Thursday 19 June 2008

I got my Transplant and I'm a new woman!!

I MADE IT !!!!!!

First of all may I apologise not updating my blog for so long....but I have got a good excuse. On the 20Th of May after being on the transplant list for just over 3 weeks, I got my call. I could hardly believe it. I really was expecting it to be a false alarm.....but it wasn't..my time had come and thanks to my donor I can look forward to a new life
Below is a diary that my partner helped me to keep, I will warn you all that you will find out that I have dentures..lol. but when you read the notes we made you will understand why I had to tell you. I could have left it out of our notes, but felt that sometimes humor is good for the soul.
LYNN'S TRANSPLANT PROGRESS
TUESDAY 20TH OF MAY 2008
I decided to have an early night, so after taking 2 hours to paint my toenails and half an hour getting my PJ's on ,as for the last 6 months my breathing had got so bad. Bob my partner had his grandson staying at his house, so I thought it would be nice to catch up with all my TV programs. Anyway at 9.30pm I received a phone call....as soon as she asked for me, I knew that it was the Transplant Co-ordinator. She said that I was to get there in the next hour....I am not sure how I felt, I went into auto-pilot and started making the calls. I phoned Bob first as he had to come and pick me up, but first he had to take his grandson home. I then phoned my children,brother and best friend. There was no beds available so we all went into the visitors rest room. I was happy with this, as if I was in a bed ,there would only have been allowed one person with me.....but I was able to spend time with all my family. They took blood for more tests and then we just had to wait. It was the longest night of my life. I felt more for my family, it must have been so hard for them. I was trying not to cry as it would have made things worse for them. Deep down we all thought it would be a false alarm, as this happens so many times to others. But at 4.45am the Co-ordinator walked in the door in her scrubs, I knew then that I was about to be given the biggest gift of my life.
WEDNESDAY 21ST MAY (Day 1)
Bob took me to the anaesthetists room at around 5am where I was prepared for the long journey into the unknown.
Here began the saga of my lost teeth. I am paranoid about being seen without my teeth so I wouldn't take them out until Bob had gone. They had a tub ready for me with my name on it. I gave them strict instructions to put them back before anyone saw me after the operation......some hopes!!!!!!!
The operation took about 9 hours after which I was taken to Critical Care. I wasn't aware, but I was visited by family from around 3pm. I didn't have my teeth in as I was still on a ventilator, so my carefully laid plans went straight out of the window! Unbeknown to me, my teeth in the tub had gone missing! It took several hours for them to be located.....they turned up in the same bag as my O2 cylinder!
I was on a very high dose of morphine for the rest of the day. I remember absolutely nothing. The ventilator was removed that evening.
THURSDAY 22ND MAY (Day 2)
I was taken off the morphine this morning. I opened my eyes and responded to the consultant call to squeeze his hand and wriggle my toes. The anaesthetist had decided that my pain management would be better served by coming off the morphine and having an epidural instead.
Whilst I was able to open my eyes in response to voices, I was still unable to speak. I caused some concern as I didn't respond to the consultant this time in that I wouldn't squeeze his hand or wriggle my toes. He was looking to have my brain scanned the next morning (as I haven't got one I couldn't understand the concern.lol).
As it turns out, given a while longer, I began to respond to verbal answers, they then put the earlier concerns down to the morphine clearing out of my system.
My teeth saga continues in that I wouldn't let them put my teeth back in. I must have thought they was taking them out. As a result....my greatest dread of my family and Bob seeing me toothless became meaningless.
FRIDAY 23RD MAY (Day 3)
The nurse managed to get my teeth in at some time during the night, s I was now complete with my new lungs and a steradent smile to show my immense pleasure!I managed to have a high calorie drink and yogurt for lunch. After this they decided I was fit enough to be put into a chair, where I stayed until that evening. For tea I was given some chicken soup and another small yogurt. They tasted awful...not your usual soup.....thank goodness it was only a few spoons full.
At this time I am still on a cannular with 2 litres of O2.
SATURDAY 24TH MAY (Day 4)
Progress continues, they have removed some of the chest drains, the epidural is still okay.
At 2.30pm they moved me from critical care into the ward. I was on Bay E...or as Bob said "E-Bay"! I don't know what my reserve was or if there was a buy it now price! I am getting to know the other ladies in the ward....they seem very nice.
Cannular removed....now running on 100% my own lungs after being on oxygen for 8 years..no more help needed!!! Yippeeeeeeee
SUNDAY 25TH MAY (Day 5)
Didn't feel much like breakfast as the pains are a bit more severe today. They are talking about removing the epidural today. My pain relief will be by using Paracetamol and Tramadol. They decided to delay this until maybe tomorrow....we will just have to wait and see.
