Life with the Dunkles

3 year anniversary of sorts...

2011-03-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Good or bad, on Conner's b-day I always remember an anniversary of sorts regarding Geoff's liver. 3 years ago (approximately) I was being induced @ 38 weeks pregnant "just in case" Geoff was headed into the hospital for his second liver transplant.

Although the transplant never happened, I will always remember that time in our lives. I/we are still very grateful for the miracle that my family witnessed.

It's hard to believe we entered that journey 3 years ago.....so much has happened since then. The Dunkle family is in a different place these days. A work-in-progress.

The Big H

2010-12-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

And no, Geoff is not having a hysterectomy, but he is having his hernia fixed.

After all of the surgeries in the past couple of years this is something Geoff has put off for quite some time. It can no longer be put off because the thing is getting huge. He's actually quite excited. He continues to refer to it as a "free tummy tuck".

The surgery is scheduled for Dec. 21st and he will not be able to lift anything for 6 weeks. Sound familiar? Last year on Dec. 21st I was having a surgery too, where I couldn't lift anything for 6 weeks either. Let's just hope Geoff does not come out with the same results. We only need one pair in the family.

I'll be sure to post pictures of the before and after. :)

Happy 11 years you freakin' cat!

2010-09-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm tellin' ya, he's the cat with 9 lives.

Happy 11th Liversary Geoff!

He's never been healthier.

In honor of this day, I will have a drink for you. And I only say that because your transplant was not because of alcohol, but if it was then that would be really mean.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

He's like a cat with 9 lives

2010-06-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Go figure...almost 18 months later he is healthy. It's so unbelievable and we are so grateful. I'm pretty sure it had something to do with the 47 bottles of wine I drank over the last 18 months. Or maybe it was these 2 things we call kids that played a part in it? Who the hell cares where it came from, right? He's healthy, happy, and deserves it.

If anyone wants to spend the night at the Dunkle Miracle house of love....c'mon over your room is ready.

I know we're kinda tappin' out on the miracles over here, but I'm pushin' for just one more. I would like to have a built-in skinny girl margarita machine just appear in the kitchen one day for me and all my peeps.

Here's to another miraculous 18 months.

Testing Day #2

2009-09-17T05:07:00.001-07:00

I'll make this short and sweet....he's normal...at least health-wise :)

All of his liver biopsies looked normal, kidneys looked like they had improved, and blood flow to the liver looked MUCH better.

As always, we asked for some grand explanation. The response was the same sometimes this just happens...

He stays on the list because the doctors see no harm in it and it can always be his "safety net" just in case anything were to ever start to go wrong again.

So, here's to another 10 years!

10 year check-up

2009-09-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today Geoff began his 2-day testing for his 10 year anniversary check-up at the hospital. Today was the more evasive day of the two. They made an incision in his neck (AHHHHHH!!!) to somehow end up with 4 liver samples.

Tomorrow he will receive preliminary test results from the biopsies along with bloodwork, an ultrasound, a kidney test, and a visit with the transplant team to hopefully discuss results.

Some thoughts I am having:

Yeah for 10 years
I wonder what my liver looks like
Here we go again
Those damn kidneys better cooperate
The word jugular makes me ill
I wonder if the doctors will have a better indication of the future
I wonder if Geoff will show them a picture of the liver cake
I wonder how many people make it to 10 years with a liver transplant

To be continued...

You are number....

2009-09-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

75 on the list.....

yeah, not joking. They called Geoff the other day to give him a status update. Um, thanks. So he was at #1 and #2 FOREVER and was never transplanted and now #75. Good thing he's healthy right now otherwise we would be in a lot of trouble.

All is good

2009-07-30T15:25:00.001-07:00

Geoff went in for the full work-up on Wednesday and everything looked GREAT! Blood work was perfect and his sonogram showed no strictures (aka no disease). The doctors were pretty cool and calm about the whole thing and just said "you look great". Again, no real explanation, no theories about the futures, no real protocals, etc. It's truly a day-to-day thing with those doctors. When it came to Geoff's medical I use to always only think BIG PICTURE, FUTURE but you really can't with these types of things. You never know what's around the corner. For right now, we're very happy with the results.

Drag Queen?

2009-07-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you leave mascara out.

Full Work-up

2009-07-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, July 29th (Ava's 4th birthday) Geoff will be headed down to Baylor Medical Center for the first time in months.

He is going in for blood work, sonogram, hernia consultation (it's enormous and I'm afraid it might start to attack me soon), and liver clinic.

Definitely a little apprehensive about the whole thing....I'm sure it will be fine, but there are always dark thoughts that loom in the back of my head.

Really?

2009-07-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

It's been like 8 weeks since Geoff last had blood work. Kind of amazing. He told me the other day he was going to call and schedule it. He also told me that he knows when things just aren't "right". I use to never believe him when he said this, but now I kind of do.

Life is pretty good.

It's all good

2009-06-02T05:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone is feelin' fine.

Blood test

2009-05-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Geoff had another set of labs drawn this week, he was feeling a little rundown.

A slight twinge of fear came through me. No need to worry though because the liver panel came back looking better than ever. The kidneys were slightly elevated...who knows about that one.

The Dunkles are looking forward to a FUN Summer....

Re-defining Normal

2009-05-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before how I've met wonderful people through this blog. Wives of PSCers, patients, pre-transplant, and post-transplant. One friend in particular is Jaime. Her family has been through it all. The list goes on. Lately she was been struggling with 'what is normal'? When people are going through a rough time (including Jaime) their whole perception on what is normal is greatly skewed.

Looking back, I can remember times last year when all I wanted to do was feel sorry for myself. Clearly, it was obvious to others too, because I would get phone calls, visits, and e-mails from people mentioning the "tone" of my blog posts. I'm not an idiot, I always knew that there were people with bigger issues than mine, sicker patients than Geoff, and worse stories, but at the time it didn't matter.

Everyone should be able to have an "I-need-to-be-selfish" moment. In all honesty, I probably had too many.

This is for you Jaime....you're more than entitled to these moments, even if your "moments" last a few days.

Thinking of you in Dallas.

No transplant for you

2009-04-23T17:07:00.001-07:00

Seattle called Geoff today (well, not really Seattle, but you get the point) and said there was no need for him to come in for tests because after reviewing his most recent records they feel that a transplant is no longer recommended. Enter Twlight Zone music here....

They simply said "call us when you actually need a transplant". Um, okay.

Is Dallas just keeping us on the list just to show some sort of credibility or will he really need another transplant some day?

I feel like a drink is in order...for me.

Keep doing what you're doing

2009-04-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Geoff met with the hepatologist this morning and the doc was completely blown away at how great Geoff looked.

He commented on how good his eyes looked, stomach felt, etc. Geoff asked the doc about still being on the list and if it was really necessary. The doc explained that he still has a MELD score of 13. While that's not sick-sick, it's not normal either. So, Geoff will always remain on the list and until he gets sicker (oh, please no) he will remain at a 13.

Again, they encouraged him to continue the journey with Seattle. They feel like there is no harm in getting all of our ducks in a row knowing that everything can change in an instant. May as well be prepared.

