Transplant list

In june we have vacation and we are going to Holland. We also have 2 Doctor appointments, one in Brussels and the other in Holland. One day before our departure Quint had a black diaper. I checked with Dr. Waseem and he suggested to monitor it. 

The flight was uneventful. Quint slept nicely in his crib as did Melissa on her handmade bed on the floor. Grandpa was waiting for us in Dusseldorf after which we drove back to The Hague where we arrived late at night.
Our appointment with Dr. Sokal was on 11 June.
10 June. Quint again has a black diaper. This time on the edges the color was red-brown. Since we were leaving for Brussels later the day we decided to monitor it. It stayed with one. Tomorrow we will tell all to Dr. Sokal.
We start driving before the rush will start. We will visit Heleen and Hans first and afterwards we will overnight in ‘Le Rousseau’.
The next day we are at the hospital to meet Dr. Sokal. Quint is examined and we tell about the black diapers, he finds this not good and tells us that these are most probable varices. He also tells us that Quint must be put on the liver transplant list. Furthermore we have to stay and Quint will be treated for these varices through sclero-therapy. In total 3 treatments are suggested. The first one will be tomorrow, the second one after a week. Third one three weeks after the second one.
We go to the pediatric ward where a room for Quint is arranged. It is extremely hot in the ward and there is no air-conditioning. We ask if Quint can stay with us tonight and that is allowed. We drove to Carrefour to do some grocery shopping for our stay and to buy a fan. Later that day we are called and the doctors want Quint to stay at the ward. At about five we are back at the ward.
The next day we wait until it is Quint’s turn to go to the operation room. This takes longer than we were initially told. Eventually we get the location where to go. Luckily Shirley knows where it is.
First you are lead into a room where all other patients are waiting their turn to be operated on. We have to wait for over an hour. Dr. Sokal informs us that the room will be ready shortly. After Quint has been brought to sleep, we go back to the room until we get called again.
After I get the call to go see Quint, I get a note for the recovery room. As I do not know where it is, I ask if someone can explain it to me or if someone can escort me there. No one can explain exactly where it is, luckily a cleaner stands up and shows me the way. Quint is still sleeping and I wait patiently until he awakens after which we go back to the Ped. Ward.
In the afternoon Dr. Sokal comes by and reports what has been done. He treated 2 varices by sclero-therapy. Next week treatment no. 2. One of us sleeps in Quint’s room in the hospital and the other in Rousseau and every day we switch. The week is boring and the days last long. After 1 week the next treatment has been done, also here Dr. Sokal treats 3 more varices. We hope we can go home soon.
Wednesday 20 June we start inquiring very early if we are allowed to leave today. The doctors do not know this yet. It will be a long day. The doctors do not want us to go just as yet. Maybe tomorrow. But they always answer with maybe. We continue pressing them. Our Reasoning is, the 3rd treatment is after 3 weeks, Quint is doing very well, and we have another appointment in AMC, the hospital in Holland. So in worse case we are already at a hospital where they know Quint. Finally they agree and let us go. What a relief. Unfortunately it is already late and we decide to wait until after the rush hour. We start driving at six and arrive around nine in the Ronald McDonald home. What a luxury compared to the broken down room of le Rousseau. As we are unpacking, Quint decides to pull out his feeding tube. Off we go to the ER. After waiting here we are send up to the pediatric ward where after a while a new tube is put in.
The next day we tell all about Quint to Dr. Tabbers. Dr. Aronson also drops in. Both say that Quint looks good, but the news of him being put on the transplant list baffles them. Our consultation is mainly us keeping them up to date with Quint’s condition and treatment.
After this we head back to the Hague to Grandma & grandpa and Melissa. It is good to be together again. Because of the 3rd treatment on the 11th July, Shirley, Melissa and Quint will have to stay in Holland.

So we will try to do some nice things in the coming days. Fridayevening..the 29th..quint got fever again en saturdaymorning we are again in the amc hospital. Quint had again cholangitis en has to stay there. I had to leave shirley alone because i had to go that afternoon back to dubai.

== Oscar ==