Post OP follow up today 9-15-23

We started the morning with a blood draw and then went to his post op appointment with his surgeon.

All his blood levels have stabilized so the PVE is on for Tuesday.

Some people have asked if they remove the particles they put in the veins to reroute blood to the left lobe after the right side resection.

The whole right side of the liver will be removed so those particles will be removed along with the right lobe.

The liver is magical and will regrow.

Before Zach was allowed to be discharged I was tasked with giving him daily injections of lovenox (blood thinner). I had to administer my first shot after watching a 15 minute video while being observed by his nurse. She said after I gave him the I injection, “You are competent enough.”

Me: 🤔

Zach said, “Yours hurt more than the nurses.” To be fair, I did ask for honest feedback.

Today was the 8th shot and Zach said it was my best one yet. Practice makes perfect, right? 21 more shots until we are done. Well, until the next surgery.

Zach is looking to get back to work soon as he is feeling good and slowly ditching some of the pain meds. This man truly amazes me. No complaining, just eyes on the prize - getting home to his family.

-Amber

These are funny trips...80% kinda boring vacation and 20% hope-you-wake-up-the-next- day. But in there somewhere is one of the great blessings of an experience like this -- spending hours on end in 300ish square feet of Residence Inn with the person you promised to spend your life with...not too shabby.

We went on a family vacation earlier this year and visited a coffee shop that handed out these stickers that say "Slow Yourself Down". One of those stickers rides around on Amber's cell phone case, and I can't think of a better encapsulation of life as it stands now.

I don't really know if it moves slowly or quickly these days, but I DO know that I don't look very far ahead anymore, and I think that's for the better. It's not because I don't think I'll be here or that I don't enjoy planning things. NOBODY loves planning things more than I do. But I've dispensed with the idea that I know what's going to happen tomorrow, let alone six months from now.

I suppose that's always been the underlying truth, but it never felt that way before. On a trip like this, when each doctor visit is a pivot point with 5 different possible outcomes, it feels delusional to do anything but try to be thankful for today and the opportunities it brings.

In our case, we believe that this chapter is part of God's plan and purpose for our lives, which is simultaneously comforting and challenging. The challenge lies in setting aside what we WISH that plan were and instead throwing ourselves into the purpose that has been set in front of us.

I am not good at this. Amber (see above) is far better at it, and I think maybe that's why we're together -- so I can spend some quality time with the person I want to be when I grow up.

We miss you all, and we've been continually overwhelmed by everyone's support. You've helped to make this a very special time in our lives, despite the challenges.

-Zach