Dialysis

Dialysis is the process of removing excess fluid from the body, generally as the result of renal failure.  It replaces the kidney function while the body tries to heal itself or in some cases while an individual waits for a kidney transplant.   As of 2009, more than 350,000 people were on dialysis in the US, which is about 1 in every 1 million people.  This of course, means Jordan is 1 in a million—which we already knew. 

After 3 hours in the operating room last night, Jordan returned just after midnight with an 8 french (which describes the size of the tube) Mahurkar line for hemodialysis in his inter-jugular (the main return vessel from the brain).  This allows blood to flow into a dialyzer where it is exposed to partially permeable membranes and removes water and waste before the blood is returned back to the body.  Essentially, the machine pulls his pee from his blood, which is another modern miracle. 

To place the Mahurkar line into a major area of arterial blood flow, the surgeons had to pull out the double lumen Hickman line they put into his inter-jugular just a few days ago.  The Hickman line had provided access to a major blood flow area in the body to give Jordan multiple fluids and/or medications at the same time (“double lumen” means there are two inputs into one line), so they placed a double lumen PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line in his femoral vein near his groin instead. 

The net result is one more machine supporting him and one more line going into Jordan’s fragile body.  

As difficult as it is to watch Jordan go into another surgery and come back supported by another machine, I also know he is supported by three powerful miracle-producing agents called faith, sacrifice,and love.  I am humbled by the outreach and prayers of so many wonderful people who fasted and prayed for our son this weekend and who even made ribbons to put on their shirts as they ran in a 5k Saturday.  We have seen and felt the result of that faith and continue now to pray that Jordan's kidneys will produce enough clotting agents to keep his brain from bleeding and that his stomach won't continue to expand to the point of requiring surgery.  The attending ICU physician indicated that a pressure-releasing stomach surgery for Jordan would be life-ending and would only be considered if everything else failed.  Some physicians feel he doesn’t have enough left in him to make it, but here we are again at the end of another day and the Lord remains firmly in the driver’s seat. 

Perhaps the greatest challenge at this point is knowing what to feel and when.  In the morning we were told Jordan’s oxygenation was falling and the medical team was again running out of options to support him.  Heidi and I again prepared to say goodbye to our son.  By the afternoon the oxygenation had stabilized, and more than 100cc’s of fluid had been filtered from his blood, which means Jordan is beginning to “deflate” a bit.  His other stats became more stable as well. 

To say this is an emotional roller-coaster is like comparing sky-diving to jumping jacks; the truth is there is no way to describe this experience except to say that it is exhausting, humbling, and deeply and permanently life changing.