Countdown....and lift off

Day 2 at Duke...
We arrived at Duke Clinic at 9:25am this morning, Joe immediately was taken for blood work and within seconds of returning to the waiting room, where Lucinda Sullivan - THANK YOU Lucinda- and I were waiting, he was called to the back room to prep for the procedure.  A few minutes later, a nurse returned and told me that I (Jeff) could go back with Joe.  I went to the prep-area and sat with him while the nurse asked lots of questions - the same questions asked on every other visit - and explained what the procedures for today were.  Then the first doctor, Dr. Walker - apparently either an Aussie, Kiwi, or Brit - came in, asked the same questions, explained the same procedures and left.  Then we went back to the room where the procedures will be taking place, the nurse there asked the same questions, then the 2nd doctor, Dr. Ombando, sp?, came in and by the grace of God, didn't ask any questions, but rather cut right to explaining the procedure.  The one thing mentioned through all of this is that there is a possibility that they are not going to be able to get a good enough sample for biopsy due to them not wanting to do any cutting if at all possible because Joe's blood is very thin at this point due to Vitamin K deficiency (a result of the bile duct blockage/high bilirubin count).  If they are not able to get an adequate sample, then he will probably have to have a needle biopsy at a later date.  Today their main objective is to get the stint in place so the pancreas can start draining. I left the room as one of the nurses was putting drugs in his IV.   So now the waiting begins.

Ok, at 12:10pm, the nurse came out to the waiting room and told Lucinda and me that he was in recovery.  I went back there to be with him and met the doctor who explained that they were able to put the stint in the bile duct from the pancreas and were able to get some cells from the mass to send off to pathology.  It will be early next week before we have the results.

Isn't he precious!

The above photo is from the recovery room.   He had to remain in the recovery room until 1:30pm but then was released and after a quick stop at the drug store and the grocery store for some soup for his lunch, we are home and he is resting comfortably on the sofa.  Next up will be a Monday morning apointment with Dr. Zafar.   Thanks to everyone for all their warm wishes and prayers.  We are so grateful for our friends and family and the outpouring of love.

PM update:  It's a little after 9pm and Joe has gone to bed.  He has dozed off and on all afternoon and evening. He did eat the soup for lunch and ate a good dinner - Thanks Carrie!  He is complaining a little about his throat hurting and has taken some Tylenol.  They told us his throat would probably be sore from where they inserted the scopes.  He said he was really tired but felt more relaxed than he has the last week so hopefully he will sleep most of the night through.