Guys, i just want to say.. during the most stressful times of our lives, the community never quits. You know who you are and I appreciate every second of every moment you have put forth in effort helping mom on this healing journey. You all keep us together. Thank you.

Mom is home.

She has been home since the 11th but it has not been without complications.

Her aneurysms were evaluated while she was put under and one was able to be repaired. They were able to temporarily repair the other but they need to go back in at another time because mom’s body isn’t ready for surgery especially with the current blood thinners she is on for the blood clot in her wrist.

The side pain went unanswered upon discharge but started to level down on the pain scale with the help of meds. We have weaned off the meds and the pain has subsided on that side and now has switched to the left. We are scheduled for a scan on Thursday to see what’s going on inside and make sure everything is ok and make sure it’s just routine surgical internal pain.

As far as other pains we only have one other complaint… scar tissue is forming. Right directly in the center of her sternum above where her staples ended. If anyone has ever had surgery, you know breaking up scar tissue is one of the most painful PT practices there is. This is one of our toughest pains yet because it pulls with every breath. We have been activating our lungs a lot more after an xray told us that a massive amount of scar tissue caused her lungs to pretty much seal up and not allow air in. So that has been fun, nothing like exercise on a brittle underweight body with no muscle mass!! We’re getting there though and there have been more laughs than frowns lately.

We actually had a good dark humor laugh when mom almost OD’d on potassium. Yearssssss of medical knowledge over here, even before mom became critically ill and I had no clue potassium overdose creep was real. So getting the call telling mom to chill out on the red sauce and if she has it she can’t have red sauce and potatoes together has sent her into a food label reading frenzy. Upon this frenzy, al, mom’s doctor and I realized we were in fact the ones trying to kill her. Here comes the explanation-

So since mom has lost so much weight being sick and post transplant and is in need of supplemental meals, she was told to drink ensure, boost, etc. She settled on strawberry boost (absolute vomit, pepto bismol, calamine lotion looking delightful soup), anyways, alex and i finally convinced her she had to drink at least two a day to maintain her protein intake and calories, carbs, etc. Welllllll, we told her doctor and mom was still losing weight so her doctor told her “Beth, AT LEAST FOUR A DAY!!!!”

Come to find out there is 470mg of potassium in each. 🙂

Sooooooo it wasn’t the sauce, sorry mom!

On top of these ailments, we are down to one visit a week to the city and that’s AWESOME. Our headaches are down from less commuting and mom isn’t stressed to the MAX on our visits. Medical anxiety is real and there’s nothing like a blood pressure reading on a patient to tell you that.

It feels like things are coming along just in time for summer. Mom has a pep back in that step and she is one tough bitch. I mean she is literally the cat that has nine lives. Everytime her and I argue it’s because she is trying to do something out of her healing capacity. Just CHILL beth, a few more months and you can literally do whatever you want.

Lately we have been talking about our first vacation when she’s able to leave the country again. She is itching to leave NJ in the worst way. I was traveling for Maria’s wedding and I thought about how much my mom would have loved to just lay in the pool all day and have Paniflo delivering her unsweetened iced tea and ice waters all day. I can’t wait to be able to do that again with her and I totally get it.. but our classroom chick needs to grow a little stronger before she flies the coop.

While she can’t leave our great garden state/general 2 hour perimeter of the hospital; I encourage her friends to reach out, stop by for lunch or even reach out to me and I can get something for you two together. You know she loves a good yap sess.

xoxo

nell