Father and Daughter

I went to NYC with my dad for my first outpatient bronchoscopy.  My dad went with me because Jason has just gone back to work and didn’t want to take a day off already.  My dad’s work has gone above and beyond for us.  They said if he needs to take a day off to help me with something all he had to do was tell him.  We decided to drive to this one instead of fly with Wings.  I had no idea how long this procedure was going to take outpatient and I didn’t want to keep the pilot waiting.  So Dad said we would leave after he got out of work on Tuesday.

Tuesday at noon was my first post transplant massage.  My mom went too.  My brother got her a massage for her birthday so I booked one for her along with me.  I have been wanting to go for some time, but couldn’t because of my staples.   There was no way I was going to be able to lay on my stomach comfortably and actually enjoy the massage.    When I went into Massage Envy everyone there was so excited to see me again especially my massage therapist.  As he was working on my back he was amazed at how relaxed it was.  I was still pretty stiff from sitting around and doing PT, but he said that it was the most relaxed my back has ever been.  Coughing really does take a toll on those muscles.  He said now that I am not coughing and straining my back muscles so much, he can start working on other muscles in my body.  My back use to be so tight that he would spend the entire session massaging mostly that.  I like being able to get a full body massage.

After that Mom went back to her house I came back home and waited for my dad to get out of work.  He showed up at my house around 2:30 and we headed right out.  We drove to Williamsport, PA and stopped at a Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. While we were eating I wanted to show Dad my heart keychain.  I don’t know if I have mentioned it before, but at the Winery on July 5th Jason bought me a beach glass pendent that was cut into a heart.  It was bright red and I really liked it. I didn’t plan on wearing it as a necklace, but decided to make into a keychain. I love it and it has some meaning to me because he bought it for me the day before I got the call.  Well anyway I went to show my dad the heart and it was not there.  I traced all my steps in the restaurant and it was not on the floor anywhere.  After we ate I traced back to the car and checked all over the car hoping it got stuck somewhere in the seat.  It was not there.  When we got back on the road I called Massage Envy.  I was hoping that maybe it fell off when I went for my massage and someone found it.  Again no luck.  I am so upset by this.  I know it is just a glass heart, but it meant something to me.

We stopped in Tannersville, PA for the night.  It is a good place to stop because it is about an hour and a half away from the hospital and the hotels are not a bad price.  It is too expensive to stay in New York City.  He went to the bar on the other side of the hotel for a drink while I called Erika and got ready for bed.  We had to get up really early the next morning so I wanted to get to bed soon.  The traffic going into the city in the morning is crazy and Dad wanted to get going early.  This was my first time doing it myself, but I was taking everyone’s word for it.  Dad came back and we went to sleep.  I wanted to get to sleep before him because I know he snores.  I had to warn him about me though too.  Since the surgery I have been snoring a little.  I am assuming this is due to the damage on my vocal cords.  It is something that should heal, but for right now I do snore a little.  It is weird saying that because that is something I didn’t do.  I am not complaining about it though. I feel for the people that have to hear me while I sleep, but snoring or coughing… hmm… lol

We were up and out of the hotel by 6:00 AM Wednesday morning.  My broncoscopy wasn’t until noon, but I had other tests to do so we wanted to be there by 9:00.  This puts us right in rush hour traffic.  My dad wanted to get going at 5:30 but I was able to talk him into 6:00.  Traffic was good until about half way through Rhode Island.  It was slow going in some parts and there were a few times we were in standstill traffic.  I don’t know how people do that commute to work every day. I would go crazy.  It was a slow go, but we did make it to the hospital by the time we wanted to.  Dad wasn’t kidding with the time frame.  I wanted to leave later, but like I said we compromised on 6:00.  Good thing we didn’t leave later.

