Posts
Upon visiting with Dr. E about my liver enzymes being high and some issues I'd been having with eating (and keeping food down), he suggested that I visit a surgeon and talk about gall bladder removal. So, on to yet another doc...Dr. Meece.
He agreed that it was probably a good decision to remove the gall bladder, and after considering the school calendar and some family related items, I decided to spend my Fall Break having surgery. So, the 17th (little bro's birthday) at 5am, the folks and I trekked to my favorite pink home away from home for what amounted to about a 30 minute surgery. Was back home by 10am and in bed sleeping.
For the most part, things have gone very well. The surgery was done laparoscopicly so I have about 4 "holes" that I have to contend with. The main one is in the same spot as the drain tubes for the transplant, which has always been a tender area. I went back today for the follow up...@ 20 stones and no work for the rest of the week. While I don't like being away from work, I have to admit, a few days of extra rest will be nice!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
New Challenges, New Dreams
It has been a busy summer around my house. School ended (finally!) in early June for me, and I took a near week long vacation to Washington DC with some of our students who made National History Day (and won an award!). Then, I had about 2 weeks until I returned to summer school and conducted summer EOI testing....about 130 of them. Toward the end of that, I interviewed for a counseling position at one of our 9/10 grade schools and got the job, which resulted in returning to school about 5 days earlier than I was going to.
So, thanks to my parents who were willing to sweat during this 110 degree weather we've been having, I moved my office. Now, the site I'm moving to has been undergoing some construction so I couldn't really set things up until the end of last week when we returned. So, I've spent this past week arranging an office, enrolling kids, and enjoying getting to know my new co-workers.
I loved the people I worked with at the middle school I was at....they create a family atmosphere and care for each other and the kids. But, after losing Chuck this summer I realized that I have a short time to realize the dream of being in administration, and after 15 years of middle school I felt that I needed to expand my experience. So, when this opportunity came up, I went for it.
I'm going to miss my Sequoyah family, but Jo and Troy (my fellow counselors) have made me feel very welcome at South. I know the challenges will be similar even if the age is a little older, but I believe the experience will be worth it. It is always an anxious time when you move to a new building, deal with new kids/staff/parents, and do things you've never done before. But, I felt it was time for a change for me and a chance to follow a dream. Here's hoping it works out!
So, thanks to my parents who were willing to sweat during this 110 degree weather we've been having, I moved my office. Now, the site I'm moving to has been undergoing some construction so I couldn't really set things up until the end of last week when we returned. So, I've spent this past week arranging an office, enrolling kids, and enjoying getting to know my new co-workers.
I loved the people I worked with at the middle school I was at....they create a family atmosphere and care for each other and the kids. But, after losing Chuck this summer I realized that I have a short time to realize the dream of being in administration, and after 15 years of middle school I felt that I needed to expand my experience. So, when this opportunity came up, I went for it.
I'm going to miss my Sequoyah family, but Jo and Troy (my fellow counselors) have made me feel very welcome at South. I know the challenges will be similar even if the age is a little older, but I believe the experience will be worth it. It is always an anxious time when you move to a new building, deal with new kids/staff/parents, and do things you've never done before. But, I felt it was time for a change for me and a chance to follow a dream. Here's hoping it works out!
Friday, June 29, 2012
For Chuck, With Love
Every now and then, God places very special people in your path of life. You may not realize it at the time, or take it for granted when it happens, but you do when they leave. I knew Chuck Stophel was special the first moment I ever spoke to him, but I didn't realize at the time how much I would be blessed by him.
The Fall of 2004 was a difficult one for me. I had been accepted into the transplant program and was just waiting for the call. I had taken my time deciding on going ahead with the transplant for several factors: not wanting to take a heart away from a child who might have a longer chance at life, the complications and rejection issues that develop from the surgery and medications that you take, the cost of long term care after.
One evening, an Emmaus friend of mine - Nancy Williams - asked me if it would be ok to give my phone number to a man that sang in her praise band with her at Asbury. Recently, she had learned that he had a heart transplant in his mid '20's and thought that I might benefit from talking with him. Her nursing radar went up as soon as she found out and she felt that he might be able to help with some of my concerns. So, a week or so later, my phone rang about 8pm one evening and this sweet voice said, "Hi, my name is Chuck Stophel and you don't know me but I think we are going to have a lot in common soon." And for the next 90 minutes, we talked about transplants, life as a transplant patient, practical jokes he pulled with kids as a result (a jello heart meal in front of elementary kids resulted in a lot of throwing up!), and faith. And after I hung up, I felt better than I had for a long time.
