Free at Last

Good morning.  I am happy to say that I am writing from the freedom of my apartment in sunny Burbank, California.  On Wednesday July 9th I have my first major test in having a right heart catheterization and a biopsy on my new heart.  My RHC numbers were perfect and I received word on Thursday morning that I had zero rejection in my new heart.  Also Thursday morning I had another echocardiogram and the Ejection Fraction (EF) was 60, and I was discharged that afternoon.  Amazing that 1 week ago I was dying, waiting in a hospital for 75 days, and one week later I have no more heart disease and am out of the hospital.  I was told I was the 56th transplant this year at Cedars and the fastest heart transplant discharge ever, 6 days.  The past two days have been a mix of moving out of the hospital and into an apartment, doing small errands, and relaxing.  The only pain I have is in my sternum when I get up out of bed.  Other than that I have had no issues, although getting used to the meds has not been without issues, but no complaints.  I was scrubbing tape adhesive off of my yesterday and realized I can see my pulse in my ankle, pounding.  Things I had forgotten I would see/experience.

Going to watch the World Cup final today.  I have lost 8 pounds since I got out of the hospital, I suspect mostly water/fluid weight.  I had 25 units of blood products transfused during my transplant surgery and that fluid accumulates and needs to go somewhere.  Not the diet you might choose, but I will take the weight loss:-)

There is a summer transplant picnic today in Los Angeles at Veteran's park.  I had to call the transplant coordinator this morning and asked if I was going to see her at the picnic.  She was shocked that I knew anything about it and why did I think I could go?!  I forget that there are a huge rules that you need to follow and I am in between the inpatient program and outpatient program, two totally different teams.  I got to clinic tomorrow morning and I think some of the confusion will get cleared up.

So today is day 3 of my new life, and I love it.  The British Open is this week and I will be rooting mightily for Erick Compton.