Finally some answers!

Day 5 has been full of explanations we have been waiting for all weekend! Hannah got another ultrasound this morning to look at her portal vein.  We didn't receive the greatest news when it came to the results. Her portal vein (which is one of the main veins connected to her liver) is now clotted off causing her to develop portal hypertension. This is what is causing her belly to swell and her eating to decrease. The blood is now taking other routes within her and causing other organs such as her spleen to enlarge. Unfortunately, there is no fix to this complication, but fortunately this will not stop her from going home once her infection is gone. I know this is all so medical, and I wish I could explain it for you all to better understand, but I would be writing forever. This is all new to me as well, and I am still trying to understand all of it!!! I can't say I ever truly will or be able to explain it all correctly! The other bad news about this complication is that the possibility of having a living donor is now out of the equation :(

So what is the good news for the day? Hannah has not spiked a fever since early yesterday! In terms of infection, I think she is getting much better. We still can't believe a UTI caused so many complications! Anyways, they think within the next day or two as long as she remains fever free she will be able to come home:)

This evening or tomorrow morning, the transplant surgeon and doctors were going to get together and talk about Hannah's results of the ultrasound and plan for what steps to take next. There is a possibility she might need an MRI before we leave the hospital if the surgeons are not able to get all the information they need off the CT scan she had the other day. They were also going to discuss if it was time to write the board about "exception points" for Hannah to move her up on the list. We are hoping by the time we leave this hospital stay we kind of have an idea on what they decided to do.

Greg and I were discussing it, and we both agreed that the fact they have now given the transplant surgeons something to do, it means this might be happening a lot sooner than later!! Unfortunately, her belly is going to get worse as the portal hypertension gets worse. So now the risks of keeping her own liver is outweighing the risks of having a transplant. Where as before it was the opposite.

We are so terrified for our little girl but at the same time can not watch her suffer like this anymore:( I know its strange to think that we think the biggest positive from today was she is that much closer to transplant. To explain why we think that way - she is that much closer to having a normal life. Right now, her life is so far from being normal and either is any of ours. We just pray our wait isn't to long so we can get this beautiful girl healthy and happy again!

Tonight Greg is staying with Hannah and I spent some much needed time with Jacob. We brought him up there today to see Hannah. She smiled the biggest smile we have seen since last Wednesday! They sat on the couch next to each other in the room and you could tell she was just so happy to be playing beside him!! It was so sweet:) Jacob has been an awesome big brother and has coped so well with everything that is going on. After we got the news of Hannah's test results, I was having a hard time and started crying. My sweet little boy just looked at me and said, " it's going to be okay, mommy". My heart breaks for Hannah but at the same time for him as well. His life has been totally flipped upside down and the saddest part of it all is he is 3 years old and knows the word "transplant". The next few days we are working it out that he is with us as much as he can be.

Well I will keep everyone posted on what tomorrow brings for Miss Hannah. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers as we continue this roller coaster ride!