On my next visit to the transplant clinic, Chuck happened to be there and so we met. Chuck and Dick Thomson were the unspoken leaders of the transplant support team and would often come in on Tuesday's to check on other patients and offer ways to help. He was about 38 and had been post transplant, I believe, about 10 years. He had battled cancer as a young child and won. His office had come down with a lot of flu related illnesses and he went to the doctor to get put on medication to prevent catching it himself since he had two small sons (one a newborn) in his house. While there, they discovered his heart problem.
Back in those days, when you got to the point of not being able to get around they put you in the hospital. Chuck's issue progressed rapidly and soon he was hospitalized, leaving his young wife and children behind. But Chuck was a very strong Christian and never lost his faith...and despite several weeks of hospitalization he did have a match come through.
The day that I got the call for a possible heart, they were having clinic so Chuck was there. Clinic didn't want people to know what was going on so they snuck me into the hospital then out to CICU, but somehow Chuck found out what was happening. He came up to CICU, met my family and friends, and provided several laughs as we waited to see if the heart was going to be a match. As the day became longer, Chuck still hung around. They thought we might be able to do the surgery that evening...then sometime around midnight, then eventually they said it would be early the next morning. All the time, Chuck stayed. He came into to ICU one time with tears running down his face from laughing at a couple of my friends who were staring outside at the Lifeflight helicopter, thinking it might contain the heart, and he had quietly walked up behind them then loudly proclaimed that it the window was loose or something like that. He told me it was like watching "hear no evil/see no evil/speak no evil" and that they had jumped about 5 feet high. The next day as I was in surgery he explained everything that was going on as the calls came in about progress, and he followed up with checking on my family and friends the days I stayed in the hospital.
My first outing was to attend Easter services at Asbury, where Chuck sang a special during the service. Chuck had been blessed with a beautiful voice that he used as praise to the Lord. He saw us in the lobby and came and spent some time with us. Next time was at the Transplant softball game where Chuck was the organizer and MC. His small sons played for him. I never had the chance to actually meet his wife, Sara, but it was always obvious from the way he spoke about her that she was the love of his life. Chuck and Sara did some ministry with couples and started doing some traveling, so for a while I didn't see him as often.
Then, two years ago came the sad news that cancer had returned to his life. As a transplant patient, the medications you take have some serious side effects and can cause cancer. It didn't help that Chuck had battled it when he was healthy; it made the chance for it coming back much stronger with being on anti-rejection drugs. When Dick passed away (also from cancer), I noticed that he didn't look well and he told me what was going on. He was undergoing chemo and it was taking a toll on him. A few weeks later, I heard that he had taken a turn for the worse and they weren't sure that he'd be able to get through any further chemo.
But, that didn't stop Chuck. It was close but he fought on with faith that he would not lose this battle, and he won. He had started working at ORU just prior to being diagnosed but the expense of the bills and the insurance were an issue, so some of his friends held a fund-raising event for him that my parents and I attended. Chuck was weak but he was reveling in the event and proclaimed at the end that he would defeat this challenge with the prayers of his friends. And he was able to go back to work for a short period of time.
But, it came back and he was back to doing chemo, traveling to MD Anderson, and fighting the fight again. Last night, cancer may have beat his body but it never beat his spirit. He remained faithful to the end, praising the Lord with his testimony, faith, and song.
Chuck told me that he wanted to do the transplant because he wanted to live long enough to see his sons become Men of God. From what I've read on Facebook, he accomplished that. Nik posted a picture of his parents during Chuck's last moments on this earth....Chuck with tubes but his eyes bright and open looking adoringly at Sara, who was holding his had and smiling at him. Nik said he'd been blessed to have had them as role models and thanked his father for teaching him what true faith was.
I'm going to miss Chuck. While we didn't talk as often as we should have (my fault, not his) recently, I always knew he was there and would understand whatever I was going through. But like Nik, Asher, Cres, and Sara....I was blessed to have him lead by example in life, in faith, and in death.
Well done, Good and Faithful Servant.
The Fall of 2004 was a difficult one for me. I had been accepted into the transplant program and was just waiting for the call. I had taken my time deciding on going ahead with the transplant for several factors: not wanting to take a heart away from a child who might have a longer chance at life, the complications and rejection issues that develop from the surgery and medications that you take, the cost of long term care after.