Honestly, just hearing it from the doctors again "you look great" is such a terrific feeling. In some ways it's almost better than the whole childbirth thing. I mean that in the nicest way possible. I really do love my kids, but knowing that Geoff gets to be around to see them is even better.

Appt. time & Seattle is calling

2009-04-13T16:42:00.001-07:00

Geoff has a couple of appts. on Thursday:

Blood work
Hepatologist

Geoff is scheduled at the end of the month to go to Seattle to be "evaluated", but with the 'good' news we figured Seattle would say "WTF no point in coming here". We were wrong. It looks as if they still want to evaluate him. They will confirm that sometime within the next week. I guess there's nothing wrong with a second opinion.

A new blog is born

2009-04-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've been patiently waiting for this girl to create a design for my new blog. She is taking forever. I'll continue to wait, but here is the new blog in the meantime.

http://margaritasandmeltdowns.blogspot.com

Read it at your own risk, and if I talk about you...I'm sorry. Sort of.

Blood results Round #2

2009-03-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Kidneys are way elevated. 1.9. Normal range is about 1.2. Geoff usually runs around 1.6.

One liver number was slightly elevated and everything else looked pretty good.

No time to chat. I got some stomach bug 27 seconds after stepping off the plane last night.

Headed to Cali

2009-03-24T18:28:00.001-07:00

The kids and I are headed to Cali tomorrow. Geoff is going on a business trip. A little sad that he won't be able to go with us, but there is a bit of a silver lining in all of this. To even be able to say "Geoff is going on a business trip"...is a little unreal. Clearly, this past year did not involve any trips, let alone business trips. It's nice to know he's healthy enough to get out and go.

See you when we return! And Geoff, go make some money!

The results are in

2009-03-19T05:56:00.001-07:00

Completely normal...well, almost.

His liver numbers were better than they have been in a year. There were a few other results that were slightly elevated, but really in a range that would qualify as his "normal".

Thrilled beyond belief! Here's to another good two weeks!

The new blog is taking a bit more time...stay tuned.

Where's the damn fax?

2009-03-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the blood results from Friday. I guess it's a good thing we haven't heard anything, but I would really like to see it on paper.

Coming soon to a computer near you

2009-03-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

A new blog.

Let me be clear: liver boy's blog is NOT going away, but our lives can no longer be run by liver boy's liver.

Therefore, a new blog is born. I need a bit more time to get it ready though. It will probably be categorized as another "mom blog", which some may consider good or bad. I'll let you decide.

My only goal for the new blog is to be liver-free. I will save this blog for all the fun liver stuff. I can't exactly pinpoint what the new blog will be about, but I can tell you a few things it will NOT be about:

There will be no talk of our sex life. Period.
I will try to keep my love for a boob job at a minumum.
I will not talk about how we do not use toilet paper in this house because we prefer disposable wipes, for everyone.
I will never talk about politics.

I guess that leaves a lot of open topics.

Mr. Carefree

2009-03-12T10:18:00.001-07:00

Or should I say Mr. Careless?

Geoff accidently took his pills this morning, so he was not able to go and have his blood drawn. He called me and said "oops, I forgot"! And I said "oops, don't be a dumbass".

He's going tomorrow....

Blood work

2009-03-10T12:42:00.001-07:00

Geoff should be getting his blood work done on Thursday. A little nerve-wracking.

My little online organ donation campaign is a little slow going. 30 people have registered. Not worried though, I'll start workin' it.

Surprisingly, I've been drinking a little less. Coincidence? Hmmmm.

The rules are not the same

2009-03-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, some of you have asked if you have to register at http://www.donatelife.net/ AND check yes on your driver's license. The answer is maybe....apparently every state is different.

For example: my California peeps:

As a resident of California, you should take the following steps to ensure your decision to become a donor is carried out:

Check "YES! I want to be an organ and tissue donor" when you apply for or renew your driver license or ID card through the California DMV

OR

Sign up online to be an organ and tissue donor with the Donate Life California Registry at http://www.donatelifecalifornia.org/ or its companion Spanish Web site, http://www.donevidacalifornia.org/.

California does not require family consent to carry out your wishes to be an organ, eye or tissue donor. However, keeping everyone informed will help avoid any confusion or delays.

For my Texas peeps:

As a resident of Texas, you should take the following steps to ensure your decision to become a donor is carried out:

Check "YES! I want to be an organ and tissue donor" when you apply for or renew your drivers license or ID card through the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Sign up online to be an organ and tissue donor at the Glenda Dawson Donate Life - Texas Registry http://www.donatelifetexas.org/.

I wish it was simple, but it seems that every state is different.

Donate Life

2009-03-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, this marks the first day of me 'giving back'.

I have created a FaceBook fan page to help encourage and register 500 new organ donors. It's pretty simple, go to http://www.donatelife.net/ and click on your state to register. Once you register at Donate Life come tell me about it on Facebook and become a fan! And if you're gonna use the excuse that you're too old for Facebook then you better leave a comment telling me you registered. I have to track this some how...

Please pass on the word, post it on your blog, send people a link, gossip about it, or do whatever it is you do! There are 305,953,512 in the United States. Surely I can get 500 people to sign-up, right?

So far I have registered 1 person. Me. 499 to go.....

Yep, that is correct...I think

2009-03-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

I received an e-mail from a girlfriend. It said this:

So Erin, It all just went away? Just like that?

I know, it's bizarre. I agree. But yes, it just went away....

If anyone just happened to stumble on this blog at this point in our lives, they would never believe our story. I wouldn't either.

Life is good

2009-03-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Life is very, very good right now. What a difference a year makes.

There is something bigger out there for Geoff and I right now. I have no idea what it is, but I'm determined to find out.

Time will tell

2009-02-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

We didn't exactly get a hallelujah, but we did get a little relief.

It's all pretty simple. The transplant team feels that it is rare to see the strictures disappear, however, they also feel it could just be a matter of time before they return. BUT, at this point, they are considering him healthy.

The plan is to have his blood drawn every two weeks to check for any signs of disease progression and then after two months if he is still normal, it will move to monthly. They were very clear to Geoff when they said "be sure to watch for any signs of liver trouble" (i.e. yellow eyes, fatigue, etc.). There was no mention of coming off the transplant list nor did they ever use the word 'cured', but everyone was encouraged.

The underlying tone of the visit was time will tell.

We're just thrilled they didn't say it was the wrong chart!

Is it Friday yet?

2009-02-26T19:29:00.001-08:00

Tick tock, tick tock.....

My new gig

2009-02-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

Patient Advocate Insurance Consultant Extraordinaire

I've got his system down.

We get medical bills on a daily basis and some of them are from almost a year ago. Who screwed that one up? Anyhow, it's crazy how a provider will send us a bill and then I will call BCBS and they will say "Ms. Dunkle, we paid that claim on XYZ date and we show your patient responsibility at $0". So then I call the provider who is trying to scam me for more money and their response is "Oh, Ms. Dunkle, you're correct. That claim was paid in full. Your balance is $0".

