Sunday, June 29, 2014

Front Row Seat

So it has been 18 days today since I arrived here in Hollywood.  Nothing exciting has happened yet although we made quite the commotion watching the US vs. Portugal World Cup game.  My friends at work joined me in rooting for Erik Compton at the US Open.  He has done so much to bring awareness to heart disease and transplantation and, on top of that, he is an amazing golfer.  To my chagrin I receive a call from a great friend last Sunday morning who was at the CVS Charity Classic in Rhode Island.  While there he happened to bump into Erik.  So he gave me a call and I talked to Erik for about 10 minutes, which made my day.  The thing about heart disease is that inside of this fraternity that nobody would ever want to be in are amazing stories of the human condition.  People have had two choices, either 1) fold and get hospice, or 2) take charge and stand up to the fight. To meet people who survived but then return to normal life and then to the battlefield is just that much more inspiring.

On to my front row seat.  Yesterday morning it became obvious that the patient in the room adjacent to mine was to be transplanted.  Through the course of the day a steady stream of visitors came in along with a great number of nurses and doctors.  I learned late in the day that he was to receive a heart and kidney, a rare double transplant.  I felt distracted the entire day watching everyone come and go, listening to the laughter and story telling and the cheers for the Brazil soccer game.  He left for the OR at 930 last night and I heard in walking the halls that his surgery finished around 430 AM.  I hope and pray that he is resting comfortably and with a new lease on life.  This was the first time I have been able to watch this process up close and see with my own eyes how things go down.  I couldn't help but wonder how things will play out for me.

I was told by the transplant coordinator on Thursday morning that two offers had come in this week for me but were not good matches.  So it does appear imminent.  Also had a chat with the doctors on Monday morning about all of the rules and maintaining some level of independence and dignity.  They have willingly accommodated me.  I would also tell any patient that is ever transferred for care at another facility to make a list of supplies that they currently use (type, quantity, brand, sku/part number) because not all hospitals have the same supplies.

When I went to bed last night I had walked 72 miles in laps around the floor.  I am trying to walk 6 miles per day just to maintain some level of fitness and readiness.  I am able to go outside for 30 minutes a day, the irony of which is that death row inmates get 60 minutes of sunshine and exercise everyday but I only get 30.  I have share that observation to the team, it is not however met with appreciation.

Lastly, my math was wrong last week, I forgot a week.  My total time in the hospital now is 65 days.  Once I am transplanted I am shooting to be out of the  hospital in 7 days.

Two hours till the Yankee's v. Red Sox game.  Wonder if Napoli get's one in the ear hole tonight after talking smack about Tanaka?

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