Amber’s Back At Home

Hi Everyone!
Amber got out of the hospital on Sunday and is resting quietly at home. As Leah said in her update, they were able to do the surgery laparoscopically, so she will recover faster. She is still very sore and trying to deal with new eating habits and a “new” stomach (at least it works differently now). The purpose of the surgery was to tighten up the top part of her stomach (the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus/top of the stomach) to prevent reflux up and possibly aspirating into her new lungs. This is to protect her from aspiration causing rejection. Her surgeon also did a pyeloroplasty, which is opening up the pyeloric sphincter at the bottom of the stomach where it empties into the duodenum, thereby allowing food to pass more readily out of the stomach. This is mostly a gravity feed mechanism. Amber was having quite a bit of difficulty with her stomach being bloated, and subsequent nausea alot of the time. This was due to the interuption of the Vagus Nerve that works the stomach as a muscle that munches food and spits it out. Hers wasn’t doing that….it was just sort of quivering there with no muscle power to move anything along. The nerve “damage” was due to the thoracotomy she had to place her new lungs. As with all nerve damage, it takes time to see how much function returns. Hopefully with these procedures being done, along with the repair of a hiatal hernia found, her stomach will respond well, and she will return to the chow hound she is by nature. This liquid diet has been rough on her…it’s been a longggggg time. I don’t think she will ever eat jello or pudding again. If anyone has any good ideas for a full liquid diet recipe, please send them! Amber says HI to everyone and you will hear from her soon…she’s just laying low for now.
Thanks for tuning in!!! Love to you all. Laurie
P.S. I’m back to Boston on Thurs.