Post Transplant Week 4

 

Ben has been home from the hospital for one week today!

It has been a week of adjusting and appointments.  

We’ve had to learn to sort medicine and follow a strict schedule for taking pills and tracking EVERYTHING!

Bens phone is full of alarm reminders.

Last week we were back in to the clinic on Thursday and Friday for scope with biopsy, blood draws and albumin infusions.  He has weekly blood draws every Monday.  Depending on the levels in his blood determines if he has to adjust his meds and have any sort of infusions.  We knew this first bit would be about finding the sweet spot as far as his medicine levels and vitimin/element levels.

These days were long. 

We then enjoyed a quiet weekend home.

Then it was back to the clinic Monday for blood draws, Tuesday for Scope and a visit with the transplant team.  We’re hopeful soon we'll only be going on Mondays and Thursdays.

He still shows no signs of rejection, which has allowed them to drop his anti-rejection med levels a little. 

He had an ultrasound today to check on the blood clot in his jugular and it is showing significant improvement and hasn’t moved.  This is fantastic news!

He still has his 2 JP drains from his abdomen.  These are the things that bother him the most because they have a tendency to leak.  

We are both housebound for the most part.  He is required to have someone home with  him 24/7 for a few weeks.  I think he would enjoy some mom free time.

We both have to avoid large crowds for now, so no church for us.  But never fear the ward is taking care of us and bringing us the sacrament each week.

Being home and sleeping in his own bed has helped and we’re grateful for the positive steps forward! Everything has been improving! 

Today I found myself reflecting again on where we are and how we got to this point. It felt like we waited forever for transplant to finally come.  Before transplant I couldn’t even see what the future was going to be like.  Then we had transplant, and wow how grateful I am for modern medicine and to live in a country where that modern medicine is available.  To be blessed because my husband has a job that provides affordable insurance and that insurance is covering Ben’s healthcare.  I am also amazed at the human body and how resilient it is!

WE truly are blessed!  Sometimes its easy to take for granted the small and simple blessings we have in our lives.

Ben’s quote of the week: “What shall we watch now?”