WHAT??? How many people just pay their bills and never know if they really even owe it???

Nap time today was spent going through the stack calling BCBS and then calling the providers to see what is really owed and what is not.

My next mission is to start negotiating the bills that we owe. I got my idea from this article. And yes, there is a little sense of guilt because Geoff did have these medical services performed, but the other part of me says it's okay too. At least that's what I tell myself.

I'm here to help if you've got questions.

Is this a God thing?

2009-02-23T17:49:00.001-08:00

This is the question I have asked myself 186 times since Thursday.

I have hesitated to blog about this because I really want to hear final confirmation from the doctors this coming Friday.

BUT, I really can't hold back any longer....

When Geoff went for his tube check last Thursday we received some very shocking news, to say the least. The doctor said "it was quite remarkable because Geoff showed no strictures in his bile ducts". When the doctor said that to me, I almost responded with "are you f-ing kidding me"? Instead, I responded with "how"? The doctor had no explanation as to why Geoff's bile ducts looked normal. Keep in mind, the strictures are what cause the need for a transplant!

The doctor even went back to his tube check on Jan 18th (less than 30 days ago) and confirmed that on Jan. 18th he had multiple, multiple strictures and bile pooling within the bile ducts. So bad in fact that he didn't think the tube removal was even going to be possible.

We are UTTERLY confused. So, where do we go from here?

Geoff has liver clinic on Friday with the transplant team. We want to hear what they have to say. Is this a fluke? Did they read the wrong chart? A sick joke? Is this a God thing?

Not sure if this is ironic or not but the same day we received a $5000 medical bill. Whatever it takes.

Tube-less

2009-02-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

To be continued....

Hey, it's worth a shot!

2009-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Two family friends sent me this today.

I'm in! I haven't told Geoff about it, but he'll be on board....sarcasm......

The ad will read a little something like this:

Got Kidney?

Even though God gave you two, you can totally live with just one! How about helping out a family man in Texas? Blood type A is what I'm lookin for, but if you're O I'll take that too! Beggers can't be choosers, right?

Come on out to Dallas, we'll treat you right and show you a good time. My wife will throw you the best party ever!

Hmmm...I don't think we can offer money-I'm pretty sure that's illegal. I did have a friend tell me she would donate if we paid for her tummy tuck....is that illegal?

Possible tube removal, tomorrow

2009-02-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

Geoff is scheduled for a tube check tomorrow as well as a tube removal (if all goes well). Keep your fingers crossed.

I guess now that the tube is coming out it's back to a normal, healthy low-fat diet. No more artery-clogging diet for you, Geoff. Ah, those were the days.

No more Taco Bell 3 times a week
No more bacon EVERY morning
No more vitamin D milk
No more half and half as a creamer
No more 3 bags of candy on a Sunday afternoon
No more bowls of Lucky Charms, Coco Puffs, and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch @ 9:00PM at night
No more full fat fudge bars
No more pure unsalted butter on EVERYTHING

The list goes on.....

It's time to switch back to my diet. Bummer for you.

A new plan

2009-02-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

We FINALLY got a call back today from one of the other surgeons on the transplant team regarding Geoff's one hundred and fourteen questions.

Not much has changed:

removing tube in the next couple of weeks
It's anybodys guess on what will happen?
Could be months
Could be weeks
Could be years
The tube could be put back in if Geoff has multiple bile duct infections/fevers, which in that case there is "another" rule that could possibly get him his points back (he would basically have to meet a quota over a certain period of time)
He still recommended that we look into the live donor thing (and, that is still a BIG. FAT. NO.). I honestly think we would consider going to India before we considered that
He encouraged us to stay open to the option for a split-liver transplant. We're on board.
He did recommend that we line up a kidney donor "just in case" Geoff finally gets his liver and then needs a kidney transplant. By lining it up now, there will be zero wait time involved. He can have mine. I will get tested immediately. I just hope we can be on the cover on People magazine like George Lopez and his wife.

I'm feeling SUPER iffy about this whole thing. It's like having that security blanket ripped away from you. I mean, now it's really up to God and His plan. I'm EXTREMELY use to the doctors giving direction and believing in that. Now we have to let go of that, a little bit.

If you'd like to give us your kidney, just leave it in the mailbox. We'll keep it on ice.

Sick

2009-02-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

Both of us.....

I can shake mine, but not so sure about Geoff. When he says "I have the chills" it usually means hospital. Damnit.

Love your Liver

2009-02-14T13:16:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day

Love, Geoff and Erin

EGD

2009-02-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

And no, that doesn't stand for Erin-Gets-Diamonds. Bummer

Geoff will be having an EGD tomorrow.

Check another one off the list for Seattle!

Dinner with a little Jesus

2009-02-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight dinner started out like any other "normal" night...Conner screaming, Ava asking for dessert, Geoff oblivious to all noise, and me gulping down my 2nd glass of wine (my mom was out).

I'm was just about to take my second bite and Ava says, "We have to say our prayer"!!!

Um...Geoff and I were a little surprised. We don't usually pray at dinner, so I knew this must have come from school. Regardless, we were thrilled.

She went on with her prayer and we were s-p-e-e-c-h-l-e-s-s. It was really the sweetest thing I have ever seen. If you can remember back when Ava started school I had very few requests. Adding "a little Jesus" to the mix was one of them. I'm happy to report it has been accomplished.

24 Hour Urine Collection

2009-02-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

How do you explain that one to a three year old?

Heaven help me if I find Ava peeing in her teapot this week.

Sidenote: The test is for Seattle.

Friday Funk @ 7:41PM

2009-02-06T17:44:00.001-08:00

How does that happen? I go the entire day being in a great mood and then BAM 7:41PM hits and some funk comes on. I wonder if it has anything to do with the bottle of wine a la screw top that I've been drinking? I bet that's it.

OR it could be the fact that I'm not so sure about Seattle anymore.

They called today with his evaluation schedule. They want him to go back to Seattle to complete his evaluations in order to officially list him there. I know it's probably a GREAT back-up plan, but I kinda feel like a dog treading water right now. And yes, I know this isn't about me, but sometimes I honestly think in my warped head that I'm the one on the transplant list. Again, maybe it's the screw top wine.

My thoughts are this:

waste of time?
will he see McSteamy?
waste of money?
does everyone still wear those cute boots there?
do I need to go?
is it worth it?
what about work?
I wonder if Nordstrom Rack is having a sale?

It's been a little like Ground Hog's day this past week. We have been going at this for over a year and now I feel as if we were just told yesterday that Geoff needs a transplant.

Note to self: only buy wine with corks.

Status MELD 20

2009-02-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

#7 in Fort Worth

#8 in Dallas

And this is all with a MELD 20....technically he is still registered with that score until the details are figured out. He dropped, not because there were more people added to the list, but because the people that were once behind him are now getting sicker.

Clearly it pays to be sick.

Information Overload

2009-02-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

Clinic is over and we definitely got some information.

Let me just start off by saying how SURREAL this whole decision-making thing is. It's not like saying "hey, turkey or ham for lunch today"? Instead, it's like "hey, would you like to live 3 years and remain healthy or maybe just ride it out and see what happens"?

