May 5, 2009

Dear Special Stake Friends:

As you could probably tell from my email last night that yesterday was a very tough day for us. It seemed like every bit of news that we received was almost without hope. You don't know how much we appreciate the wonderful love and support that we feel from you. There is a scripture I recently read that I feel is so applicable to the support you have been giving us. Captain Moroni in speaking to Zerahemnah spoke of "the sacred support which we owe to our wives and children..." (Alma 44:5) We consider the support and love we are receiving from you as "sacred."

This morning when we went to see Bryce it was very difficult because he had gained an additional 50 lbs of water weight during the night. Last Thursday when he was admitted he weighed only 148 lbs and this morning he weighed 230 lbs - over 80 lbs of water weight. He was having a hard time oxygenating his blood and so his face was quite purple and because of the jaundice the few times he opens his eyes they are quite yellow. However, he survived the night and basically held his own with his lab values, etc. They aren't getting much better, but for the most part they are not getting worse.

We have been greatly encouraged that his liver function has maintained and not become worse. Bryce was more sedated today, but would occasionally respond by blinking his eyes are nodding his head.

This morning they put a dialysis line in his femoral artery in his leg and he has been on dialysis all day. This has greatly helped him. With the dialysis they are taking off a net of about 300 cc per hour of fluid from his body - they still told us that it will probably take 2-3 weeks to get all of the excess water weight off of his body.

Tonight when we left the hospital Bryce's face and neck are not nearly as swollen as they were earlier and his face only had a little bit of purple discoloration.

Although his condition continues to be very critical and he could die anytime the doctors seemed to be more optimistic and hopeful with us today. Tonight at 9 pm we visited with his nurse and he told us that everyday there are about 20 or more doctors and other specialists consulting on Bryce's case. The nurses and staff have been wonderful. They feel that the next 24-48 hours is a critical time period to really let us know if the chemotherapy he received last night will make a difference in destroying the cancer or if it will further damage his liver and possibly kill him.

His kidney is barely functioning right now and all of the doctors predict that his transplanted kidney will eventually fail (he has had this kidney for 19 years). If it does fail he will probably be on dialysis for a long time because they don't think he will be a good candidate for another kidney transplant because of the cancer. We haven't given up hope on the kidney either, but his life is of course our top concern, not his kidney.

We continue to trust in the Lord and we know that "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the [Bryce], for he loveth [Bryce]..." (1 Nephi 26:24)

Thanks again for everything. We hope that these emails are helpful to know what is going on.