Category: heart transplant

John’s first night and day at home has been awesome!!!

Last night we got home around 6:30. We did have tacos, heart-healthy of course :-), and John finally got a shower and a good night of sleep!!!

He is getting around the house well with the stairs being the biggest challenge. He practiced walking up and down the stairs in the hospital, but ours are pretty steep and high, so they are a little harder. When John gains back some muscle mass (He’s about down to his high school weight now!), it will be a lot easier. I think I mentioned that he was going to have physical therapy at home, but since he was doing better than expected in the hospital he isn’t going to have any at home now. We have some exercises that we will do to get those muscles big again!

Today John rested and walked around the house some. I spent most of the day getting his prescriptions filled and organized. He is on fourteen medications! Some of these will taper off, but some he will be on for life!

We also found out today that the biopsy John had on Monday showed zero rejection – again!!! This has been a prayer of ours for a long time, even before he went into the hospital! It is awesome that John’s body is accepting his new heart so well!

John’s big job now is recovery, and he is working so hard at it and doing so well! He’ll be doing everything very soon!!

The picture above is right before we left the hospital yesterday! Yes, I am wearing a Duke t-shirt! When they give your husband a heart, you can’t help but be a fan – of the hospital that is!

We’re Going Home Today!!!!!!

Today is the big day, the big homecoming! We’re waiting for John to have a few more things taken out, like his IV picc and dialysis catheter, and then will be on our way!!

Last night John said, “I feel like it’s Christmas Eve!” That perfectly sums up the excitement we are feeling!!! Today is the biggest gift we could ever have asked for or imagined. The gift of life – more life – here on earth to enjoy everybody and everything John loves so much and for us to enjoy him!!!

Wow!!! I’m speechless!

The first thing John says he’s going to do is, of course, take a shower! Then he says he might just stare outside at the yard and take it all in. Our first home cooked meal will be tacos. We decided on that this morning!

John and I are sitting here in joyful anticipation of tomorrow’s homecoming!!

He has continued to improve by leaps and bounds over the past few days. Since he did so well with physical therapy on Saturday, the physical therapist didn’t work with him yesterday or today. Today his right heart catheterization showed that his heart is beating stronger than it was last week. And . . . John’s kidneys continue to improve. No more dialysis!!! Our biggest prayer right now was to not have to go home on dialysis, and once again, God heard us and blessed us! It is so wonderful to be able to go home better than ever – literally! I told John today that I’ve never known him “healthy” – meaning without Cardiomyopathy. It is going to be amazing watching him get stronger everyday and seeing all the doors his new heart will open for us! God is so amazingly good!

Tomorrow John will have his dialysis catheter removed, and he will have his IV picc removed. I believe he will go home with the staples from his incision still in, but they will take them out in a few weeks during a clinic appointment.

The doctors love to give a caveat for everything, and we are still waiting on his heart biopsy results from his biopsy this morning. We should know the results tomorrow, but of course if it shows some great rejection or something we’ll have to get that worked out before we leave. We’re not expecting any problems, though.

Again, thank you so very much for continuing to pray for John even during these smoother days of recovery!!! I just thought of a Bible verse someone sent to me a few weeks ago during the days of fear and uncertainly, and it can’t be any more true now.

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Our days of rejoicing have come. God has been faithful, and He moved the mountain! Thank you for praying in faith with us all of these weeks!

John and I have been anxiously awaiting the day we get to go home. It seems like the closer we get to it, the more impatient we get. Last week we were both irritable because we thought we might get to go home by the end of the week, and we found out we wouldn’t be able to leave until the beginning of next week. It seems like each day gets longer and harder when it reality it’s quite the opposite. Our days now are so much more secure than they were two weeks ago.

I have been writing about this eagerness to go home on John’s CaringBridge site. Someone responded by sharing with us an entry from her devotional. The devotional is written from God’s point of view. He is the speaker. It was so perfect for us to hear and a great reminder to just slow down and continue to look for God these days, too. He is using all of this experience to grow us closer to Him, to sanctify us, and to find ways to serve Him through serving others.

This is the devotional that was shared with us. Thank you, Janice Scott, for seeing our need to hear these words.

“Thank Me for the conditions that are requiring you to be still. Do not spoil these quiet hours by wishing them away, waiting impatiently to be active again. Some of the greatest works in My kingdom have been done from sick beds and prison cells. Instead of resenting the limitations of a weakened body, search for My way in the midst of these very circumstances. Limitations can be liberating when your strongest desire is to live close to Me.

Quietness and trust enhance your awareness of My Presence with you. Do not despise these simple ways of serving Me. Although you feel cut off from the activity of the world, your quiet trust makes a powerful statement in spiritual realms. My strength and power show themselves most effective in weakness.”

Isaiah 30.15, 2 Corinthians 12.9

Today I went home for a little while to get the house in order for John’s big homecoming!!! I don’t want to leave him overnight, and he doesn’t want me to, so I came back tonight. It’s only 66 miles away, so it’s no big deal to go there and back in one day (as long as he’s “healthy”)!

On the way in I got us some dinner from Rockfish Grill. Jamie, Will, and I went there one night when they were here visiting, and I knew John would love it! He had the seafood enchiladas with red beans and rice. His appetite is definitely coming back!!

When I was at home I couldn’t help but think about the last time I was there, August 1st, and that horribly scary phone call from the doctor. I remember thinking, as I walked out of the house at midnight to get to John, what my life would be like the next time I came home.

Today as I changed the sheets, did laundry, vacuumed and mopped, I was on cloud nine knowing that I was preparing for John’s return. He is coming home with me!! I am just so, so happy!

John had a lot to tell me when I got back to his room tonight. He blew the physical therapist away with his progress today! He doesn’t have to wear the yellow socks anymore that scream “fall risk” to anyone who matters when John is out and about. He stood from a sitting position without help and without using his arms. (He isn’t supposed to use his arms because of his incision.) He also went all the way up the stairs without any help. John progressing so much each day!

Tonight we are watching preseason football. John tells me that Tony Romo is playing. I think that’s to make me want to watch it, too, or something! 🙂

John is awesome!!!

No dialysis today! His kidneys seem to be recovering, and he’s getting a lot of fluid off by himself. His legs, ankles, and feet look so much better. They were so swollen!

The plan is to launch out of here on Tuesday!!!

John has been here since July 20th, and on Tuesday it will be 43 days in the hospital. We can’t wait!

Tomorrow and Sunday the physical therapist is going to continue to work with John on walking up and down the stairs and going from a sit to stand position. On Monday he will have his third heart biopsy and a right heart catheterization.

The light at the end of the tunnel is closer than ever, and we’re so excited! Right in time for us to enjoy GA football in the comforts of our own living room!