We went inside and headed straight to the Lung Transplant center.  I needed to get a copy of all my brain scans that were done.  I have an appointment coming up with my neurologist and I want him to be able to see them all.  When we got there they only had the reports for me.  I didn’t want those, I wanted the actual scans so they said they would get those together.   Dad said he would come and pick them up while I was getting the broncoscopy.  Also while I was there I wanted to talk to them about getting the ultrasound of my neck.  My doctor still has me on Lovenox until she is sure the blood clot in my neck is gone.  I wanted to schedule it right before the broncoscopy, but something happened with scheduling I guess.  I called a few days ago and she said to go to the office and have them call.  They can’t make an appointment for me because there were no openings.  If it is called in on the day it is needed they can normally squeeze you in.  Lung transplant called down to radiology and they said they had a full schedule.  I could go down there, but there was no guarantee that I could get in.  Dad and I headed down there.  I really wanted to get in there because the Lovenox was really hurting my legs.  My thighs are all black and blue and tender to the touch.  I hate that shot.  It is horrible.  It hurts when I give it and it obviously it beating up my thighs.  I want this ultrasound so bad, but we can only wait until around 11:00.  I have to be at my bronch an hour earlier than my scheduled appointment to prep for the procedure.

They called me in at 10:50.  The procedure itself was quick and easy.  They did an ultrasound of my neck and down both of my arms.  When the tech finished he asked me if a woman could redo one of my arms because she was learning.  I of course said yes.  I am all about giving people a chance to learn.

We were a few minutes late to the bronch, but it didn’t matter.  I was registered and the IV was in real fast.  I was ready for them before noon.  The bronch nurse came to get me.  They put the oxygen on me along with the nebulizer mask.  In the neb is a medicine that numbs the nose and the back of the throat.  Once all that was done my doctor came in.  I had to say my name and tell them why I was there.  They then said what they would be doing and I had to sign a paper stating I understood it all.  The nurse then came over to me and said I would be going for a nap now.  He gave me some medicine in my IV and I was out.

I woke up in the recovery room and asked for my dad.  I don’t remember him walking in, but when I opened my eyes he was there.  I kept going in and out for awhile.  As I came to they gave me some Zofran for nausea and took my IV out.  I didn’t feel sick at the moment but we had a long drive.  I did not want to get sick on the ride back home.  When I get it I am normally fine, but took a bag with us just in case though.  That would be horrible to throw up in the car.  We left the hospital around 4:00.

We left the hospital and drove straight back home.  Dad had work the next morning so we wanted to get back as soon as possible.  We drove about two hours and stopped to eat at Chili’s.  We were told to wait at least an hour before I tried eating anything.  I was pretty hungry considering I had not eaten anything at all.  I got boneless chicken wings and ate them all.  I wanted to get a chocolate lava cake too, but I figured I should take it easy.  I wasn’t sure if that would be too much too soon.

The ride home was enjoyable and seemed to go by fast.  The whole way home we were talking and teasing each other about different things.  It was mostly me teasing him, but he gave some back to me.  He is easy to tease. LOL  For instance one thing I was teasing him about was the wiper blades on the car.  It started pouring and he barely had them on.  I could not see out of the windshield I don’t know how he was so I said something.  He turned up the speed.  Then a little while later the rain stopped and the he kept the wipers going crazy.  I mentioned to him it doesn’t make sense to have the wipers going that fast.  He was like, “First they are too slow and now they are too fast.”  LOL  He really did have me laughing on the way home that is for sure.  We had a good time.

We got home late and he went straight to bed.  I did too.  I was tired from the procedure.   It was a long two days, but they turned out to be good ones.  A year and a half ago this trip would have been far from enjoyable.  I would have been dreading have to spend two full days with him in a car no less.  I have always loved him, but he would drive me crazy very quickly. We have gotten a lot closer this last year.  When I started getting sick, he would help out however he could.  It started with him coming over and staying with me when Jay would go away.  Then there was all that time together in the hospital during my transplant.  I would definitely have to say this whole process has helped our relationship a lot.  He can still drive me crazy, this he knows, but I am happy to have him in my life.  Throughout this whole process I have learned who is there for me and who is not and he sure has been there.