Received my new liver on Wednesday night.
Will provide details later.
Any tips of getting bowls going???
E
Eric, welcome to the club!
I hope you have a smooth recovery.
The best thing I did during recovery was to walk. I have no idea if it helped by bowels ( no large intestine),but it helped me build up my strength.
Keep us updated.
Jeff
Congratulations Eric,
We are very thankful you have received this gift of life! It will take your bowels several days to wake up. A lot gets moved around inside your abdomen during the surgery process. When they are disturbed they will go to sleep for a few days sometimes. Things will get better! The more you walk will help as well.
Mark
Eric.
Anxious to hear how you progress and feel.
Please send lots of updates.
Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Slow and steady. First 48 hours were rough. They thought about going back in yesterday to clean things up, but elected to wait after seeing the CT and blood work get a bit better.
Very full of gas cant seem to pass anything which is leading to a lot of discomfort. Legs are very swollen too.
Walked a little last night and much more this morning.
I can feel the intestines moving but still can’t get any gas out.
Its been way harder than I thought.
Eric,
I hope you get relief soon and that the CT scans are “unremarkable”.
Discomfort like that can make it difficult to sleep when you need it the most in an environment that is difficult to sleep anyway.
Jeff
Eric,
One thing I just thought of that might help. Turn on your left side. Sometimes that tends to get the gas out. I recall that from the colonoscopies I’ve had. I think it’s left, if that doesn’t work try the right 
Mark
Thanks for the tips.
Have gotten a small about of relief from the distension in the belly.
Still pretty uncomfortable. I’m moving and walking as much as I can, this seems to help.
A little shaky from some of the drugs. But they tell me this is normal.
Making small steps forward. May be home with family for Christmas morning maybe not. In this for the long term not just this Christmas!!!
E
Doctors released me from hospital on Christmas Eve, a total of 9 days in hospital.
I’ve lost all the extra water in my legs and feet. Abdomen is still quite distended and uncomfortable. Not sure how or when that will go down. I’m pretty small skinny guy so it looks like I’m 5 months pregnant, maybe 7 months lol.
Sleeping at night is hard but every day is getting slightly better.
So humbled, thankful and fortunate.
E
Eric,
Thanks for the update. Glad you were able to go home before Christmas. Things Will get better! Try and get in some walking every day. That really helps a lot with healing and dealing with scar tissue. Just be sure and take the doctor’s orders literally about how much you can lift. Keep in mind that a gallon of milk weighs around 8 pounds. I had a 5 pound limit for 3 months after my transplant, then they gradually started raising that limit. Of course, every patient is different in what the doctor will require.
You certainly received the best Christmas gift, anyone, with PSC could get. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year!
Mark
Any day you bust out of a hospital is a good day, and that was a wonderful Christmas present.
I was very intimidated to leave the hospital, as there are no call buttons at home to summon a nurse within a minute or two.
I hope you will be able to get consistent sleep. I was too uncomfortable for the first month that sleep was poor.
It does get better, but gradually. Listen to your body, and act accordingly. But remember to keep hydrated, and you can quickly become dehydrated before you realize it.
Eric,
Congratulations on getting your new liver, it’s a miracle for you and your family I’m sure. I read alot of all your stories as my son battles this disease along with you all. Your stories are an inspiration. Take care
I appreciate all the well wishes so much. @tmo8 the thought that I helped anyone with sharing my story brings me a great sense of pride at a time where I feel very useless. Thank you.
Today was a better day. The back pain is reducing and I am able to walk farther and in a more upright position.
I need to put some weight on badly, I look like a jersey cow with all my bones sticking out! My wife treated my to ice cream, so I’ve been snacking on that.
Tomorrow is blood work and clinic, so fingers crossed everything is moving in the right direction.
Forward progress.
E.
Eric,
I’m sure you already know this but take baby steps. I believe anyone who goes through near death is a warrior, and you are going through a battle. This is no small feat. Take it easy and enjoy the ice cream! You’ve earned it… I share your stories with my son, to encourage him, sometimes he feels like,what’s the point of life, to be sick, and I tell him your a warrior, of a different kinda battle, if other can do it so can you!! He’s only 21 with small duct PSC, he has a long way to go, fingers crossed! before transplant. All you’re story is encouraging. Thank you for sharing. T
Just dropping into catch up on the recent posts.
It’s been 5 months since my transplant. Liver numbers are all back in normal range, some of the blood numbers, WBC/RBC, hemoglobin, palettes etc are still out of range but all workable.
Only complication I have is a large clot that we can’t seem to bust, I am currently 2 months into nightly injections to try to get rid of it.
Recovery went really well after the 3 week mark. Was back to work after 5 weeks. And was back on my downhill bike by 3 months. Back to 100% physical activity now.
The biggest thing I was not prepared for was the emotional rollercoaster that was amplified exponentially by prednisone.
When they diced up my old liver afterwards they were surprised to find 3 cancerous tumors, so I am on some stronger drugs as a precaution. Doctor chuckled when he told, “Good thing we got you a new one, eh?”.
Hope everyone is hanging in there. The fight is real but so is life post transplant.
E
Nice, Eric. Back working at 5 weeks? Wow. Glad your recovery is going well.
When my brother was on prednisone, he had the emotional roller coaster. I never did.
Close call on the liver!
Jeff