Thursday, October 21, 2010

3 Month Anniversary

Hello all,

Today is my 3 month mark post second transplant. My lungs and breathing feel perfect. Well, as perfect as I know perfect to be. I received my biopsy results before the weekend actuall, Dr. Coakley was nice enough to call me and tell me before I left for the Phish show. Everything was completely negative. No signs of any acute rejection, no infection, not even a hint of congestion. Airways were wide open. So great news all around.

I then preceded to enjoy a beautiful phish show. Some highlights: guelah papyrus, mango song, pebbles and marbles, David Bowie, Crosseyed and Painless(talking heads, which is always rocking)!, 2001, sneakin sally through the alley, and an interesting YEM. So, no disappointments there. I left out many more....

Despite the show, I had plenty of down time in my hotel room. And was actually able to relax in bed and ponder the last 3 months but also the last year. What a whirlwind. So quickly you forget about the sick days and start to take for granted breathing freely. I am not there yet, but isn't that the goal?? I've definitely almost forgotten just how sick and close to death I was. However, when your transplant surgeon admits he was very worried (but to his defense, not till after the tx) then you tend to never forget. But I don't want to take this gift for granted. So, it is a bizarre dilemma. I finished up a letter to my new donor family on this 3-month anniversary. I really hope the letter finds them and helps them. I do hope for a response. It was disconcerting last time to never get a response, however I can understand why a family or lack thereof might not need to write back. Thanks might just be enough.

Finally, what once would be a big deal but now seems small. I ended up having to receive cortisone injections into my hip joints this morning to treat the chronic hip and muscle pain I've been having. An orthopedist thinks I have an impingement syndrome in my hips. Well the buildup was worse then the procedure. It hurt, but after 2 double lung transplants it was a walk in the park. Good news is, it seems to be working! Pain is so much better. Let's see what the next week holds.

Looking forward to starting this 4th month out on the right foot, or left as long as I don't have any pain. ;-)

Thanks everyone,
Mitch

3 comments:

Michael and Denise said...

glad to hear you are doing well and feeling good! I'm sure it has been extra hard to recover after the gators lost 3 in a row! Hang in there :) love from south florida! XOXO

Anonymous said...

Mitch you're doing great and looking even better! love mom

Lynn said...

Mitch,
Glad your hips are happy now. At least they'll be able to keep up with your lungs now! Love, Lynn