quick update

For those wondering how Mark is doing the hospital: still no solid foods. :( He's really hoping for any kind of food, and last night he was really craving root beer floats and carmel corn. At least he's back on liquids today. No word yet as to when he'll be able to check out and go home.

So far, so good

Surgery went off without a hitch Tuesday morning (February 21st). So far, Mark is still in the hospital and has been up and around on several walks. Yesterday he was transferred off of clear liquids and given the OK to try some solid food. Unfortunately, that was a short lived victory. By evening time they had decided to go back to the liquid only diet, and then do away with that plan completely and hook him back up to an IV to give him hydration and his pain medication. The doctors say there is too much bloating right now, so no liquids and no solids until the bloating goes away. They think the steroids he had been taking (to help with his lung disease) have slowed the way his tissues heal and that is what is causing the delay.

Otherwise, Mark is still in good spirits, and enjoying all the visitors he's getting to chat with in his hospital room.

Surgery back on

Last year the surgery to reconnect everything had to be postponed because of a flare up of Mark's lung disease.
Well, several months later, a new doctor and a new medication have got him back on track. We just learned today that the University of Washington hospital is ready to schedule the surgery again!

The new surgery date: February 21, a Tuesday