Busy Brenda!

Lee called me this morning and told me to pack his bag because he would be coming home today!  (Home, being the condo).  He had been able to walk the 20 laps the day before ( as he had been told, the ticket to discharge from the hospital) and the only thing standing in his path was the swallowing test scheduled this a.m.  He was very excited to learn that he passed the swallowing test perfectly and that the stomach tube would be removed and breakfast would be ordered.  He was one happy man!

You can imagine his disappointment when the post-lung transplant nurse arrived and announced that he would have to stay another day AND continue walking the 20 laps.  Lee was so upset that the nurse said she could see his anger @ her but that was just the way it had to be.  He needed to be in the hospital for the first meals to make sure he did not aspirate.  If his glare could have killed, we would be minus one nurse tonight! 

As the day wore on, he was rewarded by the stomach tube being removed and a drink of sprite and some applesauce!  He had a big smile on his face when he got the treats.  By  the time I left @ 4:30 he had walked about 15 laps and had planned to walk the rest with Elizabeth.  She sent me a picture of Lee with his tray of food and he seemed happy to finally be able to eat again!  Remember, his last meal was lunch (pbj sandwich) on June 23. 

I have been so busy since I left.  I had to get home in time to catch the oxygen people who had come to take all the oxygen from the condo.  There is NO OXYGEN anywhere!  I wanted to make sure it was gone befoe Lee returns.  I met my brother here who was returning my laundry that his wife Betsy is so lovingly doing for us.  He and I left to pick up all 23 (yes 23) of Lee's new prescriptions.  I checked them off with the pharmacist...each one....just to make sure they were all there.  In addition, there were some other items to be picked up.  After we left, Dennis and I stopped by the cafeteria and had a nice meal together.  We splurged on the coconut cream pie that we shared.  We stopped by whole foods for some groceries needed here and finally finished everything by 8:00.

Those of you who know me know that I run out of steam @ 9:00 p.m. and there is still much to do before then.  Medicine charts to be made.  Daily logs to be copied and medicines to be placed in proper containers.  Now you understand the title of this blog!  I am so excited that Lee is able to be discharged from the hospital.  Please understand that he and I will need some time to adjust to our new schedules.  Right now as his primary caregiver I am the one responsible for all his meds and logs.  Because I have been with him daily I have become adapt @ recognizing some of his problems and for right now will have to stay with him constantly before having relief.  Some of the things I have to be alert to are symptoms of rejection , symptoms of mucous or fluids in the lung.  I have spent much time talking to the doctors and nurses, asking a lot of questions and I am comfortable with what I must do these first weeks ahead of me.

I do ask your prayers for both of us and we join all of you in giving thanksgiving for Lee's new lung and heart repairs.   More later............................................Busy Brenda