So here's me and my transplant coordinator Cailin going out for a little walk. Out of everyone I have encountered along this journey at Toronto General, I am still the most amazed by this woman. In any case, it was important to do these little 'laps' down and around the cooridors of the floor. The more you walk, the better it is for your breathing and cirrculation. The walks aren't long, but they feel long and they drain you! All the compression fittings come off before the walks though, all other lines stay in and travel with you! I'd do many more of these little walks over the next few days, but not till the lines were all out.
This is Dr. Lesley Adcock visiting with me. She's my aftercare doctor and a sweet angel. I'm pretty sure she's questioning me about the comfort of my sassy new stockings. (The chicks really dig them!)
As I said earlier, I don't remember very much of this day...it was all confusing and I finally realized I had to just go with the flow. I eventually did make it to the 7th floor where I would stay until discharged. I know I woke up in a room on the 7th floor, and since I was free of all my lines and IV's, I decided to walk the halls.
As I understand it, it is on this floor where all transplant patients recover. Heart, lung, kidney, even liver. It's hard not to want to know the stories behind every door on this floor....and yet all I am allowed to do is walk past door after door. Faces in beds peer out at me, just about everyone of them smile, some are blank. None are empty. The entire floor is alive with visitors and nurses alike. I crawl back into my bed and fall asleep. This place works miracles!
On Friday Morning, I was visited by the pharmacist Julia. She went over a bunch of my medicines and made me a chart on how and when to use them. She then gave me a paper to take to the pharmacy on the main floor so I could get all my medications. Once she left, Cailin came in to give me a course on how to inject myself with the needles. As we sat and chatted, another nurse dropped by for some vitals. I'm not sure exactly what she did, but she left and came back with another nurse, soon Cailin left and the nurse took some of my blood. Both nurses started questioning me about my breathing and what my pain number was....then they took off. Next thing I know, a team of Doctors and nurses are in my room checking out my charts. One guy from the surgical team asked if I really thought I was ready to go home on Saturday. Of course I said yes and they all left my room to chat in the hallway. A nurse stuck her head back in the door and said they would be back, but I fell asleep before they did and was awaken by a food tray being placed beside me.
**EDIT: I'm just reminded that my mom called me that Friday to make sure everything was clear for me to come home the following day. As we were talking on the phone, I had a little coughing fit which may have started a bleed at my insicion site. Not a really bad messy bleed, but a squirty one. The nurses were called and new steri-strips applied.
Saturdays breakfast! More juices, some huigh fibre cereal, a piece of banana bread and a slice of cheese. (Bear in mind that since Sunday night, September 13th, I have not had a pooh yet.) Shortly after, Dr. Adcock came by and asked if I wanted to go home. I said yes as this was the plan from Friday. She said she would check everything to make sure I could leave and she would be back. While I waited, I ate the cereal and soon after, my mom and my sister in law came to pick me up. Most of my stuff was ready to go and then Dr. Adcock dropped the bomb. No leaving for me this day. They wanted to take some x-ray and check out my cough some more. Denied!! I was promised I could go home Sunday though. Dr. Adcock felt bad but they wanted to make sure I was safe and would have no problems. Needless to say, Saturday was the longest frickin' day of my life!! They took the x-ray and found a small problem in my right lung. Nothing big, but a concern nonethelesss. I also couldn't sleep, play music or do anything!! When my mom left, she took half my stuff with her...mostly medications and clothes.
On Sunday, my brother and his wife came to get me and this time they let me go home! It didn't take long for the nurses to get all my discharge papers in order and I was skipping my ass out thye door!! Before I left, I gave hugs to my nurses and some of the floor staff. We made our way down to the parking garage and we were off!!
There's no way I could have done any of this without the support and encouragement of my family. My brother Ken and his wife Val are still dealing with the after effects of the tornando that whipped through thier front yard a few weeks back and yet they were always at the ready to bring my mom down to Toronto for a visit and sit with me. My other brother Rick was in the states for some computer training the same week I was having surgery..but the support was there also. Thanks everyone.
Ok, I need a nap, I'll post later tonight or Sunday!
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