Praying and Waiting

Not much has changed since our last blog on Thursday. Mark received plasmapheresis yesterday evening. He also received IVIG and some other anti-rejection medications through his IV. His creatinine levels are essentially the same. Yesterday, it was up to 4.2. Today, it is 4.0. The Transplant Team is thinking that Mark's kidney function may have reached a plateau at around the 3.9 to 4.0 point. So, they are thinking of discontinuing the plasmapheresis as it seems to not be lowering his levels as they had hoped. We are under the impression that Mark will will remain in the hospital at least until Monday or Tuesday. The Team will monitor his kidney function without the plasmapheresis. I think they are going to do another scan of his kidney Monday morning. As long as there is blood flow into the transplanted kidney, they will not remove the kidney. I would imagine if his levels stay around the same point and there is blood flow to the kidney, Mark will be discharged to home. He would then be monitored until the point where he will need dialysis.

We have heard of some patients who have gone home and then experienced an increase in kidney function. Sometimes it takes a while for the medications to kick in and sometimes dialysis can "jump start" a kidney. So, there is some hope. The amount of hope seems to diminish each day that Mark's creatinine levels are not dropping, but there is still hope. In March, there wasn't hope for the transplanted kidney to work. So, we are thankful for a possibility of it working, despite how small that possibility may be. We're also thankful that his levels are not increasing at an alarming rate.

As you might imagine, this is an extremely difficult situation. We are trying to stay positive, but at the same time we're trying to prepare ourselves for any outcome. Some moments are easier than others. We appreciate all of your prayers and ask for continued prayer for God's healing and peace.