Looking so great... still two surgeries ahead

Janet is continuing to be our own walking miracle.  She has gone to several follow-up appointments with doctors such as the hand specialist and the urologist.  Each of them has commented (as they just shake their head in wonder after reading her chart) on the fact that Janet is even here with us... that she looks so good, that she's talking and walking and... alive.  It has really helped give Janet such a grateful perspective in understanding the gravity and magnitude of what she has gone through and survived.  She is handling her recuperation with such grace and thankfulness. 

A huge blessing is that Janet was referred to Dr. Joel Solomon at OHSU for the treatment of her hand and fingers.  He is THE hand specialist in the area and is considered the most experienced brachial plexus surgeon in North America.  Here is an excerpt from his biography:

Dr. Joel Solomon is the chief of the hand surgery service within the Department of Surgery and the program director of the hand fellowship. Dr. Solomon is board certified in plastic surgery and holds a certificate of added qualification in surgery of the hand. He is broadly trained in the techniques of plastic and reconstructive surgery and has particular expertise in the surgical management of nerve injuries, reconstructive surgery of the hand and upper extremity, reconstructive microsurgery, brachial plexus, and occuloplastic surgery.

 

You can read more at http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/providers/solomojo.cfm. 

        

Janet will see Dr. Solomon again in two weeks and will schedule surgery for her hand at that point.  Unless she were to wake up to an utter miracle (which she is totally up for!), Janet will be losing some tissue from the tips of her fingers.  Although this is not what any of us wanted for her, as I mentioned before, Janet is handling this with a lot of grace.  Dr. Solomon is waiting as long as possible so that the viable tissue in her fingers is clearly demarcated from what is not viable anymore.  We are so grateful Janet feels at ease with this surgeon and is confident that Dr. Solomon has the experience and expertise to do what's absolutely best given her situation.  So definitely keep praying!!!

 

Janet still has the stent in her kidney that will be removed in an out-patient surgery sometime after her hand surgery.  Once she gets beyond these two procedures, I know she will feel a huge relief in being able to just fully concentrate on healing and getting well.
 

Thank you to all of you who volunteered so willing to help out. We have shopping, cleaning, and meals covered through December 12th. Yea! If you volunteered, I will try to send out a reminder email when your date come closer. As we know more about Janet's hand surgery, we will keep you updated on ways you can help. We will probably need to continue to have volunteers through January at least.

Blessings!