I wanted to take the time to tell you a little about my transplant experience. I could go on for ever but, this will only be a summary.
The wait was a nervous one. In a lot of ways I withdrew from things. This was just my way of coping. An organ transplant is the largest surgical undertaking. Many people believe the heart is the most difficult organ to transplant. Truth is the lungs are. They have largest fatality rate of any transplant.
When the first call came that a match was found for me, I was told to get the hospital, my heart leap. The wait for the second call was the longest 5 hours of my life. On the outside I looked calm and relaxed. Inside, I was a mess. The second call came, Heathor answered the phone, the voice on the other end said "IT'S A GO!!" Time stopped! We just looked at each other speechless. Within no time I was off to surgery.
Waking up from the surgery was wild. I woke up shortly after being taken to ICU. I remember everything that was going on. I heard Heathor and my Dad speak. The first words I heard were my Dad saying "good lord!" These words were the best thing I ever heard, I was alive! When the breathing ventilator was removed the pain was over whelming; every breath was a fighting effort. I just knew there was something wrong. This could not be right. Then the doctor said "you are doing stellar." This changed everything for me. I was going to prove to them and my self I was a fighter. Within 14 hours post transplant I was walking! My friends and family were all to shocked when I walked (with the aid of nurses pushing the machines that fed the endless IV's and tubes attached to me) to the waiting room to visit them. I was informed (by the care team) they have never seen this level of rapid recovery and walking would expand my new lungs.
The next day I was in a regular room. From that point forward I walked. I would walk at least 2 miles daily. Every step and breath was painful but, with the aid of narcotics, I pushed through it. After the third day I was given a handheld lung function test machine. This machine will be used daily for the rest of my life to monitor my lung capacity. It would become my new bible. The first results made me literally cry. They were the same as my old lungs. How could this be? I was informed as the pain subsisted that my capacity would improve over the next of 6 months. They were so right, two days later my numbers skyrocketed, reaching 2x the capacity of my old lungs! I still had 50% more to go! Two days later I was homebound (Durham home.) Today my lung capacity is a wildly cool 80%.
People always ask me "how are you breathing." Till now I have not wanted to speak about my breathing. I am operating on the "knock on wood theory." To answer your question, "how is my breathing?" There is no word in the English dictionary that can express the joy and freedom I am experiencing. I have NEVER been able to breathe like this, NOT EVER. I can not only breathe better but, my life has changed in every way. Every thing has become so beautiful. The simple things bring me so much heart joy. I am so excited I can not contain my self. I thank each and every one who has given me so much love. With out your support none of accomplishments would have been possible. Heathor you are so special to me you set the bench mark for a loving companion.
The wait was a nervous one. In a lot of ways I withdrew from things. This was just my way of coping. An organ transplant is the largest surgical undertaking. Many people believe the heart is the most difficult organ to transplant. Truth is the lungs are. They have largest fatality rate of any transplant.
When the first call came that a match was found for me, I was told to get the hospital, my heart leap. The wait for the second call was the longest 5 hours of my life. On the outside I looked calm and relaxed. Inside, I was a mess. The second call came, Heathor answered the phone, the voice on the other end said "IT'S A GO!!" Time stopped! We just looked at each other speechless. Within no time I was off to surgery.
Waking up from the surgery was wild. I woke up shortly after being taken to ICU. I remember everything that was going on. I heard Heathor and my Dad speak. The first words I heard were my Dad saying "good lord!" These words were the best thing I ever heard, I was alive! When the breathing ventilator was removed the pain was over whelming; every breath was a fighting effort. I just knew there was something wrong. This could not be right. Then the doctor said "you are doing stellar." This changed everything for me. I was going to prove to them and my self I was a fighter. Within 14 hours post transplant I was walking! My friends and family were all to shocked when I walked (with the aid of nurses pushing the machines that fed the endless IV's and tubes attached to me) to the waiting room to visit them. I was informed (by the care team) they have never seen this level of rapid recovery and walking would expand my new lungs.
The next day I was in a regular room. From that point forward I walked. I would walk at least 2 miles daily. Every step and breath was painful but, with the aid of narcotics, I pushed through it. After the third day I was given a handheld lung function test machine. This machine will be used daily for the rest of my life to monitor my lung capacity. It would become my new bible. The first results made me literally cry. They were the same as my old lungs. How could this be? I was informed as the pain subsisted that my capacity would improve over the next of 6 months. They were so right, two days later my numbers skyrocketed, reaching 2x the capacity of my old lungs! I still had 50% more to go! Two days later I was homebound (Durham home.) Today my lung capacity is a wildly cool 80%.
People always ask me "how are you breathing." Till now I have not wanted to speak about my breathing. I am operating on the "knock on wood theory." To answer your question, "how is my breathing?" There is no word in the English dictionary that can express the joy and freedom I am experiencing. I have NEVER been able to breathe like this, NOT EVER. I can not only breathe better but, my life has changed in every way. Every thing has become so beautiful. The simple things bring me so much heart joy. I am so excited I can not contain my self. I thank each and every one who has given me so much love. With out your support none of accomplishments would have been possible. Heathor you are so special to me you set the bench mark for a loving companion.