hospital. He has not been throwing up like before. This is a very good thing. Exciting things going on here. Oh the drama of dealing with doctors and insurance companies is always fun.....NOT!!! :) Part of life and we have to do it now.  I will update as much as possible!!