Surgery recovery - slow but sure!

Madeleine’s Blog

July 8, 2013

So do not fear, for I am with you

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God

I will strengthen you and help you

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand

Isaiah 41:10

Madeleine has been slowly recovering from her liver surgery during these past few days, with her mom and dad by her side.

Ever since the surgery, she has had an epidural in place in order to help manage the pain because they needed to limit the amount of medication in her bloodstream until it was safer for her liver to process. But now, the epidural is out, and most all of her other "attachments" are gone...so she is definitely feeling much more "free"!  :) 

Looking at this picture, you would never guess the major surgery she had been through just five days ago, and you can't really see what she has been through during the recovery process (let's just say it hasn't been easy!). But things are looking up now, and she is aiming to come home on Thursday. In the meantime, she's now eating solid food, and is up "gingerly" walking in order to help the recovery process along. Thank goodness for pain meds!

NIH hospital breakfast menu

We really have a lot to be grateful for because the surgery went so well, and the care here has been excellent. In addition to the expertise in regards to melanoma patient care, there are some little touches that help make things nicer from a patient perspective. For instance, once you're cleared to eat, you are able to order from a hospital menu and the meals are cooked-to-order and delivered in 45 minutes (I heard that the blueberry pancakes actually tasted like home made!). It is little touches like these that mean a lot. 

In addition, there is good support available for the families of patients, including on-campus housing and a cafeteria with a lot of selection. Since David and Deanne have been tag-teaming in order to always have at least one person with Madeleine, it really helps to have this kind of support available on-site.

In the meantime, the doctors are working on growing the "TIL" cells that will fight Madeleine's cancer. We should know in a few weeks how the cells are growing. Thank you for your prayers: for Madeleine's full recovery, for the cancer to be stopped, for the TIL cells to grow, and for wisdom for the decisions ahead. Thank you, everyone.