The Ups and Downs

I had a rocky start this morning.

I knew I needed to be up early in order to take Lee to his clinical down in the city. But my bed was warm and I slept right on through my designated shower time.

I rushed to get myself dressed, Lee up and moving, and the dogs out for their morning bathroom break. The cold weather just made me long even more to go back to sleep and forget about all my responsibilities. Instead I wrestled the dogs back inside, grabbed some sort of breakfast-to-go, and we made our way into the city.

At least the rush hour traffic wasn't too awful bad.

We arrived in the parking garage, and one look at the clock told me we were already 10 minutes late. In my haste I began to power walk towards the hospital entrance, while Lee reminded me (for the 100th time) that he could NOT move that fast and I needed to slow down a.s.a.p. So a leisurely stroll from the parking garage to the hospital entrance, and on down to the basement level transplant clinic it was for Lee and I.

We arrived behind schedule and were welcomed with a full house of other transplantees waiting to have bloodwork and doctors visits themselves. On top of that were the group of first time transplant people waiting to have orientation.

When you are first put on a transplant list you have to sit through a meeting that discusses what will be taking place in the coming years. I could see a range of emotions across their faces, and boy oh boy did I know each one well.

His appointment went on as well as could be expected. He had these removed:

We weren't sure if staple removal hurt or not, and folks, yes it does hurt! He said some were worse than others, but it did indeed feel rather unpleasant to have them out. On the brighter side of things he can sit more comfortably now that they are gone.

And I thought that would be that. I thought we would head on home to our puppies, make some lunch, and watch 'The Price is Right.' We can't miss 'The Price is Right' or someone gets upset.

(that someone is not me by the way)

At the end of one of the games (the woman won a pretty nice looking new jacuzzi/shower set) the phone rings. Lee's transplant coordinator was on the phone.

"Come back to the hospital," he says. "Straight to the E.R."

I'm left at guessing what the problem is because I can't hear everything being said on the other end. Lee hangs up and begins to put together his "going to the hospital" gear, which consists of his blackberry, nintendo ds, pills for the day, and a small snack. I'm thankful to report the problem is not with the new kidney, rather a potassium imbalance in his body that needs to be under control immediately. He chose to go back in by himself, and of course I'm sitting at home regretting let him do that!

I guess this is just par for the course in weeks after a major transplant.

I'm off to knit him a hat now after he requested a replica of the one I made for my little brother. Here's hoping it will put a smile on his face whenever he comes home.

Flickr Favorites - Donate Life

1. Donate Life, 2. Andy and Maff, 3. long way, 4. Liz and Jan

I've been quiet on here lately, and for a good reason. On Christmas Eve at 2:00pm my 27 year old husband Lee was wheeled back to receive a new kidney.

Yep. You heard me; N.E.W. K.I.D.N.E.Y.

I'll give you a little run down of how it all went:

11:30pm December 23rd:

The phone rings. We get a call telling us that a 28year old has died of a stroke and Lee is 3rd in line to receive one of the two kidneys. We are on hold for the time being.

5:00am December 24th:

We begin driving back to our hometown as we were in my parents hometown 3hours away. We left behind our two dogs making both of us shed a little tear.

1:00am December 24th:

Feel deflated we decide to go to bed assuming the kidney went to someone else. No sooner does our head hit the pillows, we hear the phone ring. "Come in as soon as you can" says the calm voice on the other end of the phone. We change, grab my little brother, the only family member down here with us, and head into Philadelhpia to get a new kidney.

2:48pm December 24th:

Lee gives me a high five as he is wheeled into surgery (we aren't the most romantic couple you've ever met). My mom, who came into town earlier that afternoon, brother and I try to get some lunch while we begin the 3-4hr wait to see Lee again.

6:00pm:

I'm told Lee is out of surgery and everything went well.

9:00pm:

I see Lee for the first time. I won't write too much about this part other than it was the hardest thing in the world to see him and not cry. Thankfully the morphine kicked in not too long after he was in his room and he managed to get some sleep.

9:00am Chrismas Day:

My Mom, Dad, Grandma (who both came into town the night before) brother, and I go in to see Lee. He is talking and in pain. But he is positive.

12:00 Christmas Day:

Lee stands for the first time. Not even 24hrs post surgery he manages to take two steps and sit in a chair.

And from there he forced himself to walk laps around the nurses station, eat food again, and do whatever it would take to get his butt home.

December 26th:

Lee comes home.

And now I need to get off the computer and go pick him up from dialysis! Even though the kidney is working, it is still waking up and he will need dialysis a few more times before he can be done with it completely.

You hear people say, "This coming year is a new beginning," and for us those words have never. ever. rang more true. He is off of work getting better until the end of February, and when he goes back it is to a new promotion. Oh, and he'll go back and not have to worry about dialysis either. I for one can not wait for 2010.

Happy Holidays everyone!

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