Not only have I learned a lot about transplants in general in the 5 weeks since I have been here in Indianapolis, but I can now begin to appreciate that the IU transplant program is very impressive. I could describe at length how the team here work well together and do their respective jobs well and certainly saved my father's life.
Yes:
The medical team at Indiana Health University Transplant saved my father's life and I am incredibly happy that Dad endured the move to Indianapolis and the prolonged waiting process here
IU Transplant has very good liver transplant statistics and the UCLA GI (that has an excellent reputation) referred Dad to the GI here. The evaluation process was frustrating and the wait was excruciating for Dad and the family, particularly while he endured horrific side effects from the anti-virals in addition to the end-stage liver disease symptoms. I also have to admit that I personally challenged my Dad's physicians about what was happening (or not...) in Indianapolis while my Dad was waiting because I was terrified that he would not survive to the transplant. I am confident that the medical staff at IU would groan anytime my father or I would call or email. Although I attempted to be diplomatic every time I spoke to anyone at IU, I certainly was desperate for my father to get a new liver before anything catastrophic occurred.
Related discussion topic: my father was called into the hospital for his liver transplant literally two days after the most recent round of desperate emails and phone calls pleading for my father to be moved higher onto the transplant list. Coincidence? ... To be continued....
After the transplant surgery, I practically lived in the TICU for the first week and spent most of my waking hours there for the second and third week. I spent a lot of time reviewing labs, harassing (and chatting with) the nurses, and talking to the surgeons whenever they were rounding. Usually, this process involved one of the transplant surgery fellows early in the morning stopping by and then a whole team of folks later in the morning, including a staff transplant surgeon, the fellow, and usually a resident and medical student. Each time a physician walked into the room, I made sure to ask as many questions as I thought was necessary, particularly as Dad kept having complications--especially ARDS.
I am sure all of the medical staff at IU absolutely love me! Ha!
One transplant surgical fellow in particular was following my father's case in the TICU once I arrived and I saw him often. He was in the TICU all hours of the night, all day, and made the requisite rounds in the morning. Mind you--this isn't a med student or even a resident. This is someone that has already completed a lot of intensive medical and surgery training that was working in an extremely stressful environment almost 24/7. Stressful is an understatement, too--there were multiple code blues on the unit while I was there, the cases are extremely complicated to manage (including my father's), and that all has to be balanced with the upcoming and last-minute new transplant cases and the management of the folks that are recovering outside of the TICU. That is something to appreciate right there.
On days 1 and 2, the surgical fellow explained how Dad's case was 'boring.' That is certainly a good thing to hear, particularly given that transplant surgery is very complicated. Then, he started talking about how Dad was not boring and how they like boring patients. I heard several days of "you continue to be interesting, Dr. Parola...." as he walked into the room every morning. Although the fellow had a very good attitude and kept me informed, I was always was hoping to hear that Dad's case was boring once again. Unfortunately, I did not hear those words after the second day while we were in the hospital.
Today we went to IU to get labs and go to the transplant clinic called SOPA (surgical outpatient clinic). Dad ambulated on his own without a wheelchair for the first time since his transplant throughout the hospital to sign-in, go get his blood drawn, go back to SOPA for vitals, the cafeteria between appointments, and then back to SOPA again to meet with the surgeons. We have certainly come a long way since his case was consistently 'not boring'. While I was pondering this concept of recovery during our break in the cafeteria, that same surgical fellow that was following my father's case in the TICU stopped by our table. It was the first time that I had seen him in five weeks that I was not holding my breath hoping that he would finally just tell me Dad's case was boring again. He simply walked over with a smile to tell us how great Dad looks.
We like boring, too.
Yes:
The medical team at Indiana Health University Transplant saved my father's life and I am incredibly happy that Dad endured the move to Indianapolis and the prolonged waiting process here
 |
| Dad going for a stroll around TICU with 2 nurses on Day 6 (and a nursing student trailing) |
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| Dad working with one of the physical therapists on the OTU |
IU Transplant has very good liver transplant statistics and the UCLA GI (that has an excellent reputation) referred Dad to the GI here. The evaluation process was frustrating and the wait was excruciating for Dad and the family, particularly while he endured horrific side effects from the anti-virals in addition to the end-stage liver disease symptoms. I also have to admit that I personally challenged my Dad's physicians about what was happening (or not...) in Indianapolis while my Dad was waiting because I was terrified that he would not survive to the transplant. I am confident that the medical staff at IU would groan anytime my father or I would call or email. Although I attempted to be diplomatic every time I spoke to anyone at IU, I certainly was desperate for my father to get a new liver before anything catastrophic occurred.
Related discussion topic: my father was called into the hospital for his liver transplant literally two days after the most recent round of desperate emails and phone calls pleading for my father to be moved higher onto the transplant list. Coincidence? ... To be continued....
After the transplant surgery, I practically lived in the TICU for the first week and spent most of my waking hours there for the second and third week. I spent a lot of time reviewing labs, harassing (and chatting with) the nurses, and talking to the surgeons whenever they were rounding. Usually, this process involved one of the transplant surgery fellows early in the morning stopping by and then a whole team of folks later in the morning, including a staff transplant surgeon, the fellow, and usually a resident and medical student. Each time a physician walked into the room, I made sure to ask as many questions as I thought was necessary, particularly as Dad kept having complications--especially ARDS.
I am sure all of the medical staff at IU absolutely love me! Ha!
One transplant surgical fellow in particular was following my father's case in the TICU once I arrived and I saw him often. He was in the TICU all hours of the night, all day, and made the requisite rounds in the morning. Mind you--this isn't a med student or even a resident. This is someone that has already completed a lot of intensive medical and surgery training that was working in an extremely stressful environment almost 24/7. Stressful is an understatement, too--there were multiple code blues on the unit while I was there, the cases are extremely complicated to manage (including my father's), and that all has to be balanced with the upcoming and last-minute new transplant cases and the management of the folks that are recovering outside of the TICU. That is something to appreciate right there.
On days 1 and 2, the surgical fellow explained how Dad's case was 'boring.' That is certainly a good thing to hear, particularly given that transplant surgery is very complicated. Then, he started talking about how Dad was not boring and how they like boring patients. I heard several days of "you continue to be interesting, Dr. Parola...." as he walked into the room every morning. Although the fellow had a very good attitude and kept me informed, I was always was hoping to hear that Dad's case was boring once again. Unfortunately, I did not hear those words after the second day while we were in the hospital.
Today we went to IU to get labs and go to the transplant clinic called SOPA (surgical outpatient clinic). Dad ambulated on his own without a wheelchair for the first time since his transplant throughout the hospital to sign-in, go get his blood drawn, go back to SOPA for vitals, the cafeteria between appointments, and then back to SOPA again to meet with the surgeons. We have certainly come a long way since his case was consistently 'not boring'. While I was pondering this concept of recovery during our break in the cafeteria, that same surgical fellow that was following my father's case in the TICU stopped by our table. It was the first time that I had seen him in five weeks that I was not holding my breath hoping that he would finally just tell me Dad's case was boring again. He simply walked over with a smile to tell us how great Dad looks.
We like boring, too.
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