Douglas Kisarale will be taking on his second round of surgeries and working with Hemotologists and Liver Specialists at Dominican Hospital and Stanford to help with diagnostics and care. Most of you know, Kisarale suffered from an emergency bleed in early June. We were taken to emergency by ambulance, given four blood transfusions, underwent emergency surgery and started this diagnostic process which we are currently navigating to determine the causes of his condition(s). We are trying to identify a potential auto-immune disease that may be putting stress on his organs and causing the bleeding.

So, here we are, about 4 months into this journey and starting a new phase of treatment. Douglas will have two additional surgeries next Wednesday, September 7th at Dominican Hospital. Please be holding him in your thoughts on this day. The goal will be to help prevent additional bleeding in the esophagus and stomach by cauterizing and banding varices and creating scar tissue. These surgeries will be ongoing, (every couple of months) until we reach a maintenance stage where surgery will take place every two years. He will also have a laparoscopic colonoscopy for diagnostic purposes.

Throughout September, they will also be taking samples for further diagnostics including testing pressure levels in specific organs, biopsy of the liver (and potentially other organs as needed) and ongoing tests for his Hematologist. We are taking blood tests regularly and trying to determine the cause of some widespread abnormalities across his blood test results. While a potential parasitic infectious disease was identified and treated (and could be the cause of some of the issues), the doctors are cautious and concerned there may be an underlying diagnosis, potentially autoimmune or liver related that is causing the abnormalities in Hemoglobin, cell counts etc. which is why we have been referred to Stanford. Those appointments will start after the recovery from the September 17th Surgeries.

We have never gone through anything like this and while it has tested us, it has also given us the ability to hold on to hope and rely on you, our amazing community. We will be starting this GoFundMe to help with the following specific needs as we continue to navigate Douglas' health journey; Copays, rent supplement, monthly bills, specialist visits and medications while Kisa is recovering. We are hoping this round of recovery will not last as long and that Kisa will be able to return to regular work sometime this fall. We will be posting updates here throughout this next phase of the journey.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us, holding us close, visiting us and being such an amazing community around us. Feel free to share this with those you know may be able to help.

Our surgeon keeps saying "It's never a good thing when this many doctors are interested in you", so our goal is to be as uninteresting to the medical community as possible this coming year! :) Please be praying for us. Hoping and trusting we can report back with more clarity and good news in the coming months!

Warmly,

Kisarale and Kendra