Author Topic: I'm, uh...still...still alive. (Read 2621 times)

theANdROId · « **on:** July 17, 2014, 04:51:27 PM »

Hello again! I'm back! Again!

I recall posting some time ago, updating about my condition. Things have changed quite a bit since then...and once you hear why, I hope you'll forgive me being too tired/lazy to look up what I last left you with.

We made a trip to the Cleveland Clinic (having heard much about their heart transplant center) for a second opinion. Mostly just to be familiar with the place if I ever needed a transplant. When they checked me out, some things had gotten worse than we realized, so they admitted me right away. I still felt fine, but there were underlying concerns.

I spent a few days in ICU so they could monitor me closely, and my numbers (I forget exactly what they were looking at...cardiac output or something) was low enough that they wanted to implant a mechanical device of some sort to help my heart...a VAD is what I think they were calling it.

In that process, I had a balloon pump placed in me (ever! so! painful!)...and was also placed on the transplant list for that weekend, just in case something came through. The Monday after the weekend, if no heart showed up, I was to have a VAD installed. Monday came, no heart, but also no conformation from insurance, so the VAD surgery was delayed until Tuesday.

Tuesday morning, sometime around 3 AM, the nurse came to wake me and tell me the awesome news. They had just received a call about a heart that would be perfect for me, and instead of VAD surgery, I would be having heart transplant surgery later that day, July 1st!!

The surgery went well (although when I next woke, it was Friday I think...I'm still trying to catch up from that!) and they kept an eye on me for another week. As expected, the heart is a little sluggish in its "electrical" functions...apparently putting it on ice for transfer always affects the heart and so the for the first bit while nerves heal, it kinda speeds up and slows down on it's own. Eventually, as it heals and my body gets used to it, my body will start communicating my needs and it'll pump right.

For that reason, about a week after the heart transplant, they implanted a pacemaker to make sure it wouldn't slow down too much or stop.

And finally, today, after 3+ loooong weeks in the Hospital, I've been released and am back at my in-laws house nearby!! I'm still weak and regaining strength from being tied to a bed for almost 3 weeks, but I'm recovering that strength much faster than they expected. I'm also healing much faster than they expected as well...my transplant scar is already pretty smooth. I have a fair bit of ache from the pacemaker surgery, but it's going away day by day. I mostly have muscle weakness/soreness and lots of knots and kinks from lack of exercise and movement...but I'm working on that too just being able to get up and moving!

Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and support! This is just an awesome community and I'm glad to be part of it! Now I mostly have to travel the road to recovery. As I said, the healing and strengthening is going well, and there have been very minimal signs of heart rejection, so the doctors aren't at all concerned. I hope and pray the rejection signs STAY at none or minimal!

I hope the update makes sense! Feel free to ask any questions if I was unclear...I still feel like my processing is less-than-average right now, so...I'm not always sure how coherent I am! :-D

darkmanx_429 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2014, 05:07:04 PM »

Amen brother.

For sure you are feeling better if you are posting on the forum in your condition!

X · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2014, 05:09:24 PM »

Quote

Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and support! This is just an awesome community and I'm glad to be part of it!

You're welcome anytime bro! Glad to hear things went well for you. And hopefully you'll continue to have a long and healthy life for you and your family to enjoy.

Dracula9 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2014, 05:24:44 PM »

Glad to hear you're doing well. Gave us (well, at least me) a bit of a scare with the last couple of threads. But it's good everything went so smoothly.

Good to have you back, mate.