Thanks to everyone who has regularly checked in on Myka’s health and has prayed for her elevated levels here in 2020! As many of you know, she’s had an ultrasound, biopsy (No rejection!) and MRCP in the last month to explore why her “liver numbers” have been high. At this point in time, the transplant doctors believe that her bile ducts (near her liver) have narrowed and another procedure is needed to open them back up. We wanted to get a quick update out this weekend to let you know about Myka’s planned hospitalization this upcoming week and ask you to pray.
On MONDAY (March 9), Myka will have regular bloodwork to check her liver numbers one more time and establish a baseline for the week.
On TUESDAY (March 10), Myka Will head to the OR again for a PTC procedure where they will insert a stent into the bile ducts in order to open them and allow the bile to flow more freely. Many people might remember that Myka had this procedure done several times in 2017 when she carried a bile bag around for a month. They plan to insert another tube that will allow the bile to flow outside of Myka’s body and decrease some of the pressure from the narrowing bile ducts. They’ll increase the size of the stent every two weeks going forward and monitor the changes that take place.
Because of the surgery, new tube, going NPO, etc., they’ll plan to keep Myka hospitalized overnight into WEDNESDAY (March 11) to monitor her, get her back on solid foods and get her adjusted to the bile bag.
We appreciate your PRAYERS for:
- Normalized “Liver Numbers.” We’re asking God to bring her numbers down by Monday, so that she wouldn’t even need the surgery on Tuesday. Who knows what God will do?!
- A successful PTC procedure to insert the stent & tube on Tuesday, with no complications, infection, bleeding, etc.
- Perseverance for our family as we adapt to another step on the long, winding road of Liver Transplant recovery.
We’ll plan to update everyone with how the procedure goes on Tuesday. We appreciate everyone’s encouragement, thoughts, prayers & support!
Love – Richie, Regan, Alivia & Myka