My granddaughter phoned me for a chat...made me very tearful as I was thinking of the near future when I will be able to take them to the park.
My brother and sister-in-in law came back from Cuba..I didn't tell them until it was all over, I didn't want to ruin their holiday. They was so pleased that it was all over!
MONDAY 26TH MAY (Day 6)
Not a very good night last night, still getting a lot of pain. There was talk about removing the epidural, but its still there although it doesn't seem to be working very well.
My grandchildren phoned to cheer me up.......so lovely to hear from them.
I had a fright when I moved to get into my chair. The vacuum pump for my drain went crazy, it sounded like a bubbling kettle. The nurse's managed to sort it out. I had another X Ray to check my new lungs and the possibility of removing that final drain.
TUESDAY 27TH MAY (Day 7)
Much the same happened today. Lots of people having transplants...it seems that a lot of donors must have signed up. I will make sure that I do all I can to raise awareness...not one second will I waste with my new lungs.
WEDNESDAY 28TH MAY (Day 8)
A mad day...I had so many visitors I was totally shattered, but it was so lovely to see that so many people cared.
THURSDAY 29TH MAY (Day 9)
I had the Chief Executive visit me today. I was at an NHS talk a few weeks before my transplant, and was talking to him. When he got to work and saw my name on the transplant list he couldn't believe it. I thought it was so nice that he took the time to come and see me. When he had gone all the nurses bowed to me in jest......lol . The ward clerk kept bringing my cards...I ended up calling her postman pat, I actually got over 150 cards. I was so emotional to think that so many people had taken the trouble to send them to me.
30TH MAY (Day 10)
My daughters brought my grandchildren in to see me today. They had told them that nanny had a magic zip where they had taken my old lungs and given me some nice new shiny ones. My granddaughters didn't seem to phased by it, but when Kieran saw my scar he said "that's not a zip nanny..that's a cut".....lol ....out of the mouth of babes!
SUNDAY 1ST JUNE (Day 12)
Had a very bad night....no sleep at all. The pain was at its worse, but I cannot complain, I had been given something that was precious...so I tryed to be positive when I could! I just wish they could find the right cocktail for me.
I had my first bath and hair wash since the 20th of May. I took a long time even with the nurses help, but the effort was so worth it. Bob arrived as I finished...great timing, I got him to dry my hair for me........he will never make a hairdresser!!!!
I was feeling very emotional today....but they said this was normal!
MONDAY 2ND JUNE (Day 13)
After being very sick the pain in my back eased suddenly. They think it must have been a pocket of trapped wind or air following the operation. What ever it was I felt much better.
My twin daughters came with my granddaughters.
I have been walking a lot today!
TUESDAY 3RD JUNE (Day 14)
Bob came this morning as I finished my second bath. I have started to fill in my blue book myself, and getting very confident with giving myself my medication. I was ready a while back, but you have to wait until they say. It has just been like swapping one lot of medication for another really.
WEDNESDAY 4TH JUNE (Day 15)
Great day today.....I met with my friend from MySpace. I have know Justine since before her transplant nearly 2 years ago. She was all I had anticipated, and I felt so grateful that she had travelled such a long way to see me. So if your reading this Jussie.......Thank you!
THURSDAY 5TH JUNE (Day 16)
Another bad night...still yet to have a good nights sleep since the operation. Finding it so hard to cope with the pain. I had several operations on my stomach years ago, and was on very high doses of morphine for several years. I have not been on it for years, but the tramadol is not having much effect because of this. It is like giving me aspirin. I do not want anything stronger as this would affect my stomach, so I am just going to get through it. I have a few wheat bags that I can warm in the microwave.....this will be better than being out of my head on pills!
I had a good afternoon. I saw my best friend Val for the first time since the operation. She had to go away and I missed her so much. We have been through so much together.
Went to the thoracic clinic today to do my spirometery. It was nice to see so many friends there. They was shocked to see me without my oxygen.
I had some good news from the consultant, he said I could go home for the night on Saturday and come home Sunday afternoon. I was so excited.
FRIDAY 6TH JUNE (Day 17)
I had another night of being awake....the ward was so busy and full of really sick people, but I really needed some sleep. In the morning I had the shock of my life. The consultant came round and said I could go home! I was soooooooo excited. I thought he meant until Sunday, but when he said I could stay home I was in tears. I knew then I had crossed my first hurdle..and thanks to the donor I was looking forward to a new and happy life!
I will keep you all updated and do it more regular now. I just had to have time to accept it first. It happened so fast...which was a good thing, but I still can't believe that it has happened! But I thank god that it has!