To San Francisco

I haven’t written anything for a while because there was really nothing new – just hanging in. Angela had an appointment with a hepatologist on Wednesday and I thought there might be something new after that. Well, when she saw him on Wednesday, he wanted her admitted to the hospital he works at, California Pacific in San Francisco. So, we threw some stuff together and came. It was around 9:00 when we got here. I circled the hospital about three times, trying to find a place to park, finally finding a parking garage several blocks away. I left Angela in the car and went to find where to take her, since she certainly couldn’t be walking around, up and down hills, not knowing where we were going. After I found out, I drove her where I could let her off, and they took her to her room. This time, instead of going back to the parking garage – the first time was $4 – I was able to find a place on the street. By the time the paperwork and all was finished, I left close to midnight.

The hospital has arrangements with a local hotel for patients’ families. The rate is about half and it includes parking and breakfast. They also have a complementary shuttle – but it stops around 6:00 p.m. It is strange not having my car to use as a locker during the day, but I’ll adapt. I really don’t want to be driving when I can’t find a place to park and if I do the cost is astronomical.

One of the first things they did was to insert a PICC line, so they don’t have to keep sticking her over and over. Then another ultrasound. This afternoon she is to have a liver biopsy. They will be going through her neck and will be able to test pressures in her heart and liver blood vessels as well as get a tissue sample. The doctors have several causes they are considering for her liver trouble, but she doesn’t exactly fit the picture for any of them. This morning I was told that her liver is doing its necessary functions of removing toxin and synthesizing proteins, but it is very inflamed. I guess it’s nice to know that it is working any way. In a couple of days, they should have the biopsy results and be able to formulate a plan of attack.

Angela is getting a bit tired of all this, and her mood hasn’t been as upbeat, but she wants to be here and get this figured out. She continues to ask God for strength as well as healing, and we are praying for wisdom for the doctors as they try to discover the cause, or at least a cure, for her liver ailment. God has been so good to us, and I know that isn’t going to stop.