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Liver swap op gives Lauren new energy
From the Gazette & Herald, first published Thursday 5th Aug 2004.
GAZETTE & HERALD: Worries that five-year-old liver transplant girl Lauren Emery would need another operation have been reduced.
Originally her parents Joe and Helen Emery feared that the new liver was being rejected by Lauren's body after they had been told by doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital that she had developed an infection.
However Mr Emery said that after a recent scan the doctors had told them that Lauren did not face a second operation. Mr Emery, 32, said: "This scan showed that the new liver was going well. We are happy.
"Her liver seems to be working and they have dropped and reduced right down the medication.
"We are more confident about it all. Before we were quite nervous about it, but they have said that she took to the liver well and she is doing well.
"The only problem that there is now is fluid on the right hand side to the liver and they are a bit concerned about that. It was a small pocket when we went to the hospital and if it's the same or smaller then the doctors won't be concerned.
"If it's bigger they'll admit her, drain it off and try to see where it's coming from."
Before Lauren was born, her parents were told she had inverted organs and multiple spleens. She was diagnosed with liver disease at five weeks and had a liver bypass, which lasted until earlier this year, when she again became ill.
Mr Emery said: "It seems now she's over the worst of it and it should go up hill and should just be plain sailing."
With the good news has come such newfound energy that Lauren was able to run in races during a sports day at her school, Fynamore, in Calne.
"She did really well," said Mr Emery. "She didn't win but she finished the races. She was sitting by us as her class were about to run and she said you have got to make sure you watch me.
"Obviously she's smaller than the other children - but to see her putting in all the effort - when before she would get ten to 15 metres and she would be so tired.
"You can see the change in her and now she has much more energy and in her appearance she looks far, far more healthy.
"She's out running around and there's no stopping her, and another difference is we used to put her in a buggy, and now she can walk without getting tired."
The Emerys live in Tidworth and Lauren currently lives in Northfield, Calne, with her grandparents Sue and Steve Pluckrose as this makes it easier to attend her regular hospital appointments.
Mr Emery said Lauren was able to go back to school for three weeks before the start of the summer holidays and is looking forward to going back in September.
"It was nice for her to see her friends and I think she's making up for lost time," he added.
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