Here are some of the answers:

Tube in or out?-the tube is going to come out. There is the option of leaving it in, but the doctors feel that not only are we prolonging the inevitable, but we also risk completely damaging the kidneys. And, there does come a point that if the kidneys become too weak Geoff will not be eligible for a transplant, ever. I think the Dr. said something like, "sure you can leave the tube in indefinitely (especially if you don't want to go the transplant route) and just ride it out as long as the tube is willing to last". Um, no. Us Dunkles are risk takers, but even that's a little much for us.

So, the tube comes out. With the tube coming out the doctors feel that we should see a significant change to the liver. We didn't get the impression that they felt years would go by without seeing any damage. They stated quite a few times that "there are multiple strictures" in the bile ducts, so they would definitely expect to see "a jump in Geoff's bilirubin" (simply put, that means the liver would be having a hard time). This risk we are willing to take. The plan going forward is for Geoff to stay as healthy as possible, have weekly blood draws, and to help fight off infection he will be on a constant dose of antibiotics. Over time his MELD score should increase and he will be eligible for a normal transplant.

Donor criteria-something new that we learned today. Every pre-transplant patient has a certain criteria that the donor liver must meet in order for the transplant to happen. For example, Geoff''s donor would have to be on the smaller end (because he is a re-transplant and because he isn't a huge guy), preferably younger in age, etc. If time goes on and Geoff is still not transplanted we may have to look into widening our criteria. I. KID. YOU. NOT. when I say that the Dr. mentioned "donors that were in prison, past drug users...". I think I passed out at that point. Obviously, that is a ways down the road, but I tell ya, these doctors have contingency plan after contingency plan. Unreal.

Split-liver transplant-yes, I still think we are considering it, but right now there is not a lot of information on the entire process. We will continue to find out more as we move forward.

Here we go, ready or not. It will probably be a few weeks or so before the tube comes out. The transplant coordinators want to make sure the "new rule" has already gone into effect before removing.

Very Smart Friend Award

2009-02-02T10:31:00.000-08:00

The Very Smart Friend Award goes to our super smart friend, Greg.

Greg is a co-worker of Geoff (although he is really more than just a co-worker). Greg and the rest of the team at Pro Pac have been nothing short of supportive rockstars.

The entire weekend was spent trying to decide the best options are for Geoff:

remove tube, get sick?
keep tube because it's working?
Drop Seattle?
Stay with Seattle?
how much risk are we taking?
how much risk are we willing to take?
Find a center that specializes in split liver transplants?

The questions/thoughts/concerns were never-ending this weekend.

Anyhow, Greg had some really great insight and questions that we feel we can approach the doctors with tomorrow. Sometimes Geoff and I can't always see the big picture, so it's really nice to have friends that are watching out for us.

Fine!

2009-01-31T09:21:00.000-08:00

Can't you guys see the humor in a little suspense?

There were too many phone calls this morning wondering why Erin has suddenly gone off the deep end and is now teasing friends and family.

Here goes:

When Geoff was leaving the hospital yesterday one of the head transplant surgeons told us that effective immediately Geoff will no longer be receiving additional MELD points for his biliary tube. The region has changed the rules. There is no grandfathering, no nothing. HOLY WOW. Stunning.

One of the main reasons they put this tube in Geoff over a year ago was to "keep him healthy all while remaining at the top of the list". With this tube Geoff has been an automatic 20 MELD, which is very high considering they are transplanting at a 22-23 MELD in Dallas. This "loophole" was our break in the system.

Without the tube, Geoff's MELD is around a 13. A 13 MELD is pretty much non-existent in the transplant world. They actually won't even consider you for a transplant unless you are at least a 15. He will technically remain on the list, but until he reaches a higher MELD he will not even be ranked.

Here are the options (all this will be discussed much more in detail at liver clinic on Tuesday):

split-liver transplant
live donor transplant
Removing the tube and letting his body take over

Well, the split-liver transplant is something that we would consider. According to the doctor you move up the list quicker because basically you are willing to "share" the organ with a pediatric patient. Unbelievable, I know.

The live donor transplant is NOT an option that Geoff would ever consider. Let me be blunt about this: asking someone to donate part of their liver is not nearly as simple as someone donating a kidney. There are too many unknowns. At this point, I would not even be willing to donate my liver. We are not at that place right now to even consider it.

Removing the tube is definitely going to be the next step. Geoff can not continue to use this "band-aid" because it will never get him the transplant that he needs.

We have come to the realization that Geoff will have to get sick in order to get this transplant. This whole idea of him walking into the transplant healthy is probably not going to happen. We are okay with all if this. It is only fair that he waits his turn like everyone else.

We have no idea how this will unfold. Geoff could have his tube removed and be perfectly fine for 2 years OR it could be removed and within months things could start to deteriorate. We have absolutely no idea.

So, our strategy has completely changed. We will know more on Tuesday after clinic.

Are you as stunned as we were?

You're never gonna believe this

2009-01-31T05:55:00.000-08:00

No less than 3 hours after receiving the great news of no cancer we received some other news.

It's almost too unbelieveable to share. Honestly.

I will share the news on Monday.

I can tell you what it's not:

I'm not pregnant
Geoff did not get his transplant

I am so, so happy to have Geoff home.

Dodged that one

2009-01-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

No cancer!!!

All preliminary reports are negative and he gets to go home today!

Thank-you to everyone! Our prayers were answered.

CT time

2009-01-30T05:38:00.001-08:00

The CT is scheduled for 9:45 AM this morning. His creatine has pretty much remained the same, but the kidney doctors feel like it is okay to proceed. We should have all test results today.

Stay tuned.

Update and BIG thanks

2009-01-29T09:04:00.001-08:00

Let's get to the most important issue of the day....I am NOT entering the 30 club. Today is the big 29! To all my girls in that club: I love ya, but I'm still rockin' the Forever 21 club for now.

And thank-you to sweet liver boy. I've yet to shed a tear this week, but I'm pretty sure there was a little one this morning. I love you.

So the real news of the day. Geoff's creatine is at 1.5. Yay God! The doctors want to see it a little lower before going ahead with the CT scan. We're hopeful that it will be this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

Happy Birthday Erin!

2009-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday To My Amazing Wife,

I am thinking of you and wanted the rest of the blog fans to know it is your birthday! I cannot believe this is the seventh time we have celebrated your special day together but this time I am stuck in the hospital.

Regardless of where I am, you need to know that you are amazing, you are very special and you do mean everything to me. I love you. I love our family. I love our life. You deserve so much and I hope that I give you everything that you are looking for (and more).

Have a special day and I will look forward to seeing at some point today.

Much love,

Geoffrey

Update #2

2009-01-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

Not much to say...he is getting lots of rest and working from his bed with laptop in hand. He is always the favorite patient on the 14th floor. He is so respectful to all the nurses....it really goes along way with them. They are drawing some blood tonight so they can check the kidney levels.

Here's hoping something under 1.9!

