The Plan

Mom and I had a great lunch together at Nordstrom yesterday and never stopped talking. We included several other women in our conversation. It is so wonderful when women connect with each other especially since one of them had her mom with her, too! She and my mom were the same age! These three other women were fun and smart and informative and could have been our best friends.

While we were in line to order, one woman heard me tell mom that I was going to make the baklava when I got home. She mentioned that she was Greek and also made baklava. Mom told her that I make the best baklava. She told mom that she makes the best then we all started to laugh. Later, she told me the secrets to hers and I shared the big secret of mine. I have a feeling hers was the best!

As we had to stare at all the bakery goodies, another lady shared that she was a diabetic and was struggling with a chocolate cake in her freezer. Her mistake was taking only a taste. Well, there was just a small piece left.  I told her that I was meant to speak with her as I was struggling with an entire box of shortbread cookies (my very favorite) Lisa gave us when they were here on Saturday. I could eat the whole box. I would eat the whole box, one by one, if I cracked the seal. It is now set aside, with seal intake, to take to the orchestra rehearsal on Wednesday. Get it out of my house and sight!

But, the most important conversation during lunch was with mom about my decision to move forward with the lung transplants. I explained that the past illnesses and need for the colonoscopy were wake-up calls for me. I am not getting any younger. If something major happens with my health like a heart issue or liver or any cancer, I would not qualify for lung transplants. A few years ago, one had to be close to death to qualify. Times have changed and I think doctors now realize that the recovery and survival rates improve if the patient is healthier going into the process. I can now even get two lungs, a better long-term prognosis.

Mom asked about how it all worked. I walked her through the entire process. She was so relieved when I shared that the two men in my rehab class who recently had transplants were only in the hospital eleven days. She also was so happy to hear that they pull the medicines back and get the new lung recipient up and out of bed after 24 hours. She had visions me in a bed in ICU for weeks. Nope. The staff has you walking the hallways. The more you walk, the fast you are released. She doesn't like the whole idea of it and finds it scary. I get it. If it were my son, I would feel the same way. What she doesn't know is that Dr. K. will insure I have the best of care, the best of lungs, the best of surgeons, the best of care, which will help increase my odds that it will all go well.

So, when it all begins, I will try to give tons of details until the actual transplant. It may take a day for William to get home from wherever he may be, but he will be taking over my blog to give you information and updates until I can get home.

That's the plan.