Dr. Superina just came to talk to us. The new liver is all hooked up, and is making bile already. Surprisingly, they ended up using the entire liver. Her old liver was so enlarged that her abdomen had extra room, and the new liver fit (barely).
Dr. S said that she is still bleeding, but only trickles here and there. He said that there was so much scarring that it wasn't even like doing a liver transplant. When I asked him what it was like, he stared out into space at a loss. Rather like a man who's just come through a harrowing 10 hours of surgery and is now being asked stupid questions by the parent. Mainly, he said, it was that the scarring was so bad that he sometimes couldn't tell what he was cutting through. Her old liver was adhered to her diaphragm and her bowels, and it was pulling a blood supply from both of them, which might have been why that liver held out so long, despite the fact that her portal vein (the liver's main blood supplier) had completely shriveled up and disappeared. Clever body to find the blood to keep her going, but it made the end of the surgery (we're told) a maddening task of plugging all sorts of little leaks after the old liver was removed.
She needed 14 units of blood, and Dr. S. told us to expect her to need more since they weren't able to stop all the bleeding. He's planning to take her back in on Monday or Tuesday to do a final close of her abdomen, but she might have to go back in sooner if the bleeding doesn't stop on its own.
Thank you all for commenting and keeping me distracted through this long night. Thank you donor family, wherever you are. Thank you Universe or God or Science or Doctors or whatever moves through this world to occasionally bestow the grace of another day.
Happy Birthday, Frankie. Happy New Day, Annika.
Oh, so very, very happy.
Posted by: Hannah | October 09, 2008 at 05:38 AM
And Happy New Day to you too. I hope that you will be able to get some rest now, even though I am sure the next weeks are going to be anything but restful. Annika sounds like she is in the best of hands.
Wishing you peace...
Posted by: Vicky | October 09, 2008 at 05:39 AM
Sweet Annika, I wish you a long, happy and healthwise stable life with this new liver.
Moreena, Jörg - I hope you can get some rest now, and that you can see Annika constantly improving.
Frankie - a Very Happy Birthday to you. What a lucky date.
Posted by: Hannah | October 09, 2008 at 05:40 AM
Happy Birthday Frankie. And wishes for a very happy New Day and New Beginning for Anni too. Thankful prayers going to Dr Superina and his team for their skill and the donor family for their gift too
Posted by: Emma | October 09, 2008 at 05:41 AM
Woohoo! Sleep well Moreena and recover well Anni....
:)
Posted by: Helly | October 09, 2008 at 05:44 AM
What a relief. Go Anni! Happy Birthday, Frankie! Sleep, Moreena!
Posted by: Amy | October 09, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Happy Birthday, Frankie! And yayayayayay for Anni. I'm glad us commenters could distract you a wee bit. Woo for the internet!
(as an aside, no working portal vein?!? I didn't even know that was possible. Certainly explains the encephalopathy, though. What a tough cookie!)
Posted by: jenevieve | October 09, 2008 at 05:47 AM
Thanks for the update, Moreena. And thank you God/Science/Doctors/Nurses/Universe/etc. for your mysterious and not-so-mysterious graces. Thank you, Annika's old liver, for being so resourceful and lasting so long. And thank you, donor family, for Annika's new liver. Continued good thoughts for all involved. And Happy Birthday, Frankie!
Posted by: Gary | October 09, 2008 at 05:47 AM
Yes, thank YOU, God for the grace of another day and for guiding Dr. Superina through this very difficult operation.
Posted by: Monica | October 09, 2008 at 05:49 AM
Praise be. What a relief. Hope you can see your little one and get some well needed sleep before tomorrow (the New Day):-) I am so thrilled that the surgery went alright.
Posted by: dragonfly | October 09, 2008 at 05:56 AM
so glad.
Posted by: jane dark | October 09, 2008 at 05:59 AM
I hope you can now get some rest and Annika has a smooth recovery!
We have all been thinking of you at school. The class will be happy to know that Annika has her new liver!
Happy Birthday, Frankie!
Posted by: Cheryl | October 09, 2008 at 05:59 AM
Good job, Dr. Superina! And thank you also for having such a cool name. Of course, good job keeping from losing it, Jorg and Moreena. Happy birthday to Frankie! Way to impress with your complete dominance of the laws of anatomy, Annika, and also your "cool" choice of hospital songs. Hope today turns out to be a good one.
Posted by: Tabatha | October 09, 2008 at 06:03 AM
Wow. Go Annika.Hurray doctors and OR staff. And Mom and Dad. Now for Annika to recover. Now I go to bed.Love, Bobby and the snoring Sharon
Posted by: bobby | October 09, 2008 at 06:04 AM
Curious Girl says, "I hope you feel better soon, Annika." And I've got tears of joy as I wake up and check back in after your long night. Still holding all of you close.
Posted by: Susan | October 09, 2008 at 06:08 AM
Happy birthday, Frankie! Happy new liver, Annika! Congrats to you all and peace to the donor family. What a gift they have given you!
Prayers for a speedy, smooth recovery.
Posted by: Jane | October 09, 2008 at 06:08 AM
Happy birthday Frankie!
I'm crying for happiness and relief. I can't even imagine how you are feeling.
Thank you, God and Dr. Superina!
Posted by: liz | October 09, 2008 at 06:12 AM
Curious Girl says, "I hope you feel better soon, Annika." And I"m crying tears of joy to read this post after a long night. May you all get some rest and healing now.
And CG also says, "Happy Birthday, Frankie! How old are you?" All of us here are thinking of all of you.
Posted by: Susan | October 09, 2008 at 06:14 AM
Alright Dr. Superman, I mean Superina!
Thank God for him.
Continuing to pray for Annika.
Happy Birthday Frankie!
Don't forget to call me if you need anything, Anna and I are leaving soon. Unless you call we will drop off our little gift for Annika with Joan, or whoever is in clinic!
Posted by: Sarah | October 09, 2008 at 06:16 AM
Oh, wonderful news! Continued prayers that Annika will continue to make good progress. Happy Birthday Frankie! Way to go Dr. Superina! Go get some sleep, Mom and Dad, even if you have to do it in shifts.
Posted by: Karen/Jzygale | October 09, 2008 at 06:26 AM
*hugging you all*
Posted by: elle | October 09, 2008 at 06:32 AM
So glad to hear that it is a Happy New Day. Your family is in my thoughts today.
Posted by: redzils | October 09, 2008 at 06:38 AM
Wonderful update!
Happy day everyone!
Posted by: Lee | October 09, 2008 at 06:38 AM
First thing I checked this morning, I had Anni on my mind all night. Such good news! Happy Birthday Frankie, great new day Annika!
Keeping all of you in my prayers, and especially the heroic donor family!
(((Hugs)))
Posted by: Michelle Jack's Mom LF | October 09, 2008 at 06:44 AM
I'm shedding tears of relief.
Here's to a bright new day. I hope it just gets better and better.
Posted by: Tanya | October 09, 2008 at 06:45 AM