Mayo, My Mayo

I made it up to Rochester safely. I only cried for the first five miles, and then I was ok, though, I had to take some deep breaths every once in a while when I felt in danger of "losing it." Turned on the radio and there was John Denver, singing, "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Probably just a coincidence.
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Loren is to get one more echo done tomorrow (Friday) morning, and then he should be released. There is still some extra space with fluid around his heart. His old heart was enlarged, and the new one takes up less space, leaving room for fluid to collect. The echo is to determine that the fluid has not increased. They are giving it a week to go down on it's own, and if it does not, they will stick a needle in there and draw the fluid off. (ick)

Loren will be very glad to get out of here. The "less than tantalizing food" is curbing his appetite.
I will try to nip across the street and bring him something from "The Canadian Honkers" restaurant. I hear the food is good and they allow family members to to do that for patients. Apparently Loren is not the only complainant.

I snuck out while Loren was snoozing, which is very hard to do in a hospital setting. Someone is ALWAYS coming in for this and that. I had just convinced housekeeping to come back later to clean, when an aid knocks on the door and cheerily announces, "You have some mail!" That woke him up. (grrrrr)

Patients have to grab sleep when they can, because lab techs come in a 5:30 to draw blood, (came back later to draw again, since "the first sample clotted before we could use it.") then it is down to x-ray, then an EKG, then back up to "smile purty" for all the docs who start coming around at 7:30 and 8. They don't allow visitors on the floor until 8, so I usually miss all the doctors, but, Lord willing, after tomorrow we will be freed from the confines of the hospital. Then it is off to the Gift of Life Transplant House where we will be under "City Arrest" for the next 11 weeks or so.

Speaking of which, I called that place yesterday and was told to call back today, after 11. I called today and was told my name was not on the list. Then I was told there was some barely legible writing that looked sorta like our names. Then I was told to call back tomorrow after 9. (sigh) They will put us up in a nearby hotel until a room opens up. I just want to get Loren settled.

I am waiting to purchase the food until after I have my "teaching session" with the dietician. Somewhere in there, I will have to leave Loren for a while and go get some things. But, there is no where to put it until we have a room assignment..... I am a little frustrated, since I made a special effort to contact them last week. Oh well, it will all work out.
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My mom and dad arrived safely around 4 p.m. yesterday, to stay with the kids. My sister-in-law, who had also offered her services, is not recovering as quickly as expected after her shoulder surgery, so, I think Mom and Dad are just going to stay. The kids had Grandpa reading books to them within 10 minutes of stepping in the door!

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Keep praying for Loren. This is going to be a long road of recovery. I will try to fill you in on the agonizing details I feel appropriate, because: 1) I figure most of the family and some friends want to know, anyway 2) I figure some think that once you get the new heart, it's all over. And it's not. 3) I figure that I shouldn't have to suffer alone :-)

Loren still has various pains, though, not so much from the actual incisions. There is an almost constant headache, which could be a side effect of various meds. Mostly they offer him Tylenol, which gives him a rebound headache, if he takes too much. There is some back pain from the trauma of spreading the sternum. The breast bone is split, and then the ribs get pushed towards the back.... well,I think you get the idea.

There will be lots and lots of followup checks. Many appointments in the first weeks, cardiac rehab, all gradually tapering off. Even after we go home, we'll probably have to come back in four weeks for another checkup. There will be appointments for the rest of his life, and lots of driving back and forth. So, in some ways, it's just starting. Eventually, I think we only have to go back every 6 months, or so.

The three major things to watch out for are: Rejection, Infection, and Lymphomas. Rejection, because it's a foreign organ in the body. (by the way, we found out they gave Loren, who is A neg blood type, an A Positive heart. The neg/pos thing is not a big deal. They give you a shot, or something) Infection, because since you have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of your life, the body is more susceptible to colds, flus, etc. He even has to be careful around molds and things. I guess we won't see him turning the compost pile anytime soon. For that matter, not many have ever seen ME do it :-) Lymphomas, because with the immune system dampened, there is an increased chance for cancer of the lymph system. He also has to be careful about going out in the sun. Too much exposure puts him at a risk for skin cancer. So, we have basically traded one set of drugs and poor health, for another set of drugs and health risks. BUT, he should have a better quality of life, after he recuperates more fully. His life span should definitely be longer :-)

Oh yeah, one more thing, he can't have any grapefruit products. Interferes with the absorption of his anti-rejection drug, Cyclosporin. (isn't' this fun?) That's ok, he never had the stuff, anyway.
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Ways to annoy the desk clerk:
-ask him where to park, since your room is on the end, where there are no spaces available
-ask him "wasn't I supposed to have a non-smoking room?" :-( It was all they had left
-ask him for a TV guide, since they'd forgotten to put one in the room

Ways to cope:
-decide to forgo complaining about buzzing alarm upon entering room. Just yank the chord, instead.
-upon discovering lamps do not work unless master light switch is activated, turning on large fluorescent overhead which is bright enough to perform surgery by, thus negating the need for the lamps, TURN EVERYTHING OFF! (crack bathroom door with light on for cozy ambiance)
-go back to car and pull out "bathroom deodorizer," which had been on the list of required items to bring to Transplant House. Open "Rainshower Fresh" to fullest capacity. Wave freely around room. Deposit on nightstand in close proximity to face. Have weird dreams.

(note to Grandma and Grampa: make sure Melinda does all her inhalings and Carolyn takes her antibiotic morning and evening :-)

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