Clear Lungs and No Sign of Rejection!

Today was a long one, but as you can tell from the title of this post, it had a great outcome! Today Randy had “clinic” (blood test, xray, spirometry, doctor’s appointment), followed by a bronchoscopy, a test that allows the doctor to look inside Randy’s lungs’ airways, called the bronchi. The doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope and the tube is passed down your throat into your airways. The doctor took pictures, and sent away a couple of tissue samples, but came out all smiles, and informed me that the lungs were clear, with no sign of rejection. Holy Shiza, Batman! That is some of the best news an organ transplant patient can hear.

It has been 3 months since Randy’s double lung transplant. 3 months. It is difficult to believe he has come this far in such a short period of time….as I sit here with our Christmas tree softly glowing, and a fire in the grate, it seems like a nightmare long ago, but it was a harsh reality. The hospital waiting room, the doctors, the staff, the families…it seemed as though it was an alternate universe, one we had somehow strayed into and could not get out of. Yet, here we are. It was interesting today to see one of the doctors who hadn’t seen Randy since surgery, and his absolute amazement at not only Randy’s progress, but that he is alive at all. We discussed the fact that although his friends and family are so thankful and grateful every time we look at him, he doesn’t have any memory of being so sick, and it all happened so fast, he was not even on oxygen when he went into the hospital. Randy did not experience much debilitation prior to his two “crashes”, so his experience and attitude is somewhat aggravated at how his life has changed, rather than daily wonder that he is still alive.  It is a strange dichotomy…and sometimes difficult to bridge. He does ask questions, and I tell him about what happened in as detailed a fashion as I can, but the filter in which we see the past 4 or 5 months is quite different.

I think daily of the donor’s family, and wait for the day I can write them a letter and tell them how much their loss has changed our lives. A part of their loved one lives on…not only in Randy, but in others whose lives were saved by this donor. Without this donor, Randy would not be here. I cannot imagine a greater gift given by anyone.  I ask you, if you are not already an organ donor, please reconsider that decision. To give life is the ultimate gift. So, ask yourself, do you have the heart to be an organ donor? I hope so, I hope we can all find it within ourselves to be so generous.

Randy is doing very, very well.  As well as anyone ever hoped.  I know his recovery will continue. His is a happy story, unlike so many others who die on the waiting list, or who are not approved for the waiting list.  There is so much illness, so much need in the world. Cystic Fibrosis and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis are terrible diseases.  Any donation or help given to assist in finding a cure, or even a treatment that works, would be appreciated by many.  Here are a couple of ideas for you:  Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and, ironically enough, our dear friends, Tom and Nancy Murphy, are involved with Shamrockin’, a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis which takes place once a year in Alpharetta, GA, in March of course, near St Patrick’s Day.  If you cannot make the event, you can still donate goods for auction! There are a million ways to make a difference.  Choose a cause and do what you can.