2.5 years!

Dear Reader, 

All is going well. I just had my 2-1/2 year post-transplant meeting with the head doctor of the Transplant Clinic. He reviewed all of my medications, labs and tests and declared that he was not going to change a thing! He also made me very happy by saying I was taking good care of my lungs and myself in general. I replied that I had promised my donor I would do exactly that. 

I did return to the gym just last week after fracturing my right patella (my driving leg!!) at my mom's facility on May 3. That was a challenge! It was very painful and I was unable to put any weight on it for 10 days but Michael was marvelous, as always. He wheeled me, sitting on my walker, from my camp on the living couch to the bathroom. We even had midnight phone calls when needing a bathroom visit. After the ten days, I was still very unstable but became more and more independent. Michael mentioned one day that he missed our midnight phone calls! He was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and, thankfully, he is on Active Surveillance. It is very small, appears to be non-aggressive so he will be closely monitored. We did learn that all men get this cancer, though most don't know it. They usually die from something else.

The nice news is that we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary! We didn't think I would be alive and here I am! Reservations are made for a week in Palm Desert (fancy area next to Palm Springs) thanks to our friends Sue and Jim. 

William is doing great, he was awarded another Gold Record from a group he toured with a couple years ago. It was a surprise! He also signed a huge contract for an album cycle beginning next year. But, the big news is he met the love of his life. Finally. We are so happy for them.

My mom turns 95-years old next month. She is one tough cookie! Grit! Guess where I got mine? She is blind in one eye and really can't see much with the other. Her health has been up and down and she just hates not having her independence. The medications for dementia really help. 

That's my update. I hope you are doing well, Dear Reader. 

YEAR TWO

Dear Reader,

January 24th was the second anniversary of my double lung transplants. It has been a very busy year, lots of medication changes, doctor appointments, medicals test but, now it is different. I am back! I have really turned the corner and am feeling like myself for the first time since 2005.

My energy level is finally great. No longer do I need to take a break while cooking or doing dishes or getting dressed. I am also back in the gym 3-4 days a week and my weight went from 154 pre-transplant to 145 post-transplant. When the doctors removed most of the prednisone after almost 17-years, my face lost its bloated look and my body just shed pounds. I am now on 6mg for life and my weight has settled in at 133-pounds.

If you read back in this blog to the time I lost weight through the Weight Management Group at the hospital so I could hit the 25-30 BMI required for lung transplants, you won't believe I am stable at this weight. It's been about 15-years since I lost over 100 pounds from my highest. 

Without Michael, I could not have made it through the first 6-months. It was overwhelming and he was my cheerleader and had my back. We will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary this September, which was just a dream before the transplants as I didn't expect to be alive. You can read about our hilarious Honeymoon from Hell also in this blog. 

I finally wrote a letter to my donor's family, who should have received it on the actual anniversary. Gratitude is the only word that can come close to what I feel in my heart and soul. 

Thank you, Dear Reader, for your comments and support all these years. I can only wish you all good health as you continue on your journey.

Love to you all.