Duke Admission and Transplant

I suck at blogging. Just let me preface with that. Having said that, I will do my very best to keep this thing updated. Recently, things have taken a pretty scary turn. I was put on home oxygen at the beginning of June 2010 and sent home on IV antibiotics. I went through 3 weeks of home infusion and didn't feel I was getting as well as I should. My weight was dropping and I was still requiring O2. I called my docs at Duke and requested a feeding tube...knowing that in order to receive a lung transplant, I need to weigh more. So, the feeding tube procedure was scheduled and I was anticipating a short hospital stay. Things don't always go as planned though, and I had to be brought to Duke via an ambulance. I was starting to struggle for every breath and realized this could be it. How can things change so rapidly? The doctors realized I was very sick and found out the bug they were treating for three weeks was resistant to the drug they had put me on. The clever little bug was stubborn and it took a bit to find the right combination of meds. My doctor quickly understood this was an emergency situation and put my name in the mix with the transplant team. After that, a lot of things started happening really fast. I began evaluation testing for a double lung transplant. Scary, tedious, and exciting. I have gotten most of the testing out of the way and will require a couple of out patient visits for some of the tests. I will also begin a rigorous rehab program to get my body in the best shape possible. This by far has been the sickest I've ever been and the most afraid. I literally thought my family and friends wouldn't see me outside of this room ever again. I was almost put into ICU. I had a lot of conversations with God. I didn't want to suffer. I didn't want people to see me suffer. Thankfully, my Lord and these docs know what they're doing. They found the right drugs and now I'm not on O2 at all, walking around, laughing, eating....enjoying life. Even though I'm still in this room over 2 weeks later, I'm so much better. My feeding tube should be going in on Thursday at around 7:30 am. Due to my excessive thinness, I will have to be put all the way under. I'm ok with that. I have had incredible support from family and friends and people just stepping up when I didn't think some even cared that much. I am a fighter and will never stop. I have too much to be here for. Mainly my daughter, Miracle. She is my entire reason. I am most definitely where I need to be. Without my mother, my boyfriend, my family, my friends, my GOD....I would be nowhere. I am so blessed. Be sure to check out my cousin's blog: nonumber1.blogspot.com which also is following my journey through this transplant thing. So we begin....