July 31, 2016

Looking good for going to apartment on Monday. Just depends on lab work Monday 3AM. Can't wait!

July 30, 2016

Looking good for going home today. Transplants are seldom discharged on the weekend but I think they're desperate to get rid of me and get the party started. Even a medical apartment across the street sounds good after 2 weeks in the hospital. But will I have to make my own coffee?

July 29, 2016

Just finished about a very slow paced 20 minute walk. Rewarded with coffee. What more can I asked for. May go home tomorrow or Monday. Just received my first blood tranfusion ever. Feeling contented.

July 28, 2016

My heart goes out to the donor and their family. Someone, whether it be the donor or a family member has made a tough decision that I'm sure everyone in the family did not agree to. Although I'd like to think that such an unselfish act will offer closure and peace within the circle of family and friends, nothing can overcome the loss of a loved one no matter how noble the sacrifice. The recipients families joy is tempered by the knowledge that someone special has passed.

My story is simple. Within the last 3-5 years my health had declined (mainly easily fatigued). Within the last 3 years I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Idiopathic meaning they had no idea how I got the disease. There is no cure nor treatment. My dad died from this disease in 1993 and a brother in 2013. I really believe it's genetic and have tried to make family members aware.

Of course u rarely mentioned it to anyone else. It's kind of a downer for me in conversation. We continued to live our life doing what we enjoy making accommodations as the disease progressed. I had assumed I was too old to qualify for a transplant. In February I mentioned it to the doctor mainly because my wife and daughter kept wanting me to. I still thought I had a year or two left in me if I stayed away from major illness and cold weather. I was referred to the lung transplant center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and scheduled for a battery of tests for 2 weeks in April which was intended to test my commitment and my families to a transplant as well as the near perfect health required to survive. I didn't realize I was teetering on the edge.

I am blessed. Somewhere along the path of life I have become totally at peace with any outcome. On June 20th I qualified for a single lung transplant. July 14th and 15th more tests were run and at 10:10 pm on July 15th, just hours after getting home from Vanderbilt, I received The Call. I was told to be there within the hour. We got there at 11 pm to the room. I was taken down to pre op early Saturday morning then back to the room for a little while., then back to pre op Saturday evening at 7:10 pm. I woke up Sunday about 12 noon. I remember walking that afternoon. Monday is hazier as my kidneys were not functioning but the doctors kept trying new methods to make my kidneys function. Also my intestines were crowding my new lung. All the medications I will be taking the rest of my life will be particularly hard on my kidneys. As I write this my kidneys are starting to function, my new lung is starting to expand, and I began retaking the necessary medications I can never live without.

For the next 3 months, I will be living next to Vanderbilt with a family member with me 24/7. I will be tested daily, continue physical rehab 5 days a week, and have bronche studies done to catch rejection. They say the fine tuning of the medications is as much an art form as it is science.

I am blessed with an opportunity to fight for life, with the peace of mind knowing that my friends and family continue to lift my soul in this fight and secure in the knowledge that I've already Won! Thank you for your prayers thoughts and kind words!

Lastly, Vanderbilt is blessed with people who care and I have a great appreciation, not only for the doctors, nurses, students, but everyone associated with Vandy.

Thank you!