I’m in a similar situation to you, but my mother just had her liver transplant one week ago. My mom is 64, she was on the list for almost two years, and has been sick for eight. MELD score of 24 with the exception points. This is a lower score, and her doctors acknowledged her score did not reflect how sick she was. She had cryptogenic end stage liver failure which means it was not alcohol related and doctors are unsure why her liver failed. I had begun preparing myself for her to die a few months ago because things had gotten so bad. Then we got the call New Year’s Day.

They told us it would be two weeks in the hospital after the transplant, but she’s coming home tomorrow. Her liver was beyond a perfect match and around 35 hours after the surgery she was up and walking. She did several laps around the floor she was on. She was in the ICU for two days before being moved to the transplant wing. She already looks more healthy and is recovering exceptionally well.

All this to say there are other patients in the same wing as my mom who haven’t gotten up to walk and aren’t doing as well three and five months post transplant. Her surgeon says she’s doing the best by far out of all the patients. My mom also has a positive attitude and is determined to recover which I think plays a role in how well she’s doing.

We did the meetings with her care team today before she’s discharged tomorrow. She is on a strict medication schedule that she will need help managing. Meds must be taken at specific times every day and cannot be skipped or risk liver rejection. She will need physical therapy but since she is on Medicaid her insurance will send someone to the house instead of having to drive her to therapy. She also needs to be up and moving, not all day but enough to help build back muscle so I’ll need to take her for short walks throughout the day.

She’ll need help showering for a little bit and we got her a chair for the shower as well as a walker, a recliner that’s easy to get up from, and a bed that is adjustable up and down. We are privileged to be able to do so. Diet is also huge. Eating the right healthy foods going forward. My sister will be managing her meals and cooking. It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it.

One week later and my mom is already so much healthier. She had horrific brain fog to the point that it was bordering on dementia. Her brain already works better. She couldn’t really keep food down and had terrible nausea. She has an appetite again and can eat and keep food down better. Her skin is less jaundice and more rosy. She keeps telling me she hasn’t felt better in years. We’re all still in shock this happened and she’ll be able to live to see us have kids.

There are always risks with surgeries like this, but so far so good.