Update #1

2009-01-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

So, we are here. Roads were icy, but manageable. It started off a little iffy because they said they weren't going to admit him "for a couple of hours" because they didn't have enough staff (because of the icy roads).

Not gonna fly with Erin. We marched upstairs to the transplant office and within 5 minutes we were tucked into a room. You gotta work it people, you gotta work it. I was very nice about the whole thing.

Doctors made the rounds and not much has changed. Priority #1 is to get his kidneys back to a normal level. Once the kidney levels are down THEN they will perform the CT scan.

I emphasized to both transplant doctors that I was very anxious to see the results of the CT scan. I told them both I CANNOT handle googling "liver and lung nodules" anymore.

To be continued.....

Ice or not

2009-01-28T04:40:00.000-08:00

We're headed out this morning hoping to get to the hospital and get settled before the doctors make rounds this AM. The beautiful Dallas ice storm is making it a little difficult to make it there in a timely manner.

Some good, some bad

2009-01-27T13:18:00.001-08:00

Tumor marker was NEGATIVE! The transplant team said it's still not 100% indicitive of no cancer (CT will help confirm this) , but definitely a step in the right direction

His kidney function is still very high (1.9) so they are admitting him into the hospital tomorrow. They are hoping to get his kidney levels back down so they can perform the CT and MRI.

I find it very ironic that he continues to get sicker yet they keep pulling him off the list.

Sidenote to my ladies (or anyone that watches The Real Housewives of OC): I feel a Gretchen coming on for Thursday night. Who's going to be Tamra and say "you went to Bass Lake"????

Bloodwork today @ Noon

2009-01-27T04:48:00.001-08:00

In the midst of a Dallas ice storm Geoff is headed to Baylor today @ noon for bloodwork. Hopefully we can have some answers by end of the day.

Thank-you everyone for your kind thoughts, e-mails, and calls.

Oh boy

2009-01-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

After the fiasco at the hospital this weekend, we were determined to get some answers today. Main question being: why was he having a CT scan to begin with?

Well, we got that answer and a whole lot more.

Problem #1

The reason for the CT scan was to follow-up on a nodule they found on Geoff's lung back in Oct. (and no, we did not know about this nodule until today). I'm actually glad they didn't tell us about this because we would have worried about it for the last 3 months. Anyhow, so it's standard protocol to follow-up with a CT scan three months later. But, all of the above is still unanswered.

Problem #2

When they did the ultrasound on Sat. to check on the hepatic thrombosis they found a significantly larger nodule (the size of a grape) on his liver. Freaking great, right?

What does all this mean? Because a nodule was found on the liver Geoff was immediately deactivated from the list until further tests are run. The doctor said it could be nothing or something. I probably don't have to tell you all that cancer is the unknown here.

Next steps:

tomorrow Geoff will go in for a blood test to see if his kidneys have improved in order to run the CT scan (lung) and MRI (liver),
tomorrow Geoff will have a tumor marker blood test to determine whether he is carrying a cancer marker
If kidney levels are back to "normal" he will be scheduled for the CT and MRI probably next week or later this week

On a side note, I'm not exactly sure why we're not feeling anything right now. It could be that NOTHING shocks us anymore or that this too shall pass.

Such kidney confusion

2009-01-24T17:17:00.000-08:00

Geoff was scheduled for a CT scan today. He took the pre-meds and headed to the hospital. He was all ready to go and on the table when the radiologist came in and said " Mr. Dunkle, your creatine is 1.9 so we are not going to perform the test". Apparently they do some sort of a prick test on the finger to test the kidney function right before the procedure. The dye that is used during the surgery can be damaging to the kidneys. A normal creatine level is anywhere between 0.6 -1.1.

Anyone who has followed our story knows that Geoff has always had kidney issues, but 1.9 is even high for Geoff.

So what does all this mean? Nothing right now. They went ahead and did an ultrasound instead of a scan. It isn't as accurate, but at least it's something. The original reason for the scan was to check on Geoff's hepatic thrombosis which is the main reason for the liver transplant.

The doctor said that his creatine could be elevated from the tube check he had two days ago(they inject the same dye). So it's possible that the dye has not worked itself through the body yet.

To be continued......

Showing our support

2009-01-23T11:51:00.000-08:00

Screw HIPAA

2009-01-22T18:23:00.000-08:00

I should probably ask these people if it's okay to share their story...sorry M & B.

I have dreamt about this moment for so long. I must have read this post 4 times.

http://thirdchanceatlife.blogspot.com/2009/01/looking-backthe-call.html

What an awesome feeling!

This has been a really hard week

2009-01-21T13:11:00.001-08:00

The VERY cool thing about this week: I've realized that it's not just family and my neighborhood gals reading this blog, but actual strangers are finding there way to it.

The VERY hard part: just when I think I've heard the worst, another story comes along.

Not sure what it is about this week in particular, but I have had several strangers reach out to me with their stories. I'm so sad for each and every one of them.

I love how God is constantly putting things into perspective for me. I think this week he is trying to say "Hey dumbass (probably wouldn't actually say ass), you're not the only one dealing with a crisis. There are other people besides you in this world. Help them. Teach them. Respect them".

Other than keeping the friends and family informed, my hope for this blog was to get people to open their eyes to organ donation. To realize that not everyone who is waiting for a transplant is 75 years old. Young people, old people, babies are waiting. People die every day waiting on the list that Geoff has been waiting on for 9 months. I hope that my blog will continue to inspire people.

So thank-you to everyone that has shared their story with me. You have humbled me. I hope that everyone single one of you end up with a happy ending.

Seattle called and he met with hot trainer

2009-01-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Seattle called the team @ Baylor and basically requested some information. I'm a little pissed off that the process is taking so long, but that's just the way it goes...I guess.

Geoff met with hot trainer this morning. He was back home by 6:59AM. He told me he was going to meet with her 2x/week. I don't even think Geoff and I meet twice a week?! He may think he's meeting with her 2x/week, but I'll remind him tonight that we aren't living like the stars in Hollywood, so settle down.

Oh, and Ava told me the other day "when I grow-up and get big like a mommy, I going to be a doctor and wear lots of mommy make-up". God bless her.

The Coop

2009-01-18T15:45:00.001-08:00

The Cooper Center that is...

Before we moved to Dallas, I had never heard of the Cooper Center. Apparently, Dr. Cooper is well-known and he's so great he opened a place called the Cooper Center.

The Cooper Center is not just a gym. It's kind of like taking a little bit of a hospital, a little bit of the 4 Seasons hotel, a little bit of a country club and then adding a spa, tennis courts, an olympic size pool, an indoor running track, a cafe AND that's what the Cooper Center is. Impressive, right?

The whole idea behind this was to join the Coop after the transplant to help with the rehabilitation and physical therapy aspect of Geoff's recovery (they have all of those services in-house and I'm really hoping to try and figure out a way for good ol' Blue Cross to chip in).

But now we think it would be beneficial to have Geoff join before the surgery to try and get in the best possible shape (and because I'm the wife, I get to join too).

Now don't go getting crazy thoughts in your head...picturing things like Geoff in a cut-off shirt, Geoff lifting weights, or Geoff taking Pilates....none of that.

