08/01/2026
2 weeks post liver transplant one week post hospital discharge
The challenge every day is trying to stay even-keeled about my status and the way I feel. I feel wonderful! I just don’t want to get too excited because I’m well within the window where something very significant could still happen. I’m on the most anti-rejection medications I’ll ever be on at this time which kills my immune system. A minor virus or cold could be a pretty bad event for me.
My faith is very strong and I know God has his hands directly in this, so I do rejoice in that. So excited to be around to see my kids grow up and continue into adulthood.
My next medical step is to go back to the Duke liver clinic on Monday to see the transplant team. The way I feel, I anticipate a good report.
As far as the doctors, specialist, surgeons, PA’s, coordinators, and nutrition specialists on my team, they are WONDERFUL. All are female and definitely display nurturing, compassion, and ultimate professionalism. They will sit and talk to you like a friend. They have seen pictures of the kids and dogs, they have shown us pictures of their kids and dogs. I did post about the pain medication situation, but in no way did I mean that negativity against them. That is their hospital protocol.
I have mentioned several times about prayers being answered with physical proof. I was admittedly way super nervous and scared about the surgery. When an organ comes in for transplant which ever surgeon is on call is who get, along with other team members. I prayed for the best doctors possible. Me being me, I had went on the Duke website and read everything I could about each surgeon. I researched all the anesthesiologist also considering liver transplant is the most taxing and difficult cases they have. When the call came for the liver and I arrived at Duke, I found out my surgeon was Doctor Debrah Sudan. She is the head of the entire Duke transplant program adult and pediatric. She is a nationally recognized pioneer in transplant surgery that has developed several of the surgical techniques used across the world. When she came in to talk to me, I jokingly asked her how many transplant operations she has done over her career. She said I stopped counting years ago when I crossed 5000. 😳. Then the anesthesiologist came into talk to me. He was the head of anesthesia at Duke and he has attended 1000’s of transplants himself. When I was in pre-op, after the liver passed the last of numerous tests, the nurse saw who my team consisted of and she said, “My goodness, you have the absolute A-Team on your case, I don’t ever remember all these department heads ever working together.” “How did you pull that off?” I said I have connections. 🙏
