Evaluation Complete

Update on what is going on.  A few weeks ago I had an angiogram done.  They needed to take measurements in my heart so they needed to send a catheter up the vein or artery in my groin until it got to my heart.  Because it was an invasive procedure I had to be admitted into the hospital for the day.  My grandma brought me because I was going to be under anesthesia.  I was also told I would not be able to drive for two to three days after the procedure.  We got there around 10:00 and I was put in a room.  I was told I had to wait for the doctor to arrive and I was scheduled to have it done at 2:00.  They gave me an IV and surprisingly took me down around noon. I waited in the recovery room for about an hour for the doctor and then went in.  The procedure itself was not too bad.  They gave me a little bit of a sedative and a local where they put the needle in my groin so I felt minimal pain.  The doctor talked to me the whole time and was great.  He was making jokes with me and told me he was going to bill me for all the educational information he was giving me.  I was asking about everything.  I wanted to know what he was doing and why he was doing it.  I can't really relay much of it back because to be honest a lot of it is a blur to me. I remember a few things he said to me and I remember talking to him, but I don't remember much of the context.  Those drugs can really mess with you.  lol

After he was done I was sent to recovery and had to have a clamp put on my leg so the puncture healed quicker.  They wanted to do that as a precaution because of my coughing.  I was told that after it came off I would have to hold it when I coughed or sneezed so it wouldn't break open.  Around 2:30 or 3:00 I was brought back to the room and grandma went home.  I was cleared for a turkey sandwich and something to drink.  I was pretty tired so I ate it and then went to sleep.  The worst part was when all those drugs started wearing off.  The pain woke me up so I asked for a Tylenol and went right back to sleep.  Around 5:00 they brought me some dinner and then Jay picked me up.  I was OK just a little groggy and sore.  I had to take baby steps when I walked and I could not do stairs at all for about three days.  It was slightly sore for about a week and the bruise was there for a few weeks. It was not a fun procedure at all, but there are worse out there.

The Tuesday after the procedure we had to go to NYC to meet with my doctor and do PFT's up there.  That was the last of my tests.  So now I am evaluation complete.  On Friday they met about me and decided that I am eligible for a lung transplant, but not sick enough for the list yet.  I have to go back once every 3-6 months to meet with the doctor and redo the walk test, PFT's and Arterial blood gas draws. I am not happy with having to repeat the ABG’s, but what are you going do?  Those numbers determine how sick I am so when they are completed they are entered into the computer to see if it is time to list or not.

This time we stayed in a hotel in Chinatown.  I liked this one much better than the Econo Lodge in New Jersey.  It was clean and I felt more secure here.  It was walking distance from the 9-11 Memorial so we did that.  Every time we go into the city we try and do or see something.  We were going to have authentic Chinese food while we were there too.  We wanted to do that until we saw it.  We ended up getting a pizza from Little Italy.  It was different from pizza around here.  I really liked it. The crust was like a pita bread.  On top there was marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella melted.  It had some spices added to it too.

So now it is a waiting game.  It sucks, but a good thing at the same time.  Sucks because I am sick and tired of feeling the way I do.  It is getting harder and harder to do just normal everyday things.  Breathing is hard and the coughing can get really bad.  I don't know how I am going to feel one day to the next so that makes it hard to plan anything.  So I am just hanging in there going day to day knowing it is going to get worse before it gets better.  The good part about not being listed yet is because I would like to hang on to these lungs as long as possible.  New lungs don't last forever.  The longer I have these ones the longer I live.  This also allows more time for technology and medicine to get better.  So I will keep updating everyone as I learn more. :)