On Tuesday morning he is having a fitness test to "assess" where he is at. I met his trainer the other day at my assessment. Note to self: hot trainer should not perform fitness test on husband. Then I thought to myself "he does have a biliary tube, so maybe she won't be that interested". Anyhow, she is hot. Hopefully that will keep him motivated. I find it odd that the medical director of the Coop recommended her to work with Geoff before the transplant. Hmmmm......

Status

2009-01-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

#3 in Fort Worth

#4 in Dallas

I'm sorry, have you misplaced our number?

2009-01-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE! Call back. I'm getting very impatient. Even though my husband will be #367 on your list, I would still like him on the list. Okay?

One year ago today

2009-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that 1 year ago today we were told that Geoff needed a liver transplant.

Flashback...

I was 6 months pregnant.

Geoff was in the hospital for what we thought was pneumonia.

And that's when they told us, "Geoff, you have multiple, multiple scritures in your bile ducts. You need another transplant".

I will never forget that moment for as long as I live.

I remember looking at Geoff. There was such a look of fear.

I'm pretty sure I blacked-out at some point.

*****

I can remember leaving the room to call our good friend, Tim (T & J were such a huge part of Geoff making it through his 1st transplant). I think the conversation went something like this:

*****

Me: Tim! They said he needs another transplant! I can't do this, we can't do this, I can't do this!

Tim: Erin, you're going to do this. You need to calm down. You need to be strong for Geoff. We are all going to get through this. This is just another bump in the road. Geoffrey is strong.

Me: Okay. Okay. Alright.

It was such a simple conversation, but it struck so many chords that day. It meant so much to me (and now Geoff) to know that we had a support system already in place. I now know-we will get through this.

A HUGE thanks to everyone that has supported us this past year. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. Just stick with us a little longer....

We'll be makin' bile in a little while.

You look so good

2009-01-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Those are the words that Geoff heard today at liver clinic.

It seems to be a common theme the last few months. I'm not complaining, but at times it's hard to hear. The doctors did a little once over-said his bloodwork looked good, and sent him on his way. He didn't get a status update but I imagine he is somewhat in the same range as Monday. It's all good. Moving. on. with. our. lives. Remember?

Somewhat on the same note...my girlfriend today (LB) said to my other girlfriend (KS) that Geoff is really good about "not pulling the liver card". EVER. I totally have to give credit where credit is due-Geoff has never really played that card and I am thankful for that. BECAUSE we all know that I would play that card so many times they would probably have to take me off the transplant list just so I would stop sucking the life out of everyone around me. Examples?

Oh, I see that you don't have a leg. You want that handicap spot? Oh I'm sorry, but I need a liver transplant.
Excuse me, ms. saleswoman? I see that it's 20% off today-how about 30% for me because I need a liver transplant?
Um yes, I understand that I'm not 65 years old, but I still would like to go ahead and collect social security. And yes, I do know that I'm 28 (soon-to-be-29), but I'm in need a of a new liver.
You want my mortgage payment? Oh, I see. Apparently you didn't get the note from my doctors excusing that kind of thing. I need a liver transplant.

Thank-you Geoff for not being that person. We all recognize it and appreciate it, but don't think for a second that I am granting that request of a TV in our bedroom. You know-the one that you said you really needed (was it 57'?). Don't be that guy. Don't play that card.

Liver Lovin

2009-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

I still crack up when I see it! I love our new "look"!

1st status of 2009

2009-01-06T02:46:00.000-08:00

#4 in Fort Worth
#5 in Dallas

Sidenote: I found a girl a few months back that creates blog designs. Her designs completely embrace by sense of humor (scary, I know). Geoff and I were laughing so hard last night when she showed us our new design. Stay tuned.

Our Song

2009-01-05T17:05:00.001-08:00

Last night we picked "our" song for 2009.

Okay, not that we did one for 2008, 2007, 2006, or any other year for that matter, but it sounded like a good idea at the time.

He's LaVerne and I'm Shirley.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work I go...

2009-01-04T16:45:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I am officially back in the office 3 days a week with my company.

And because it is my blog, here is a shameless little plug: "if you're looking to work with a great interactive agency that has been in Dallas for over 12 years and you want a really awesome website then come check us out @ http://www.netsuccess.com/"!

I'm off to go pack my lunch now.

Moving on

2009-01-02T12:32:00.001-08:00

No New Year's resolutions for me, but Geoff and I did decide together that this year we will be moving on with our lives. Last year we sat around waiting and waiting for that damn call. A little flashback....

Oh Hurry! Quick! Get induced 2 weeks early because we might get the call! Um....Conner is almost 1.
Oh no! We should not take the kids to Seaworld what if we get the call??? That was in May.
"Erin, I think it's best you don't go back to work for a while because what if we get the call? You'll have to leave them high and dry"? Um, longest maternity leave EVER. I start back to work on Monday.
Quick! Hurry! Hurry! Let's get that $18 dollar blanket at Costco! It will be perfect for you when you're in the hospital. That was June.
Go now!!! Get to the Dollar Tree and buy those toiletries! We're #2 on the list. That was September.
Who cares if your jeans are too big!! So you lost a little weight...no need to buy any because you're #1! That was November.
Christmas in the hospital.....I can't beleive it! It's January 2nd 2009 and we spent Christmas at home.

You get my point?

We've caught onto this little game. No matter what 2009 brings we are going to move on with our lives. Don't get me wrong, we'll still accept the call. We're just not going to sit around waiting for it.

An exciting start to a new year

2009-01-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

4 weeks ago when Geoff and I were returning from Seattle, I was contacted by a reporter from the Dallas Morning News.

He contacted me through a site that I often read http://www.therealhousewivesofcollincounty.com/

It's a trashy site that I like to read. Yes, I tend to sometimes like juicy, trashy stuff. He wanted my opinion on what I thought of the site. I had no problem sharing my thoughts. He had read my blog and asked if it would be okay to mention it in the story, if there was room. Why not, right? Maybe it's not the "typical" way to create organ donor awareness, but it's awareness none-the-less.

It was a front page story in the paper today...and the Dunkles got a little mention. Check it out!

It started out really normal

2009-01-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

7 couples + 14 kids = who's-the-idiot-who-decided-this-would-be-a-good-idea?

The story begins...

You know it's gonna be a good party when someone wears these!Just hanging out with my BFF
The happy couple!
Still under control.....
Guitar Hero was the start of our problems....it really distracted the adults.
Feelin good
Again, the Guitar Hero warping the minds of the adults...who's watching the 15 kids?
Oh! There's one of them!
Poor Julie....(for the record, I was LAUGHING my ass off).No caption needed.
Kids? Mom? Dad?
And.....were done!

Honestly, one of the best nights we've had in a long time. We have the greatest friends ever. BUT, next year I think we all decided on babysitters and out to dinner instead.....

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T22:13:00.000-08:00

The last of the partygoers just left the house....

I never would have imagined a party like this tonight. Just wait. I have pictures. But for now, I MUST go to bed.

Status

2008-12-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Oh 2009 where are you??

