Clarity

Tonight will be my last night here in the hospital.  Jason is on his way here now and tomorrow he will be taking me home.  I have been here for almost a month, but it definitely does not feel like that.  This month really has gone by so fast.  Being out of it for a little over a week sure made it seem like less time, but even the time I was fully aware has really gone by fast.  I am really grateful for everything I have accomplished here at rehab, but I am so ready to go home!  The title is clarity because at PT they had a radio on and without fail this song played every day.

Saturday was my last day of PT and OT.  In PT I set another record with my walking.  One hundred and twenty feet this time!  My last day at OT was really nice too.  We put my clothes in the washer while I washed my shoes with a toothbrush. Haha  My shoes were pretty dirty.  They had a little bit of cherry juice and some dirt on them from when we went cherry picking the day before I got the call.  It wasn’t something I thought about doing before then.  I had the energy and the time so I decided to wash them at OT.  After they were all clean and looking like new my OT did some stretching and massage therapy on my shoulders.  My left shoulder had stopped hurting a few days ago, but the weird thing is my right shoulder started hurting.  She had me lay on my side which we had to play around with some pillows in order to do.  I had a pillow under my head and between my knees.  The pillows gave me some support and made it more comfortable.  While I was laying there she moved my arm into different positions while massaging my shoulder blade.  She then had me roll over and she did the same to the other side.  It is so sore because of all the work I am doing in PT and OT.  Sitting in my room all day is not helping my poor shoulders either.  The massage helped with a lot of the tension and discomfort I had.  It was a very nice and relaxing last day to OT.

Last night I was able to sleep on my side for a little while!  I did the same thing we did at OT except I held a pillow up against my stomach.  I slept like this for a little while and then woke up a little sore.  I had to turn on to my back for the remainder of the night.  Even though it wasn’t for too long, it was so awesome to be able to sleep in a different position.  I am normally a side and stomach sleeper.  I will not complain too much about being stuck on my back though.  Before the transplant I was not able to lie on my back due to my coughing.  I always had to be propped up and towards the end of it I was basically sitting.  I really missed being able to lie down.  Something as simple as laying down on the couch to watch TV was not an option for me.  Laying down was getting almost impossible in any position due to my breathing so like I said I won’t complain about being stuck on my back.  My doctors told me that I won’t be able to sleep on my stomach until after the staples are out.  That is too much pressure on the incision.

While I am talking about the incision I want to mention something else.  From right above the incision up to my nipples in both breasts are numb.  The left side is more numb than the right.  I noticed this the other day when I went to rub a section above the incision and didn't feel it.  As it is healing I am feeling twinges and itching making me what to rub and itch around the incision.  I didn't notice any of this before because I wasn't touching it at all.  As I touch these sections I can feel pressure if I push, but I can't feel it when I lightly touch or graze the skin.  This is due to nerve damage during the surgery.  It will more than likely come back.  I don't know how much, but time will tell.  These minor annoyances and discomforts are just that…minor.  Compared to what I was dealing with before, most things are.

Yesterday I had the ultrasound of my abdomen.  The test itself was so easy and fast.  I don’t think it took more than five minutes.  The results of the blood work from Friday had come back fine but the ultrasound was to make sure I did not have internal bleeding.  This morning my doctor told me that everything came back good and they think it was just caused from all the exercising.  They said the capillaries in the low abdomen are close to the surface and with all the rehab I have been doing it makes sense that some of them broke causing a bruise.  It was nice to know that it was nothing serious.  Leave it to my body to do something right before I am able to leave.

Things are looking up nutritionally too.  After the surgery I was 81 lbs and today I am 83.1 lbs.  It is nice to see me gain some weight.  I am still working on regulating my enzymes and that could take a little while to figure out.  Last week I was constipated for a few days and needed some medication to help with that.  I finally went to bathroom after three days of nothing.  Now the problem is I feel like I am going a little too much.  They tested me for C. diff and that came back negative. I am assuming it is something I am going to have to go though until my body adapts to the meds, increase of food and I get this enzyme dosage right.  I am just happy it is not C diff.  That would have prevented me from going home.  Everything looks good and I am excited.  I am looking forward to going home.