Hi, Everybody!

Friends,

Hope everyone at your house is doing just fine! We've come through a very interesting few weeks and thought we'd bring you up to date!

Joe sent out an update around the 3rd of the month to let you know what we were expecting to do that week.  We went to the hospital on Tuesday morning the 4th for a third biopsy and a very invasive exploratory test whereby they would use a needle to look for any bile ducts that might be closing off.  Since his blood count was down some, and his coagulation factor was considerably lower, they opted to hold us overnight to make sure there would not be a bleeding problem.  By Wednesday, they were sure that we still had a rejection problem going on.  After the 2nd biopsy, they had told us that it looked as though there was no more rejection following that IV treatment of solumedral.  Apparently the rejection was not systemic and when they did the 2nd biopsy, it was from an unaffected area and did not show up.  They were all set to keep us in the hospital and bring out the "big guns"-- they wanted this thing knocked out once and for all.  Well, we did too, of course!  But there was one very big glitch with this proposed scenario!  We were to leave early Thursday morning for Tennessee.  After all, Amy's graduation from college was on Saturday the 8th!  They released us Wednesday afternoon, but the doctor's orders were for us to check back into the hospital immediately upon our return from TN.

Tuesday morning, after returning from Amy’s graduation, we checked into the hospital for the infamous OKT3 anti- rejection treatments. Joe received his first injection around 10 a.m. and reacted pretty well, except for the first five minutes. Wednesday morning at 9:30, the nurse came in to give Joe his pre-meds, with the second dose due at 10 o'clock. At that time they sheepishly informed us that the rest of their supply of OKT3 had expired, and they would have to get more from another hospital. That sounded ok to us--the only catch was, there aren't any other hospitals around that do transplants! The medicine was ordered directly from the drug company in New Jersey and didn't get to our hospital until 2:30 Thursday morning.

Joe received his second treatment Thursday morning, and soon after went into some of the side affects we had heard so much about. He basically felt like he'd been run over by a Mack truck--full blown flu-like symptoms with high fever and chills, etc. His other treatments Friday and Saturday went very well. I picked up the children on Saturday. Joe wasn't expected to get out of the hospital before Sunday or Monday, and I just really needed to get the kids and be with them again. They had such an incredible time with the family they were staying with. All the way home, they took turns telling me about all the fun stuff they did. The mother/daughter banquet at our church was Saturday evening, and I had been asked to speak, so we all went (including Micah!) and had such a wonderful time just being with our "family" there.

The cell phone rang Sunday morning between Sunday school and church. Joe had had his fifth treatment, and he was ready to come home! Well, we were ready for him to come home, so we left church right then to go pick him up. We loaded everyone into the van Monday morning and left for the hospital around 6. Joe had labs drawn, met with his transplant coordinator, and had his 6th OKT3 injection. We had hoped that Tuesday would be his 7th, and final injection. The hospital called to let us know, however, that his liver enzymes are still elevated. We will have to complete all ten treatments--each morning through Friday.

A precious friend from church drove Joe down to the hospital for his injection this morning. He has offered to take him tomorrow morning as well. That really means a lot to us. I have been able to finish a mountain of laundry, and write this "mini" book to you all! I know this has been lengthy, but thanks for taking time to catch up on what has been going on with us. And as always, thanks for your continued prayers on our behalf!

One final request, if I may. Joe has a lot of prednisone in his system and is going to be even more "pumped" by the end of this week. That stuff can really have some nasty side effects. He is having some trouble sleeping at night, and is seeing things that aren't really there. When he closes his eyes, he is annoyed by bright colors, etc. The OKT3 has it's own set of side effects--namely, bringing his immune system down into the basement, so to speak. It's as though we're starting all over at square one because of this rejection episode. We would so appreciate extra prayer cover these next days! We love you so very much! Thanks for the many ways in which you have ministered to our family!!!

Marcy, Joe, and the munchkins