March 1, 2018

Update on Jon...Jon has advanced from the wheelchair to the Walker. He has been using the Walker daily instead of the wheelchair, except when he has long trips of walking as he gets tired easily and needs to rest frequently. Blood work continues to stay in normal range for the most part. Adjustment was made to his anti-rejection med(tacrolimus) as it was higher than they want it to be for him. Then also increased his gabapentin. Other than that, he has been doing great.

February 22, 2018

Jon had his first Dr. Appt. All is well. Bloodwork all good. Had first visit from home nurse monday, all went well. Pt is coming tomorrow, much needed. Still requiring wheelchair. Thank you all so much for the continued support and prayers, very much appreciated. I never anticipated such a long Hospital stay and him requiring physical therapy to learn to walk again, it has been quite a journey for us all.

February 17, 2018

Finally home from the hospital. He is still in wheelchair and will have pt, ot coming here 3x weekly and a nurse 2x weekly. Thank you all so much for the continued support and prayers. It is greatly appreciated.

February 11, 2018

Update on Jon..... today Jon was discharged from the transplant unit and admitted to the rehab unit in the Meyer building 7th floor room 8. Instead of 1 hour a day, 5 days a week he will be receiving therapy from pt, ot, rt, and speech therapy for 3 hours a day, 7 days a week. Hopefully he will be up walking with a walker in a couple weeks. Thank you all again for all your support and prayers, it has meant a great deal to us.

Jon and Cindy

February 10, 2018

Update on Jon... his bilirubin is 0.8 AST 46 and his alts are 108. Seems like they go up a little and back down a little but not too much. He is now able to eat soft bite-size food if they can get his diet straight in the dining room. Every time we go to order they say he can't have this and cant have that and is showing on his menu that he can have it. This has been going on for 4 days now which is very frustrating. They said that they will be moving him to the rehab unit in the Meyers building on the 7th Floor tomorrow providing the person who is in the room leaves tomorrow. Also his potassium level was a little elevated today and as long as they bring that back down to normal would be dependent on him going to the rehab unit also. He is doing very good other than the diet getting messed up. Thank you all again so much for your thoughts and prayers and support.

Jon and Cindy

February 6, 2018

Update on Jon... Jon went for the swallow test today and finally passed and he had his NG tube removed. They also removed his Foley catheter and his mediplex tube. They have him on a modified diet of moist, minced foods. He wasn't very happy about his meal but slowly he will get there. Since Jon's been in the hospital after the surgery he required insulin due to the tube feedings, hopefully now that the tube feedings have stopped he'll be able to come off the insulin. His diet didn't allow him to eat the types of foods he's used to eating like spaghetti and mac and cheese because of the diabetes. His beverages have to be thickened to Honey consistency and he's not very happy with that either but with a little time he should be able to drink liquids normally. Overall he is doing so much better and he is even able to assist getting himself out of the bed and into a chair. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers, it is greatly appreciated.

Jon and Cindy

February 1, 2018

Update on Jon ...bilirubin is still 1.1 his AST and ALT (liver enzymes) continue to come down. Yesterday they capped off his trach for 12 hours today for 24 hours and then tomorrow they remove the trach. Monday or Tuesday he should be getting the swallow test again and they are going to take his NG tube out prior to the swallowing test to give him a better chance to pass it. His spirits seem to be doing a little better now. PT actually got him up in a wheelchair and took him off the unit, which is the first time he's been off units and took him down to the gym and did work with him with the equipment down there, some different exercises. He seems to be doing better and improving each day. Thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers.

January 26, 2018

On Wednesday January 24, Jon was moved a regular room at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Shiekh Zayed Tower, Level 9-West, room 5. Not sure how we feel about this since he will not get the same level of care as in the ICU/step-down rooms. He still is bed-ridden and cannot do anything for himself. But a regular room is another step forward to coming home so it is good news!

January 24, 2018

Jon Farrell had a liver transplant on December 6, 2017. He was in intensive care until December 29 with serious complications. As of the end of January 2018 he remains in the hospital with a feeding tube, a tracheostomy (hole in his windpipe for a breathing tube) and unable to walk. His liver function is improving and he looks forward to passing a swallow test so the tracheostomy tube can be removed and he can eat, drink, and talk. He needs lots of physical therapy but has come a long way and full recovery is on the horizon!