Well, I was in the hospital waiting for the morning to come. Can you believe that I am actually going to get new lungs. I am still a little dumbfounded. First it was the intensity of being put on the list in the first place, THE LIST THE LIST, on my god, to e on the list was almost as amazing as finding out that I would be expecting, only better. The list is huge, to better understand it, you should know that there are two categories for the level of severity of you lung transplant, level two being the highest, and level one being, it can wait, it's not a big deal right now. Well I was on level two that is how badly I needed this. I didn't feel that sick, no look that sick, but by george I was that sick inside.
So the morning was creeping along, I had called all the people I needed to call, gave then the info they needed, as per the last entry. My most amazing husband Derek, was there to see me, and it was aw though there was nothing special happening. No Butterflies, no jumping beans, nothing. I was just so excited that after only 31 days on list I was going to be breathing in air like I can only image in would feel like to "normal" But even normal now a days, isn't normal.
Mom and Dad made i up in record time, 4 hours I think, maybe even less. Honestly, if i were speeding on the highway at 10 in th evening, I would pill m over. Well, ok maybe I would, but once I found out the reason, I would be the first person to escort them to the hospital, and should it have been a lie, as "Here's your sign. Have a nice day." Slap them with a nice fat speeding violation, lying to the authorities, and an other questionable highway traffic act they have committed, much less search his car, for narcotics or whatever. But we are talking about my Dad, and I won't be pulling him over... yet.
Everyone has finally got to the hospital, Mom, Dad, Derek, Dave, Jim, Erin and Jeff. they all wen to bed, as they were told I would be having surgery at 6am, get some sleep and come back in the morning. Now, I don't remember much about being brought into the Operating Room, I remember, Derek giving me a big kiss and a hug. He grabbed my shoes, m socks, and my clothes as I had to wear the most popular attire of the 21st Century, open back hospital gown, now that is just cruel and unusual punishment. They don't flatter any body, the skinny look even skinnier and the bigger look, well bigger.
They give me my first round of immunity medication, to prepare m body for the meds, and prevention of rejection. I remember being wheeled into the OR, and then told to sit on a table. Well, all this seems fine and dandy until I have to lay down on the stupid thing. It's hard like a rock, cold like Ice burg, and did I mention, not very body friendly. The bed is like a plank of metal, much like the one you see in a morgue on CSI, although they get a little extra width.
Now comes the medication to send you off to lala land. I see Dr. De Perrot, he is my surgeon this morning, met with the anesthesiologist, and he layed my down, and started injecting me with my new friend "Howdy and Doody" as I fall fast asleep I know nothing, hear nothing see nothing. Went in at 6:00, prepped for 2.5 hours, in recovery for maybe 1 hour, and off to ICU.
I remember being brought out of recovery to ICU with my two thumbs up, and of course, no one got a picture of it either. That would have been awesome. I guess you would have had to be there. There are gaps in my story, that I hope get in writing from all my family members from their pint of view, what the look was on the Doctors face when he cam out said the surgery was a success, what he told them in between, if he came out to tell everyone how things are turning out.
I want to know what the first things I said were, or wrote were, what I did that was so cool when I came out. Clearly I couldn't see that for myself, that's for sure.
Well, this is it for now, stay tuned for my unique experience through the eyes of a new found life, friends and bringing a family so close together, I think we may all need a divorce. lol
Tune in for "The Week the ICU came and went"
Kisses
Ali
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