Finally! An Update!

Yes, I finally have an update on my wonderful husband. I am pleased to say that Greg is doing quite well and does not have any more scheduled bronchoscopies. The normal process post-double lung transplant is to have them once a day, then once a month, then once every 6 months and then once a year. I am not sure if it is because there have been recent findings that state that bronchs can be quite dangerous. The transplant clinic told him that they no longer think he needs them. That is, of course, unless something changes in his health.


Although he hasn't been working out at the health club much anymore, his lung function has once again hit it highest number. I believe it is close to the 85% lung function range, which is only second to the 86% that he has been able to reach at the hospital. Why are his lung functions still climbing 2 years after his transplant? I insist that it is because he has been walking our Labrador Retrievers every morning. This early morning exercise has forced him to open those lungs up so much that by the time he does his morning spirometry, his lungs have a great deal of power. Needless to say, I am happy either way. He is healthy and doing wonderfully. What more could a girl want?

Blasted Flu!

Two weeks with the flu is hell! Given that I am now finally getting over it, you would think I could look back and laugh. However, there is no laughter here because every time a cold enters out house, there is a great risk of Greg getting sick. Transplant drugs have his immune system so low that he is susceptible to tons of bugs out there. That is why I tried to limit my time around him during these two weeks. Of course, it is difficult when the transplant recipient is the one taking care of you when you are sick but we just followed some basic rules:

1. No kissing or snuggling
2. No sharing of cups, utensils, etc.
3. Cough in your sleeve, elbow, or shoulder, not in your hand
4. Dispose of dirty tissues immediately - do not leave them on tables and do not let the person clean them up
5. Wash hands frequently and use Purell
6. Limit your time around the other person
7. Spray everything down with Lysol daily including phones, keyboards, etc.
   

These are just some of the simple rules we follow in our house. Out of everything, make sure you take care of yourself as well. I was blessed with a great husband and even though he is the one that had the transplant, he easily steps up to the plate when I am sick. It is always hard to let them take care of you but they feel good being able to help you out as well... it is called love.

Amazing!

Here I am, stricken with the flu and my husband is as healthy as a horse (knocks on wood)! His immune system is suppressed due to the transplant drugs and I am considered the "healthy" one. And yet, it seems that I keep getting colds and he continues to stay healthy. No, I am not complaining in the least - just that it amazes me. As my grandmother says: "There but for the grace of God go I." That is all I can say when I am amazed by Greg's health. I have learned the blessings in life and tomorrow, when we talk about what we are grateful for, I will not even give a second thought - I am grateful for my husband's health and life. I am grateful for even the smallest miracles in life. I am grateful for that which God has given us and that which He has not.

Ugh! New Staff!

Frustrating isn't even a word to describe it how the health care industry can be! Yes, I understand that people come and go from jobs all the time but you should at least be given someone who knows what they are doing.

What am I going on about? Quite frankly, it is my husband's new transplant coordinator. Sure, things were bad in the beginning with the last one but at least she knew what she was doing and we actually liked her before she left. Not only did we lose her but also the two main double lung transplant surgeons of the hospital. Now we are given a transplant coordinator that keeps messing up my husband's prescriptions and actually called my husband, in reply to a message my husband had left, and stated "What did I mess up now?" Okay, I believe in admitting when you are wrong but when you actually make such a statement, it means you are messing up with other patients as well.

I will grant the guy some space given that he is new to the realms of the transplant clinic. I will even go as far as to say that he must be knowledgeable to get such a position. However, any problems with medication are not possible when dealing with a double lung transplant patient. There should be a record of his medications in his profile that the new transplant coordinator can just read off and order. So, it begs to question, why does he keep getting the prescriptions wrong??