#4 in Fort Worth

#5 in Dallas

Nope, not a typo.

Cool Story

2008-12-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

So I've actually met a lot of new friends through this blog. It's been very, very cool. Most of them have stumbled on this blog just like I have done to other blogs (the late night googling sessions for "liver blogs"). It's been really great to know that there are other individuals out there in similiar situations. A lot of them have helped me when I was feeling very discouraged.

One gal in particular contacted me through the blog when Geoff and I were in Seattle. Her name is Kristina. Oh, and don't worry she totally gave me permission to talk about her as long as I didn't mention how drunk she got the first time we met. Totally kidding.

Anyhow, she was recently diagnosed with PSC and found my blog. One of the cool things about this whole story is that she lives in Dallas and has 2 young kids. So, we e-mailed a couple of times and decided that we should totally get together for dinner.

We met last week and it was an absolute blast! I kind of felt like I was going on a blind date...with a girl. I was nervous. I even called a friend of mine and said "okay, if I disappear I was last seen at Mi Cocina". The really cool part about this entire thing is that we had so much in common, so there was no need to worry that she might try and kidnap me.

She's 5'10-me too!
Her daugther's name is Ava-me too!
She had a super cute outfit on-me too!
She loves Nordstrom Rack-me too!
She had the exact same necklace on that I got for Christmas! Weird!

I know this is all completely useless information to all of you, but remember this was a complete stranger up until a week ago.

Most importantly though, I hope that I was able to share with her that there is life after transplant (not that I've had one or anything...but you get the point) and if you have a great support system you can get through anything.

Reflection Part #1

2008-12-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

Just go with it.

2008 was a fun/shitty/happy/exciting/trying/overwhelming year.

The last couple of days all I could think about is how much 2008 sucked. AND then it dawned on me....HELLO I had Conner in 2008. So then the guilt really set in. How could it be such an awful year when I had that sweet, sweet boy (the whole birth part wasn't sweet-sweet but you get the point).

Remember this?

Back to my reflection.

So, 2008 was not a bad year (entirely). We were blessed with a miracle and now were just waiting on another. There's not like a 1-miracle-per-family maximum, right? Or maybe it's like a flex-spending account where it just starts all over the next year? Either way, we were blessed this year.

Besides the birth of Conner being a huge highlight we also survived another year with mini-me (aka Ava). This year more than ever Geoff and I realized how much she is like me. Yikes. This girl will have no problem holding her own in Kindergarten. I have to say, I'm pretty proud.

And now...this is the girl who will be teaching your daughter how to sneak of the house out at night.

That's enough reflection for now. I'll be back.

Merry Christmas Y'all

2008-12-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

Church last night with the Clarks!
The "before"

Very, very in to it.

The "after"

I totally gave up on the wrapping and just started putting bows on everything. I even resorted to wrapping Geoff's gifts in one big J Crew bag.

Conner was up first!

The calm before the storm.

This was me following Ava around going "do you like it, do you like it"? I wanted HUGE reactions...

Inspecting the leftover reindeer food. Yes, I know, my outfit is super hot.

The $10 Hannah Montana make-up set which turned out to be the biggest hit!

Still not overwhelmed....

Conner LOVED his stuff. Geoff was excited to get some boy toys in the house.

And here's Grandma!

I've declared a winner

2008-12-23T07:02:00.001-08:00

Whether I like it or not, 2009 is only a mere 8 days away. Wow.

Now, about the winner part. This was a recent submission for the liver naming game. It's definitely a winner in my books. Big thanks to Erik S.

We'll be making bile in a little while

The journey continues 09'

Status

2008-12-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

#3 in Fort Worth
#4 in Dallas

It's the holidays. No sense in getting mad. I think about the families who will lose someone this holiday season. The true meaning of an organ donor becomes a scary reality.

And now you can officially call me...Debbie Downer.

Tagged

2008-12-19T05:28:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged by Lisa to post the 4th picture in the 4th file of my digital photo storage.

You've got to be kidding me.

Anyone who knows me KNOWS I will only post good pictures of myself. Why would I want you to picture me any other way? My secret is out.

This picture was taken by Geoff one morning when he thought it would be funny to have the kids and the dog wake me up. Somehow I'm not laughing right now.

I've tagged Lori, Holly, and Jaime.

It's time to party

2008-12-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

Our week of parties start tonight:

Wednesday: Geoff's work party. I'll get the let's-not-have-too-much-to-drink-in-front-of-my-boss talk before we go. I'll nod my head and then go about my merry way. I promise it won't be like the year I accidently tried to break in to the valet guy's car.

Thursday: My work Christmas party. I'll behave there.

Friday: 3rd or 4th Annual (?) Christmas Lights Dinner with the Bettencourts. The first year the girls were just 5 months old and the guys drove us to a bar after dinner. We ran inside, did a shot of tequila, and ran back out to the car. It's not like we were going to take our babies in the bar with us.

Saturday: My 3rd Annual Cookie Exchange with the neighborood gals. This ain't your momma's cookie exchange. This year were all fired up because last year half the party was pregnant.....and that spells b-o-r-i-n-g.

Museltov!

Status

2008-12-15T15:24:00.000-08:00

#2 in Fort Worth
#3 in Dallas

Just a little more of the same. Not bitter, at all. Actually, I am counting my blessings today.

Croup, croup, and some more croup

2008-12-14T04:33:00.000-08:00

I thought croup only existed in the 1920's?

I have two barking seals also known as Ava and Conner. Geoff is walking around the house with a hospital mask on like we are on the brink of a SARS epidemic and I am praying that I don't get sick because I have 3 Christmas parties this week (that I would like to drink at).

Dammit.

We are home

2008-12-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

Hip-hip-hooray!

Back to reality.

I found you

2008-12-11T08:35:00.003-08:00

We paged the doctor this morning. Here is what she said:

Yes, they would accept his case
They do not think the board will grant additional points
They are going to write of letter of inquiry to the review board just to make sure
If the letter fails, we are still going to get listed here with the MELD of 14 just to have a back-up
After looking at his liver yesterday they do feel that a re-transplant is necessary (his upper bile ducts are deteriorating significantly, BUT his tube has done an excellent job of keeping the blood flow going).

That's it. We are headed to the airport in 30 minutes. So long Seattle-maybe we'll see you soon.

Doctors didn't call...I am hunting them down tomorrow

2008-12-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

Is that you McSteamy?

2008-12-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

Oh, sorry....nevermind, it's another woman doctor.

I am feeling very Seattle-ish as I sit here at UW with my huge cup of coffee, my tucked-in jeans with boots (EVERYONE is doing it here) all while I blog to you guys.

Geoff's procedure was scheduled @ 8:00AM and it looks as though he was taken in on-time. So far, so good. This day should bring a lot of answers. At first we were discouraged, but now we are looking at it in a different light (with the help of some friends). A couple of things:

At least we can check the box on this one. No regrets.

We will get a second opinion. Nothing wrong with that. Looking back maybe it was something we should have done anyways.

