The Big Day

My teeth have been out for 2 weeks…time goes by so fast. I had another follow up appointment with the oral surgeon today. He said things are looking pretty good. I still have really deep holes where both of the bottom teeth were. Last week he gave me this water squirter thing to make sure they stay clean. Let me just say, I feel like a chipmunk with all the food that can get stashed down there…nasty. I’m still having issues with pain. I feel like all I’ve done for the past 3 weeks is complain! I told my mom that I can deal with the no-breathing thing…I’m used to that…but pain, not so much! The surgeon said that he isn’t surprised that it is taking this long to feel better. I have another follow up in 2 weeks.

I talked to one of the transplant coordinators and she said that they had received the ok from the oral surgeon. His recommendation was to wait 3 weeks (if possible) before I have any more surgeries. So, they are planning to list me on November 9th...the big day. Everyone keeps asking me how I feel about it. I don’t know really. I guess I am as prepared for it as you can be. I’m so excited for the new lungs. I keep thinking of everything I will get to do, and all the things I won’t have to do. At the same time, I just want to skip the process and be on the other side because when I really think about it, it kind of scares me.

It reminds me of a scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Harry is talking to Luna Lovegood. He is talking about how he feels like no one really believes or understands what he has gone through with Valdemort. Then Luna says to Harry, “But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel…if I were You-Know-Who…I'd want you to feel cut off from everyone else…because if it's just you alone, you're not as much of a threat.” When I think of all the people that have come along side us to encourage us, to pray for us, to support us…I am overwhelmed. Thank you for reading this blog and for all that you have done for us. You have had such an impact. I don’t feel cut off…I feel so supported!

In other news, we had such a fun weekend! Friday night was supposed to be trick-or-treating…but after 2 hours, there were no kids. Jonathan was so very sad. Mom had pulled out Mary’s old elf costume and he actually sat there for the entire 2 hours wearing it. Don’t worry, I’ll include a picture! Blizzie also had a little costume ; ) On Sunday Mary and her dear friend Tamara got in. As a gift to our family, Tamara drove from Ohio to Chicago to get Mary, then they drove back to Ohio with Mary and stayed at her family’s house for the night, then drove all the way to Maryland. I spent all of Monday cleaning and cooking. I asked Mom, Mary and Tamara to come over for dinner. It was my first time having people over for a meal! I think everything was pretty good…no major catastrophes anyway! My good buddy Jill even stopped by and we all had chocolate mousse for dessert!