One evening, an Emmaus friend of mine - Nancy Williams - asked me if it would be ok to give my phone number to a man that sang in her praise band with her at Asbury. Recently, she had learned that he had a heart transplant in his mid '20's and thought that I might benefit from talking with him. Her nursing radar went up as soon as she found out and she felt that he might be able to help with some of my concerns. So, a week or so later, my phone rang about 8pm one evening and this sweet voice said, "Hi, my name is Chuck Stophel and you don't know me but I think we are going to have a lot in common soon." And for the next 90 minutes, we talked about transplants, life as a transplant patient, practical jokes he pulled with kids as a result (a jello heart meal in front of elementary kids resulted in a lot of throwing up!), and faith. And after I hung up, I felt better than I had for a long time.
On my next visit to the transplant clinic, Chuck happened to be there and so we met. Chuck and Dick Thomson were the unspoken leaders of the transplant support team and would often come in on Tuesday's to check on other patients and offer ways to help. He was about 38 and had been post transplant, I believe, about 10 years. He had battled cancer as a young child and won. His office had come down with a lot of flu related illnesses and he went to the doctor to get put on medication to prevent catching it himself since he had two small sons (one a newborn) in his house. While there, they discovered his heart problem.
Back in those days, when you got to the point of not being able to get around they put you in the hospital. Chuck's issue progressed rapidly and soon he was hospitalized, leaving his young wife and children behind. But Chuck was a very strong Christian and never lost his faith...and despite several weeks of hospitalization he did have a match come through.
The day that I got the call for a possible heart, they were having clinic so Chuck was there. Clinic didn't want people to know what was going on so they snuck me into the hospital then out to CICU, but somehow Chuck found out what was happening. He came up to CICU, met my family and friends, and provided several laughs as we waited to see if the heart was going to be a match. As the day became longer, Chuck still hung around. They thought we might be able to do the surgery that evening...then sometime around midnight, then eventually they said it would be early the next morning. All the time, Chuck stayed. He came into to ICU one time with tears running down his face from laughing at a couple of my friends who were staring outside at the Lifeflight helicopter, thinking it might contain the heart, and he had quietly walked up behind them then loudly proclaimed that it the window was loose or something like that. He told me it was like watching "hear no evil/see no evil/speak no evil" and that they had jumped about 5 feet high. The next day as I was in surgery he explained everything that was going on as the calls came in about progress, and he followed up with checking on my family and friends the days I stayed in the hospital.
My first outing was to attend Easter services at Asbury, where Chuck sang a special during the service. Chuck had been blessed with a beautiful voice that he used as praise to the Lord. He saw us in the lobby and came and spent some time with us. Next time was at the Transplant softball game where Chuck was the organizer and MC. His small sons played for him. I never had the chance to actually meet his wife, Sara, but it was always obvious from the way he spoke about her that she was the love of his life. Chuck and Sara did some ministry with couples and started doing some traveling, so for a while I didn't see him as often.
Then, two years ago came the sad news that cancer had returned to his life. As a transplant patient, the medications you take have some serious side effects and can cause cancer. It didn't help that Chuck had battled it when he was healthy; it made the chance for it coming back much stronger with being on anti-rejection drugs. When Dick passed away (also from cancer), I noticed that he didn't look well and he told me what was going on. He was undergoing chemo and it was taking a toll on him. A few weeks later, I heard that he had taken a turn for the worse and they weren't sure that he'd be able to get through any further chemo.
But, that didn't stop Chuck. It was close but he fought on with faith that he would not lose this battle, and he won. He had started working at ORU just prior to being diagnosed but the expense of the bills and the insurance were an issue, so some of his friends held a fund-raising event for him that my parents and I attended. Chuck was weak but he was reveling in the event and proclaimed at the end that he would defeat this challenge with the prayers of his friends. And he was able to go back to work for a short period of time.
But, it came back and he was back to doing chemo, traveling to MD Anderson, and fighting the fight again. Last night, cancer may have beat his body but it never beat his spirit. He remained faithful to the end, praising the Lord with his testimony, faith, and song.
Chuck told me that he wanted to do the transplant because he wanted to live long enough to see his sons become Men of God. From what I've read on Facebook, he accomplished that. Nik posted a picture of his parents during Chuck's last moments on this earth....Chuck with tubes but his eyes bright and open looking adoringly at Sara, who was holding his had and smiling at him. Nik said he'd been blessed to have had them as role models and thanked his father for teaching him what true faith was.
I'm going to miss Chuck. While we didn't talk as often as we should have (my fault, not his) recently, I always knew he was there and would understand whatever I was going through. But like Nik, Asher, Cres, and Sara....I was blessed to have him lead by example in life, in faith, and in death.