Our thoughts this morning: maybe it's not a bad thing to get listed her regardless of the low MELD. What happens if Geoff's "natural" MELD shoots up to a 19 in the next two months and he still hasn't been transplanted in Dallas? At least our bases will be covered and UW could still come through.

The flip-side to that thought: maybe this is all God's way of telling us to go back home because there is a better plan for us in Dallas.

Your thoughts?

Committee is @ 12:30PM...it usually goes for a couple of hours. Should hear something in the afternoon. If not, I will come find them.

Hello, Hello

2008-12-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Lori! We weren't around the computer all day-she was so kind to update for me.

Well.....the day was an interesting one.

We got to the hospital bright and early. FYI-still freakin cold here. We pretty much met with a set of doctors for an 1 1/2 hours or so. We went through Geoff's past, present, and future (medically speaking). They were all really great (and ALL women...interesting, huh?).

The main concern is that Geoff's MELD would not be a 20 in this region therefore not making him anywhere near the top of the list (like we had hoped). His MELD would most likely be a 14 here, which is pretty much non-existent in the transplant world. It's not for sure, but they wanted to be honest with us. Remember, Geoff is an automatic 20 MELD in Dallas because of his biliary tube. We thought that was a standard throughout the country-apparently not.

Next steps: tomorrow morning Geoff is going in for a procedure to get a good look at his liver/bile ducts. We pushed for this because at the very least we would like a second opinion. Secondly, tomorrow @ 12:30PM they will be presenting his case to the committee @ UW to see if they will agree to take on his case (which they said that was pretty much a given) BUT to also get the doctors feelings on how the "all mighty regional committee" will feel about granting the additional points for his tube.

They are going to call us tomorrow afternoon and give us the results from all. Keep your fingers crossed.

Much love. We miss Dallas.

Reporting Live From McKinney.....

2008-12-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's Lori B...Geoff and Erin's friend from across the neighborhood. She asked me to update her blog as they are out and about and not near a computer! (hopefully they are shopping!!)

Anyway, this is the text she sent me to update all of you fellow blog stalkers:

"Seattle is still a crap shoot...Geoff probably would not be the same meld score here therefore it probably would not be worth it to list him here. BUT is case is going to presented to committee tomorrow and they are going to look closely at his liver to give us a second opinion."

They are disappointed but hopeful that tomorrow will answer some more questions for them....as to how sick his liver is at this point, etc.

As I know you all do, please pray for them tonight and throughout the day tomorrow. For answers, for good news and for the Lord to surround them with his love.

Until next time,

Lori B

How's this for irony?

2008-12-09T06:02:00.003-08:00

Usually Monday morning we ask for a status update in Dallas to hear where Geoff is at on the list. This week we didn't ask, but I always check www.unos.org for the regional stats.

Here comes the irony.

Last week there were 7 people in FW with Geoff's blood type waiting for a liver (he was in the #2 spot) and there were 9 people in Dallas with Geoff's blood type (he was in the #3 spot). And just for pure torture I like to look up UW. There was 1 person in Geoff's blood group.

This week there are 9 people waiting in FW and 10 waiting in Dallas. Ready? There are ZERO people waiting at UW in Geoff's blood category.

Off to get some great Seattle coffee and head to the hospital.

Transplant? Huh?

2008-12-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

That's why were here?

Um...did some forget to remind me that I was going to be RIGHT next to the flagship Nordstrom store? And if that's not good enough how about right down the street from the 4-story Nordstrom Rack? H-E-A-V-E-N

Geoff and I did a ton of walking. I told him he needed to prepare his body for the evaluations tomorrow, especially if he was going to see a cardiologist.

When did Seattle get so cold?

2008-12-08T11:49:00.001-08:00

I swear it's the lighting....were not that yellow.We are here and it's cold. I'm not complaining. Conner has croup. I'm not complaining, but how's that for timing? Dallas seems so far from here. I think I already miss it.

Some observations so far:

Lots of trees! Who said that there was a shortage?

Lots of skinny people

A little grunge...or I've really become a little "Dallas". I'm hope my big silver earrings aren't too much with my huge red purse?
Hills!!! Can't wait to start walking...Geoff is cringing.

Bags are packed

2008-12-07T06:07:00.001-08:00

Well, not really, but it is on my to-do list for today.

We leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Seattle. I'm anxious about leaving the kids for so long. Conner is still so young.

And now for my Oscar acceptance speech....

This trip would not be possible without the help of so many people. It wasn't as simple as just booking a flight and hotel, so thank-you from the bottom of our hearts to Lori, Kim, Colin, Rhonda, ALL my moms in the neighborhood who have offered help, Tim, Brad and Linda, my mom, Lee and the Pro Pac family, my work, my online liver supporter friends, and Kendall Jackson.

Sometimes it seems like such a blur...to think we are flying to Washington for the possibility of finding a liver. Other times I think no big deal-just another bump in the road. I feel so grateful for all of the support we receive. It's never-ending. People really care.

I will be updating as much as possible ESPECIALLY if I see McDreamy or McSteamy.

LC

2008-12-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

Liver clinic, not Lauren Conrad (for anyone that watches The Hills).

It went well today. Geoff's numbers were stable-kidneys a little elevated, but nothing out of the "norm". The doctor commented on Geoff going to Seattle. It was a blessing of sorts. He said that UW is a great program. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

My grandma (GiGi to Ava and Conner) is coming into town today from California. We are all very excited. Welcome, GiGi!

Yay for Friday.

You should build your butt muscles

2008-12-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Me: Huh?

Geoff: I'm just sayin

Me: Huh?

Geoff: I just thought you had more.

Me: Huh?

Geoff: Hahahaha (nervous laughter).

Me: Are you mental?

Geoff: I was uh just uh saying...um that I thought....you know?

Me: Um, I don't know and you are an idiot.

Just a normal Tuesday night discussion. I think this falls into the category of a dust buster for Christmas and when he bought me a scale when I was 5 weeks pregnant (because he thought for sure that I would want to keep track of my weight gain).

Happy Wednesday!

This just in

2008-12-01T08:27:00.001-08:00

#2 at Fort Worth

#3 at Dallas

Deja Vu anyone?

We haven't received the final "blessing" but the transplant coordinator (in Dallas) feels that the doctors will say GO to Seattle for the appt. She is forwarding an e-mail that Geoff wrote this morning to them. If need be someone will loan us their private jet, right?

Leavin' on a jet plane

2008-11-30T06:11:00.000-08:00

Big news!

UW called on Wed. night and said that they had secured us "an urgent" slot. We have an appt. The appt. is set for Dec. 9th @ 7:45AM. It is an all day appt. We booked our tickets this weekend.

Potential Problem #1-of course we are sooooo close here in Dallas. There is a chance that Geoff could be called for a transplant here and then we would be in Seattle of all places. How much would that suck? So, were going to get a hold of the transplant team here in Dallas (hopefully tomorrow) and get their "advice", but we had to book our flights considering it's only 10 days away.

Were not freaking out. Were excited. We need to feel like there is progress in all areas in order to remain sane, but there are the typical worries: work, kids, dogs, and the unknowns.

Wish us luck! And, if you're in Washington, let's meet up!