Alexis had her stent removed yesterday.  Aunt Patti and Nathan (Alexis' cousin) came with us.  The entire process took less than an hour.  Everything went well and Alexis woke up from anestisia in a good mood... thank God.  She also had labs done and all her levels continue to be stable... THANK GOD !!!  Alexis herself is doing good... she is even getting into trouble... as usual :)  

Alexis has been doing so well that today the doctors said we can go home.  We were expecting to have to stay at the Ronald McDonald house for another week or two.  This is wonderful news because now we will be home for Alexis' birthday which is next week. 

We have to come back to Milwaukee on the 9th and the 14th and the 16th and every Wednesday for the next month or so.  On the 14th she will have a tube removed that was placed in her bladder during her transplant surgery.  They tell me it is a simple procedure that only takes about 5 minutes and doesn't require an incision... but they do need to put her under anestisia again... that part worries me a little because she gets upset by the anestisia.  But overall we couldn't ask for a more positive outcome.

Alexis was up and walking 2 days after her surgery.  She walked out of her room down the hallway, past the playroom and found her way to Kim's room for a visit :)  By the 3rd day after surgery she was walking so much and so fast that the nurse and I couldn't keep up with her.  Alexis was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday August 19th, 6 days after her surgery.  Kim went home on Monday the 17th, 4 days after surgery.  She is up and walking and she looks great !  Everything has gone wonderfully and God's hand has been in everything... in the success of the surgery and in the Love that is felt and the wonderful bonds that it has created.     

Alexis is doing great.  She spent most of yesterday and last night sleeping.  Medically she is doing wonderfully, her pain is well controlled and Dan found a great way to soothe her when she gets a little upset by gently touching her forehead and cheeks... this kept her quite content all night. 

Before surgery her potassium was right on the edge of the dangerous zone - 5.1.  Today her potassium is in the normal range and I was told this morning that she will no longer be limited to a low potassium diet... which means she can eat bananas and chocolate and milk and cheese and so many things she hasn't eatin for so long.

The surgeon just told us Alexis' surgery is done.  Everything went very well.  The kidney is already producing A LOT of urine; this is a very good sign.  She is not awake yet.  Praise be to God and thank-you to all the 'prayer warriors'.

Kim is in recovery, she is doing really well.  They are flushing the kidney, they said there is good blood flow.  They will start Alexis' surgery soon.  They will call us again around 1:00.

Kim's surgery started at 8:00.  We were updated at 10:00; her kidney is out, they were getting ready to close and she is doing good.

It's five days before surgery.  This morning Alexis took her first dose of Cellcept.  One of the 3 medicines that she will take everyday for the rest of her life.  The medicines supress her immune system and prevent her body from rejecting the transplanted kidney.  Its a new chapter in her health life.  The medicines can have side effects... some of the potential side effects are very undesirerable.  We are praying for Alexis' health and trusting in God's will for her.

Alexis and Kim had their pre-op appointments last week Tuesday.  They both had an exam, health history, chest x-ray and blood draw.   Everything went well except Kim's blood draw.  They had to stick her her with a needle 6 times but she held in there :)  The next appointment will be the surgery.  

Surgery is scheduled for Thursday August 13th.  It will start around 8:00 am.  I will enter updates into this website the day of surgery.