Today is my one month anniversary and what a journey it has been. I’m glad to be out of the hospital and in the Gabriel House where it’s quiet and there are no machines keeping me awake all night. All the work and specialists I was seeing as an inpatient will now continue but as an outpatient. We are over at the hospital/clinic approximately 4 days a week.
I won’t lie and say it has been a easy journey. My neuro event in the ICU set me back quite a bit and I’m working hard to regain my strength and endurance. Physical therapy is twice a week and will be 3 times a week in January. I feel frustrated at my progress but know not to compare myself to everyone else’s experience. As they say here “Everyone’s journey is different”.
I know some of you may be grossed out but I am choosing to put a couple of pictures of me immediately post op. It reminds me of how far I have come.
Having been in cardiac surgeries for work I am familiar with them but as I was wheeled into the OR I remember being struck by how many people were in the room setting up. It was a big room with 3 or 4 scrub tables and at least 12-15 people setting up or scrubbed in. Everyone turned to look at me as I was wheeled in. Pretty amazing. I don’t remember much about the next week, unfortunately.
Interesting fact: Mayo Clinic Jacksonville has chosen to make organ transplants their major focus. The weekend I was transplanted they did 3 heart transplants, 2 double lung transplants, a couple of livers and kidneys. I think there were about 10 transplants in 2 days. They all require specialized teams in the OR’s and I don’t know how they manage it. My surgery alone was 9 hrs. A gentleman who was inpatient with me waited 5 months for a simultaneous heart and liver transplant. His heart transplant was officially number 9,999 and his liver was the 10,000th organ transplant at Mayo. There are announcements all over the hospital about Mayo reaching the 10,000 mark and it was our friend who was the pt. Pretty cool.
We are very comfortable here at the Gabriel House and have made friends here. Some of the people I was in the hospital with are here now as well and we share experiences. We’re extremely lucky in that many charitable organizations have chosen Gabriel house as their charity and they bring in entire meals for the residents here. This week there are 3 organizations providing dinners with all the trimmings and serving it as well. Lucky us.
The house has approximately 12 Christmas trees up. Here are a couple of especially pretty ones for you to enjoy.
Sun and Sand Travelers 
So happy you are doing as good as you are think of you everyday
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You HAVE come a long way! We are continually cheering you on so stay strong and keep it up!
Keep up the good work! You have come so far and you have much to look forward too!
What a great detailed update. So glad that you are doing well, even though your journey has been a bit harder than you had hoped for.
Those pictures sure bring back some memories. But I feel confident that you will make it through this experience just as you have all the others you have endured. As you know, it takes close to, and sometimes longer, a year to fully recover from major surgery. And a transplant is probably a bit more invasive than the others you have had, so be patient and hopefully by summer you will be on one of your adventures with Leonard.
Thanks for the info on Mayo, too. That is amazing. I know if I ever need anything major again, it will be there.
Hang in there, Jean. We love you.
Thanks Shelley! Sorry we haven’t called but I’m just now getting on my computer and trying to get caught up on things. We’ll talk soon.
So good to see you doing well! (or better?) Keeping you in my prayers!
hope this goes through to you … I have been unsuccessful the last few times I tried to write. Zooey and I are thrilled seeing your update , one month out! You look terrific! And ou sound great, too. Looking forward to welcoming you home to TGO!Sue and the pup.