Well done, Good and Faithful Servant.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Time Flies When You're Having Fun!
I just realized that I haven't updated since my 7 year anniversary in February! And here it is nearly June! Yep...time flies!
Annual heart cath and tests were run in March with positive results except for one issue...my liver enzymes were off. In most people, this is not a major issue but transplant patients don't need another major organ failing or have their medication start affecting the other organs. So, every 3 weeks or so I went back to the vampire (actually, Cami is a very nice lady who takes care of my blood draws) at SFH and had liver enzymes ran. After about 3 different tests with little improvement, I was finally sent to have an abdominal ultrasound ran to see if they could tell anything without doing any other invasive procedures.
The results were that I have gallstones and a somewhat "fatty" liver. Apparently, the gall stones aren't to the point of being serious problems as no pressure was put on my for yet another surgery. I just have to watch and if I start having issues, then they'll need to see about taking it out. Since I've dealt with enough hospitals and surgeries, I'm in no hurry!
Tomorrow is my last day at school as well. I've worked two jobs this year...my counseling job during the day and a counselor/administrator for our night virtual school program. I'm still waiting to hear if they'll need me to help with the summer program, but I'm looking forward to a little time to relax. I'm also going to take a short trip to Washington DC with another teacher and some of our kids. I was last there when I was 9 and have always wanted to go back, so I'm really looking forward to it!
Why did I do two jobs? My Master's is in Administration and I've wanted to get moving into that direction since the transplant, however, whether it is said or not, I believe the "powers that be" have some concerns over my stamina in doing the job because of the surgery. So, my thought was that if I put in as many hours as an administrator does by doing both jobs (and the stress that goes with it) maybe I can prove that I can handle the job....if not in this district then maybe in some other. Maybe it will pay off, maybe it won't. But I had to try.
Will I relax and rest over the summer? Probably not. I get bored easily so unless I find some pretty good projects to do I can imagine how I'll be in about 3 weeks. I'll spend time with my family and see what happens in the days ahead. One day at a time....
Annual heart cath and tests were run in March with positive results except for one issue...my liver enzymes were off. In most people, this is not a major issue but transplant patients don't need another major organ failing or have their medication start affecting the other organs. So, every 3 weeks or so I went back to the vampire (actually, Cami is a very nice lady who takes care of my blood draws) at SFH and had liver enzymes ran. After about 3 different tests with little improvement, I was finally sent to have an abdominal ultrasound ran to see if they could tell anything without doing any other invasive procedures.
The results were that I have gallstones and a somewhat "fatty" liver. Apparently, the gall stones aren't to the point of being serious problems as no pressure was put on my for yet another surgery. I just have to watch and if I start having issues, then they'll need to see about taking it out. Since I've dealt with enough hospitals and surgeries, I'm in no hurry!
Tomorrow is my last day at school as well. I've worked two jobs this year...my counseling job during the day and a counselor/administrator for our night virtual school program. I'm still waiting to hear if they'll need me to help with the summer program, but I'm looking forward to a little time to relax. I'm also going to take a short trip to Washington DC with another teacher and some of our kids. I was last there when I was 9 and have always wanted to go back, so I'm really looking forward to it!
Why did I do two jobs? My Master's is in Administration and I've wanted to get moving into that direction since the transplant, however, whether it is said or not, I believe the "powers that be" have some concerns over my stamina in doing the job because of the surgery. So, my thought was that if I put in as many hours as an administrator does by doing both jobs (and the stress that goes with it) maybe I can prove that I can handle the job....if not in this district then maybe in some other. Maybe it will pay off, maybe it won't. But I had to try.
Will I relax and rest over the summer? Probably not. I get bored easily so unless I find some pretty good projects to do I can imagine how I'll be in about 3 weeks. I'll spend time with my family and see what happens in the days ahead. One day at a time....
Friday, February 24, 2012
Seven years and counting
Seven short years ago this week I was wondering if I was going to make it to Spring Break before I would have to stop working. I would come into school about 8:45 and leave by 2pm, with a short rest during lunch. I was barely eating a cup of soup for lunch and couldn't hold out to fix dinner when I came home. To walk from my car to my office inside the school was less than a football field, but I'd have to stop twice to get there. Once I got home, I'd lay down on the couch and watch Paula Deen, dreaming of the wonderful dishes she was making as I fell asleep for a couple of hours. I'd be in bed for the night by 9pm.
