Greetings All!
We’ve decided to resurrect the blog and use it as a way to keep folks up to date on what’s going on with my heart transplant journey.
I was admitted to Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville on Wednesday, September 17th to prepare and wait for a new heart.
The floor I’m on (11th) opened May this year and the rooms are more like a luxury resort hotel than a hospital. The 100 inch TV and floor to ceiling glass wall make it much more comfortable than a normal hospital. This will go a long way and making my 2 month minimum stay much more pleasant.
I’ve met about 6 other pre-transplant pts and one guy who is 2 weeks post transplant. We sit and play cards in the afternoon and the nurses come to us to give meds or get blood. We’re quite a sight, everyone has their IV pole and multiple drugs going. The Drs and nurses are extremely accommodating to making us as comfortable as we can be for this long journey. One girl has been here nearly 4 months waiting for a heart.
Medical Details (for those interested):
After two tries at putting a pic line in my arms, they ended up tunneling in through my chest. Very painful.
Next they tried me on what they call “rocket fuel”. Real name, Milrinone. This IV drug is used to increase heart function. Unfortunately, for me, it triggered ventricular tachycardia, worsening heart failure and chest pain. After two days that drug was discontinued. It also caused a lot of my other lab work to go out of whack. They are still trying to sort that out and I’m starting to feel my old self. We’ll keep you updated as things change.
Sun and Sand Travelers 