Workup Week - Day 4

We had no tests on Thursday, May 17 so we came home Wednesday night and headed back up to Edmonton Thursday night around 5pm.

Today my first test was at 8:00am at College Plaza, Medical Imaging Consultants, which is about 2 blocks from the hospital. So we paid $5.00 an hour for parking and heading off for my abdominal ultrasound and Echocardiogram. The ultrasound was first at 8am and was completely finished by 9am. Then they sent me back to the change rooms to wait for the echocardiogram. The change rooms were all full, so I had to stand in the hallway with my oxygen on and wait for the next test. Not a very efficient system at all, but oh well. I`d never had an echocardiogram before, but it was next. I had no idea they took as long as they do. It was over an hour for the echo, but we finished these tests with no problem and then went for a much needed breakfast! This fasting business is not very much fun at all! 11:00am came and mom and I moved on to our last appointment with the transplant dietitian, Grace. She assessed my eating habits and took my height and weight. She was quite impressed with my eating and weight. She said that I had a good BMI for transplant and she was not worried about my nutrition at all. My A1C was also close to normal so that was good from the diabetes stand point. This appointment was about 45 minutes and then we were finished workup week!

It was a long, exhausting week but I am one step closer to getting new lungs. Now the entire transplant team is going to get together and review my test results and make a decision on whether or not I am a good candidate for transplant at their center. They all seemed very positive so I don`t expect there will be a problem being accepted. In a couple of weeks I will get word of their decision and then keep moving forward. If I am accepted I will then have to go up to Edmonton for a 6 week rehabilitation program. This program includes tons of physio and teaching. If all goes well I am hoping to attend the June 18 - July 27, 2012 session so I can get it done and move on. Oh also the doctors talked about when I would be placed on the waiting list. Sounds like they want to put me on right away as a status 2. Status 0 means that you need a transplant eventually and are accepted, but not currently active on the list. Status 1 means that you need lungs and you are on the list but are managing fine at home. Status 2 means that you need lungs and have frequent hospitalizations. I have been in the hospital quite a bit in the last 2 years and just got out of the foothills the week before I was due in Edmonton for the workup. I am also home on iv`s right now and have been on them for a month now. 2 iv`s totally 4 hours a day. I am feeling better and able to be off my oxygen a bit more now so I think they are helping. I go back and see Dr. Parkins next Wednesday in Calgary and we will decide if I keep doing the home IV therapy or stop it and take a break.