10th Day In Hospital: Liam's 2nd Visit And No Viable Less Invasive Options (November 16, 2024)

This morning, I took Liam to breakfast before heading to Vanderbilt Hospital to visit Ali. He was thrilled. I had planned to bring Avalynn too, but when I tried waking her, she waved me off in her sleep. With Ali’s mom staying behind to keep an eye on her, I decided to let her sleep.

We finally received more detailed updates from the GI team. Dr. John Laurenzano, a Fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology, consulted with Dr. Patrick Yachimski, an advanced endoscopy specialist, to discuss potential solutions for Ali’s intestinal obstruction.

Two less invasive procedures were considered to address Ali’s intestinal obstruction. The first was endoscopic stenting, which involves placing a small tube to hold open the blocked area, allowing food to pass through. The second option was an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided gastrojejunostomy, a procedure that creates a bypass around the blockage by connecting the stomach directly to the small intestine.

Unfortunately, after a thorough review, they determined that neither approach is viable at this point in time. The obstruction is too far down in the small intestine for a stent, as the necessary equipment can’t reach the site. Similarly, the location makes it impossible to perform a gastrojejunostomy.

This leaves surgery as the next possible step, but we’re still waiting to hear from Dr. Deepa Magge, the same surgeon who performed Ali’s biopsy earlier this year. We trust her completely, knowing she’ll approach this decision thoughtfully and with Ali’s best interests in mind.

Despite everything, Ali continues to get up and move around during the day, which is a small but meaningful victory. Physical activity, even light movement, is incredibly beneficial for her.

As for discharge plans, everything is still up in the air. The situation changes so frequently that we don’t yet have a definitive timeline or plan. For now, we’re taking things one step at a time.