Well here it is October already and I haven't posted in ages! Things have been a little rocky, but I think I'm finally over the hump and ready to say that this whole process was worth it!
Summer did not come without hiccups though.
In May, they found that I had a fungus growing in my lungs so I was started on more IV antibiotics. I was on them for 3 months so the drug would work to kick the fungus out! And it did work!! Fungus is gone!
The other IV antibiotic I was on for 6 months ended up poisoning me and I spent part of June and all of July in the hospital. I went into kidney failure and my liver was also having issues. I ended up with 12 extra kilograms of fluid on board and was very weak. When I first got to the hospital I couldn't even lift my head off of the pillow. My nausea was so bad that I did not eat anything for 3 weeks. They kept my nutrition up through TPN feeds through my IVAD. They did a bronch on June 24 and 19 days later we found out that the micobacterium absessuss that I was growing before transplant was growing in my new lungs. It was a devastating blow, but I held it together and got through it.
Throughout all of that I ended up losing about 30 pounds. To help gain it back and help take the pressure off of eating, they put a feeding tube in my stomach and I started nightly feeds which gave me an extra 2400 calories a day. It worked great!
Here it is October 5 and I'm back up to 125 lbs and feeling great. My breathing is way better. And the best news of all...I had a bronch a couple weeks ago and nothing has grown. That bad bug that I had before hasn't grown. We can't get too excited yet though because it could still grow after some time. But so far, everything is looking very promising.
My right lung is looking good and mostly healed up, but my left airway and lung still have some healing to do. Time. Just more time.
Right now I'm just hanging out at home for the most part. I did join a gym though and I go about 3-4 times a week. It feels great to be able to do stuff again without becoming short of breath.
Jumping into my car and just going is something I lovvve now! It's much easier without all the oxygen and hoses everywhere! I can also sing in my car again. So watch out, you'll see me belting out the tunes!
So many things that people take for granted I don't anymore. Like jumping in the shower, getting dressed, cooking suppers, doing dishes and going out in the cold. These were all things that I had a really hard time doing before that just come so easy now.
My donor is truly an angel that saved my life! I look up everyday and thank them for the amazing gift that they have given me!