My parents and brother and wife would come to help me with groceries, laundry, housecleaning, and anything else that needed to be done. Friends would offer to help in any way. I was making frequent doctor visits and monitoring blood pressure and chemistry, often giving 12-18 vials of blood at the visits.
And during these last few days I lost a cousin to cancer and saw the death of a co-workers daughter to domestic violence. Attending those funerals was like preparing for my own. I'd already typed up information for my funeral and what I wanted done with my personal items. I prepared...I still do. I had a phone tree to contact people and thought I'd had plenty of arrangements to get to the hospital if the call came.
I'd just arrived at school, the day before the State Writing test, when my phone rang in my office...it was the transplant clinic telling me they thought they had a match. They didn't want to make a big deal at the clinic since others were there but they needed me to come in and give even more blood so they could verify the chemistry match as other transplant teams made arrangements to come to OKC.
But, those carefully made plans were up in the air. My dearest friends at school were in class and couldn't leave, my principal was out of town and one assistant was at an administrative meeting, so another friend had to stay and run the school. My counseling friends were involved with kids and parents and couldn't just up and leave. My parents are an hour away. My sister in law was on her way to Arkansas. And my brother was tied up at work...but he was able to bail and meet me at my duplex and drive me to the hospital.
It was a very, very long day of waiting after I got there. They took me up to Cardiac ICU around noon and began hooking me up to monitors, etc. in preparation, although they felt sure it would be late afternoon or early evening before anything would happen. Family began to arrive, followed soon by friends and co-workers. And we continued to wait.
Now, it was going to be after 8pm at the earliest. Anyone and everyone was allowed to come back because once the transplant happend, severe restrictions on visitors would be implemented. And we waited. And waited. And waited.
Finally, about 10 pm we were told that due to weather (major thunderstorms in February in Oklahoma can turn into anything) it would probably be early morning. They were going to Lifeflight the team to OKC when all the other transplant teams (who were having trouble getting into OKC) arrived. They had tested and felt that this heart was going to be the one.
But, shortly after midnight a major thunderstorm came over Tulsa and Lifeflight couldn't take off. I was supposed to be sleeping but all I could think of was this might be my last night on earth. I'd made my peace with the world and with God long before, but it was still a strange feeling. Finally about 3am the nurse told me that the team had taken off in an ambulance to recover the donor heart and I begin to finally believe it was going to happen.
In the meantime, my father and uncle had found old family friends in the waiting room as well and were having a great time visiting with them. Later, one of these individuals would be the one who reviewed all my biopsy tests and determined rejections issues for me.
My friends from school took a day off and were there early morning, along with my family. My principal, who made it back into town and stopped by the hospital before he went home, came back by before heading to work and making sure the writing test was set to go, which was going to be ran by my counseling buddies. Ministers from my church and others began to drop by.
Suddenly, things were ready to roll. Nurses began to scramble, voices begin to hush, hands began to be held. Then, that wonderful medication was injected and I began to struggle to make sense. I do remember the ICU nurses and the surgical nurse getting into it on where my family and friends were to wait, all the while leaving me on the gurney thinking, "I don't care where THEY wait, get me down for this transplant"!
As they finally settled that, I attempted to wave to my family as I was rolled down the hallway toward surgery. I never remember getting to the OR. I've been told that as the ambulance got within 3 miles they called the operation room. By this time I was split open and about ready to go on bypass. From the time they rolled me down until they called my parents and told them things were fine....less than 2 hours....actually closer to 90 minutes.
I don't remember waking up until the next day, but my parents said I opened my eyes and the blue was finally back...in fact, that is what my father said to pass along to everyone when people called to ask how things progressed.
That was Wednesday. By Friday I was sitting up in a chair. By Sunday night I walked out in ICU for a short time. By Tuesday of the next week, I was walking hallways and talking at the same time...a trick I hadn't been able to do in months.
And who do I owe the happy ending too? My donor, Tiffani, her family, my God, and the many prayers that were lifted for me from a great many people...some I knew personally and some I've never met. It could have been so much different, and in may cases it is. I know I've been blessed.
If you've never thought of being a donor before, please do so. Be sure and tell your family of your desire. You never know what may happen, and you never know when you might be the one needing the transplant. I never thought I'd be in the position I was, and I know I can't thank Tiffani's family and Tiffani herself for the blessing they've given me. I've been given extra time, and I am grateful. I have no idea for how long...transplant patients typically have an additional 10-20 years of life...but I want to use this time to help others. I hope I am.
