Gwynne's Update 4/6

[Guest guest]

Hi dear friends,

I'm sitting on the bed in my stepdown room on my son's

computer. I can't believe my transplant was only this

last Thursday - and on my birthday!!!!!!!!!!! I'll check in

with you, then you can read a site my son set up this

afternoon to update people, and I think there are a few

photos and an address. I'm probably just restating stuff

he's already written, but oh, well. My kids have been truly

amazing.

I'm off all oxygen now, saturating at about 94%. My

thoracotomy incision hurts like hell - it's huge, but I knew it

Iwould be. Unfortunately, pain meds aren't very successful

on me, but I'm sure I'll feel a bit better every day. Hope so!

When I got the call, Kate was home (she'd driven home for

my birthday the next day) and we were about to watch a

movie when the phone rang at 9:45. I became sort of a mess

of excitement and emotion as you can imagine, and so of

course my sats dropped, but I kept it together pretty well, I

think.

My transplant team here is absolutely wonderful - ALL

so good but also so caring and compassionate. My surgery

Thursday lasted only about 2.5 hours - single lung, type O.

They said it couldn't have been a better match for me. I saw

an x-ray of it yesterday - such a shock and thrill to see all

that big black area instead of puny white.

I was off the vent in about 5 hours, I think. Friday I spent

most of the afternoon in a chair in my ICU room, then

yesterday I was moved to a room on another floor.

..

They take EARLY morning x-rays - ouch; then usually

see several doctors and/or teams of docs and an r.t.;

take a nebulizer antibiotic. And of course they're always

taking your vitals. Tonight I was at 99.3 so we'll be

watching that. My b.p. is a little elevated due to the

meds. I'm on 150mg twice daily of Prednisone, but

so far am not crazy. I'm really not on any more meds

than I was before, just different. I'm on Narco and

Lubain for pain and itching. I haven't gotten much sleep

due to those pesky critters. This afternoon I walked about

250' down the hall, and took my first shower. I look like

I belong to a prison gang, with all the tattoe-like bruises

up and down my arms. I don't cough a lot, but they want

you to cough some - again, ouch!

By the way, Misha's in good hands. You heard that she

got a good doc report. :-) She's staying with the super

woman who walks her every day - they're big buds.

To see my family's faces after surgery was something I'll

never ever forget. Then last night in the wee hours God and

I had a long talk about my young donor, and I'm totally at

peace. I'm very, very grateful for this miraculous gift.

The kids have found several prospects for apartments

for me to rent for the next 2-3 months. ..which means I'll

be here when you guys come to San ! I may be

out of the Big House as early as sometime this week -

UNREAL - but we'll see how things progress.

Got to get off and do my spirometry thingy and rest,

but I wanted to tell you guys how well things have been

going so far. I love you all and thank you so much for

your support and prayers.

Hugs and blessings,

Gwynne 57 TRANSPLANTED 4-3-08