Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Another hurdle cleared!

Mark just got back into his room. Surgery went very well...no complications. (Or as Dr Guy said, no more of Mark's "acting silly.")
They took some of the burns off of his neck, placed his trach, and removed the burns from his back. The skin on the back is thicker, so even though it was third degree burns on his back, there was still some fatty tissue he was able to leave in hopes of skin regeneration.
He said he is hopeful that the back of his scalp will be intact enough to harvest some skin for grafting onto his face if needed. His hair is growing already. I ask Dr Guy what the next step was looking ahead, and his response after a long pause, was rest. It will be next week before they plan any other surgeries. The main things they are watching now are how well the cadaver skin is maintaining, and infections.
The skin for cloning is in Boston, and they have confirmed it is being cultured now. He explained the intricate detail involved in getting the cloned skin at just the right time. He will have to shave the very top layer of the cadaver skin off and replace it with the cloned skin to "trick" his body into accepting it as his. And this will have to be timed just right, as not to wait until the body rejects the cadaver skin.
For tonight...Another hurdle behind him now! The marathon continues...

6 comments:

  1. Praise God! My brother, Superman! Keep up the fight, Mark!

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  2. Thank you for the wonderful updates. Mark is in our thoughts and prayers.

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  3. Lots of love to you, Mark. I have always admired your strength and determination. I just know that you can beat the odds and win this marathon. GO MARK!!!!!
    Love ya lil Brother,
    Darlene

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  4. Praise God for another answer to prayers! We'll keep them coming!

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  5. Hi all, haven't stoped saying prayers asking for full recovery.Janet, Michael, and Kelly Schrodt

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  6. Tell Mark think'in about him. Hope all goes well.Grew up with you guys.you might know me as (jr), thinkin of all of the family an especially MARK.

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