First thing in the morning Rachel got more blood drawn for tests and we met with Brian once more to go over her medications, tests, and therapies were are do take care of at home. He came in with a large canvas bag (I call it our "transplant swag bag") full of Rachel's new meds, a pulmonary function monitor, respiratory training devices, a blood pressure monitor, a thermometer, diabetes supplies...basically CVS in a tote bag. After going through everything with us he told us to get packed up since we needed to leave by 12pm to get home for Rachel's next IV dose that was being delivered at 2:30pm. We wasted no time gathering everything up and tossing it into patient "go-home" bags. There was no way we were going to wait for a doctor to come in and say "You know...maybe we should keep you another day." After saying goodbye to Brian, the other transplant doctors, and the nurses, we headed out.
We arrived home around 2pm Thursday afternoon. One of Rachel and Karen's friends had come over with her daughter and cleaned our apartment from top to bottom while we were gone. It looked like it did when I first moved into the place! They did an incredible job. And so did Rachel with our stairs! She walked up all 14 stairs to our apartment on the second floor. Before the transplant, she'd have to stop and sit on the floor directly inside the door to catch her breath from walking up them. She still had to sit after coming up on Thursday, but she wasn't out of breath. It was more the pain from her incision and the post-op swelling in her feet that held her back.
That night, rather than do our normal routine of Rachel doing her therapy vest and other medications while I pack lunch for the next day, we started our new routine. We are now doing pulmonary function tests (FVC and FEV for anyone interested), blood pressure and heart rate, temperature, taking meds, and several breathing exercises in the morning and at night. Sure we're trading one therapy routine for another, but with her old CF lungs, therapy was just to keep them from getting worse. She'd still feel crappy after doing them, but she wouldn't feel worse like she would if she skipped them. With these therapies and medications now, her lungs are improving! Her numbers go higher and higher each time she tests them, and it's only been 2 days since she started testing!
Friday, we did next to nothing. It was fantastic. In the hospital there was hardly any quiet time or down time with all of the nurses, tests, scans, therapies, IV changes, and medications. Not now though. We read, worked on our computers, called people to catch up, went for a walk, and ate a dinner together that I made. We both love cooking and it was something we talked about a ton in the hospital since (no offense to the meal prep staff at the hospital), ours is much more enjoyable. Later in the evening we did some seated leg and hip exercises to help Rachel get her strength back from laying in the hospital bed for so long. It was the first time we've "worked out" together since my sophomore year of college.
We walked even more today (Saturday) and Rachel is up and moving around the house even more than yesterday. It's impressive, yet a little scary considering exactly 2 weeks ago today she was getting these lungs sewn in her for the first time. She's such a strong woman and a hard worker that I know that she's going to continue to recover at this quick rate. In fact, she even set a couple recovery records for Hopkins lung transplant patients: Fastest to have a ventilator tube removed, fastest to move out of ICU, and tied for the fastest to be discharged. That a girl, my wife is my hero. Next thing we know we're going to have to find some space on our shelf for her race trophies to sit next to mine...
Here are some pictures of our first walk at home
With needed to rest and recover for a while, Rachel will be able to start posting blogs of her own again. I hope I've done alright keeping everyone up to date throughout all of this process. It's been a crazy ride, but we know God was with us every step, and will continue to be as we start our new life together.
- Jonny
So glad you are home!!
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