My parents and brother and wife would come to help me with groceries, laundry, housecleaning, and anything else that needed to be done. Friends would offer to help in any way. I was making frequent doctor visits and monitoring blood pressure and chemistry, often giving 12-18 vials of blood at the visits.
And during these last few days I lost a cousin to cancer and saw the death of a co-workers daughter to domestic violence. Attending those funerals was like preparing for my own. I'd already typed up information for my funeral and what I wanted done with my personal items. I prepared...I still do. I had a phone tree to contact people and thought I'd had plenty of arrangements to get to the hospital if the call came.
I'd just arrived at school, the day before the State Writing test, when my phone rang in my office...it was the transplant clinic telling me they thought they had a match. They didn't want to make a big deal at the clinic since others were there but they needed me to come in and give even more blood so they could verify the chemistry match as other transplant teams made arrangements to come to OKC.
But, those carefully made plans were up in the air. My dearest friends at school were in class and couldn't leave, my principal was out of town and one assistant was at an administrative meeting, so another friend had to stay and run the school. My counseling friends were involved with kids and parents and couldn't just up and leave. My parents are an hour away. My sister in law was on her way to Arkansas. And my brother was tied up at work...but he was able to bail and meet me at my duplex and drive me to the hospital.
It was a very, very long day of waiting after I got there. They took me up to Cardiac ICU around noon and began hooking me up to monitors, etc. in preparation, although they felt sure it would be late afternoon or early evening before anything would happen. Family began to arrive, followed soon by friends and co-workers. And we continued to wait.
Now, it was going to be after 8pm at the earliest. Anyone and everyone was allowed to come back because once the transplant happend, severe restrictions on visitors would be implemented. And we waited. And waited. And waited.
Finally, about 10 pm we were told that due to weather (major thunderstorms in February in Oklahoma can turn into anything) it would probably be early morning. They were going to Lifeflight the team to OKC when all the other transplant teams (who were having trouble getting into OKC) arrived. They had tested and felt that this heart was going to be the one.
But, shortly after midnight a major thunderstorm came over Tulsa and Lifeflight couldn't take off. I was supposed to be sleeping but all I could think of was this might be my last night on earth. I'd made my peace with the world and with God long before, but it was still a strange feeling. Finally about 3am the nurse told me that the team had taken off in an ambulance to recover the donor heart and I begin to finally believe it was going to happen.
In the meantime, my father and uncle had found old family friends in the waiting room as well and were having a great time visiting with them. Later, one of these individuals would be the one who reviewed all my biopsy tests and determined rejections issues for me.
My friends from school took a day off and were there early morning, along with my family. My principal, who made it back into town and stopped by the hospital before he went home, came back by before heading to work and making sure the writing test was set to go, which was going to be ran by my counseling buddies. Ministers from my church and others began to drop by.
Suddenly, things were ready to roll. Nurses began to scramble, voices begin to hush, hands began to be held. Then, that wonderful medication was injected and I began to struggle to make sense. I do remember the ICU nurses and the surgical nurse getting into it on where my family and friends were to wait, all the while leaving me on the gurney thinking, "I don't care where THEY wait, get me down for this transplant"!
As they finally settled that, I attempted to wave to my family as I was rolled down the hallway toward surgery. I never remember getting to the OR. I've been told that as the ambulance got within 3 miles they called the operation room. By this time I was split open and about ready to go on bypass. From the time they rolled me down until they called my parents and told them things were fine....less than 2 hours....actually closer to 90 minutes.
I don't remember waking up until the next day, but my parents said I opened my eyes and the blue was finally back...in fact, that is what my father said to pass along to everyone when people called to ask how things progressed.
That was Wednesday. By Friday I was sitting up in a chair. By Sunday night I walked out in ICU for a short time. By Tuesday of the next week, I was walking hallways and talking at the same time...a trick I hadn't been able to do in months.
And who do I owe the happy ending too? My donor, Tiffani, her family, my God, and the many prayers that were lifted for me from a great many people...some I knew personally and some I've never met. It could have been so much different, and in may cases it is. I know I've been blessed.
If you've never thought of being a donor before, please do so. Be sure and tell your family of your desire. You never know what may happen, and you never know when you might be the one needing the transplant. I never thought I'd be in the position I was, and I know I can't thank Tiffani's family and Tiffani herself for the blessing they've given me. I've been given extra time, and I am grateful. I have no idea for how long...transplant patients typically have an additional 10-20 years of life...but I want to use this time to help others. I hope I am.
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