AFTER A FEW DAYS, SOME OF THE TUBES AND NEEDLES WERE REMOVED. THAT ALONE MADE ME FEEL ALOT BETTER. I STILL HAD DRAINAGE IN MY LEFT CHEST TUBE, SO IT STAYED A LITTLE LONGER.. STEPHANIE WAS USUALLY MY DAY NURSE, SHE PATIENTLY WALKED ME EVERY DAY. WHETHER I WANTED TO OR NOT. SOON I WALKED BY MYSELF, SOMETIMES WITH CAROLL, MY MOTHER OR MY SISTER VICKI, BUT I HAD TO WALK. WHEN THE CHEST TUBE WAS REMOVED, I WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER ROOM. SAME SECTION, BUT NOT INTENSIVE CARE.I STAYED THERE 3 DAYS AND WAS RELEASED TO THE U.A.B. TOWNHOUSE.
THE TOWN HOUSE IS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIVE NEARBY, BUT NEED AFTER CARE. ALSO PEOPLE WAITING FOR TRANSPLANTS, WHO LIVE TOO FAR AWAY TO GET THERE IN TIME, AND FAMILIES OF PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED. WE STAYED THERE FOR 5 WEEKS, GOING TO KIRKLLIN CLINIC THREE DAYS A WEEK, WHERE I GOT BLOOD TESTS, CHEST X RAYS, E.K.G.,ECHOCARDIOGRAM, AND ONCE A WEEK A HEART BIOPSY. WE MET A LOT OF WONDERFULL PEOPLE THERE, AND A LOT HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS. AS WE SPEAK OUR FRIEND VALARIE H., AND FLORENCE J. ARE RECUPERATING FROM GETTING A LUNG TRANSPLANT.
AFTER 5 WEEKS I CAME HOME. I WAS SORE AND STILL AM AT THIS TIME, BUT WHAT'S A LITTLE SORENESS WHEN THEY GIVE YOU LIFE. I STARTED CARDIAC REHAB. WHERE CHERYL WARMER AND CHRISTY DBOS TEACH THE BEST WAY TO EXCERCISE, AND ALSO DO'S AND DON'T FOR HEART PATIENTS.THEY ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND COURTIOUS IN THEIR DUTIES. I'M WALKING UP TO THREE MILES A DAY, AND DOING THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD DO AGAIN. ORGAN TRANSPLANTS MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT SURE WAS FOR ME.
I'VE RENEWED MY FAITH IN GOD. I BELIEVE HE ANSWERED ALL OF OUR PRAYERS. GOD, MY DONOR, THE DONORS FAMILY, AND MY WILL TO LIVE BROUGHT ME THROUGH THIS ORDEAL. AT THIS TIME I HAVEN'T MET THE DONORS FAMILY, BUT I WISH TO SOME DAY. I LEARNED NEVER TO GIVE UP A LONG TIME AGO. AT FIRST I DID GIVE UP, THEN I REALIZED THAT WASN'T ME. I HAVE NEVER GIVEN UP ON ANYTHING, AND WASN'T GOING TO NOW. |
