Update from CSH, HQ No EFI Why Grumpy

["Bruce Plecan" <nacelp@bright.net>]

I been trying to catch up with my friends of the list, off list, but it
ain't working (jus too many friends, hahaha).  This is just an update, and
none efi, if expecting any efi, just hit delete.  This kinda balloned, but
well figured to let it all out.

For those new here, I had a lung transplant in 9/99.
I left home, in 6/99, for an evaluation, I was ill enough that they thought
I would not survive the flight home, and best to wait there for a donor, I
was that ill.  I was within days of going a ventilator, within the last week
before the surgery, and that would have taken me off the list, cause I would
hve been considered to weak to survive the surgery.  I had 4 *dry runs*,
preped for surgery, and just waiting for a final go.  All in one week, that
was an emotional roller coaster (also, meaning it was #5 that was the
charm).  I've been in rejection 3x, and have caught CMV (a common virus),
but anti-rejection meds stop my immune system from working, so my *cure* for
basically a common cold was lots of steroids, and lots of chemotherapy.
Talk to anyone that has had these doses, and you likely will find
personality tweaks, the big hit of steriods reguires hospitalisation, since
phycotic episodes are expected.  Now, mix the steroids / chemotherapy, with
my 14-18 other meds I take (for a while was at over 90 pills a day), and at
times, I do get grumpy, I try to stay aware of it, and make light of it, but
yes it does excape me at times (I've never posted when at the full effect of
the meds), maybe a trace going on but anything major, I do catch.  Things
are just now starting to mellow out.   Lungs are unlike all other organ
transplants since the lung is directly exposed to the environment, where as
all the others are "sealed" with in the body.   For the number of IVs, I've
been given I had to have fixtures installed (for several months) in my arm
for the IVs.  They had perforated  the veins in my arms with all the other
IVs, so bad they were scarring badly (my veins that is), that the best of
nurses was getting a flow 1 out of 3 times.  Ya, ever had a Blood gas
drawn?, try 3x a week (was daily for a week).   And toss in 5 grams of
Magnesium, IV, almost daily, on top of the several grams, I was taking in
pill form.   In Jan., I was on IVs 8 hrs a day, for the chemo, and steriods.
Intially post surgery I had 14 different IVs going at once 24 / 7.
  I also arrested (died) 2x during the surgery, and they HAD to turn off
most all the anthesias to get me back the second time.  I *awoke* to the
sensation of them stopping work on my heart massage, and then removing a
lung, and installing a new one.  I'd previously, broken my back, so I
thought knew what pain is.  That was nothing,   I hope y'all never ever come
near to experiencing what real pain is.   While in recovery, I asked for
pain meds, once, and that was when I sneezed while the chest tubes were
still in (they run two tubes into your chest cavity for draiange, also has a
slight vacuum on them),  they are another fun item to deal with.
  The update is anticlimatic:
I'm still, a little over weight (for my height build etc 190 would be great,
I'm at 203),  but with all the meds I'm on, reaching a Body fat level as low
as 28% is concidered dam near impossible.  I was at 32% in Jan, before the
20 lbs gain during the last steriod treatment, and as of monday 26%, which
is far better, then any of the Drs., expected.  I was tested here in Dayton,
and the Dr rep., called from WI with an atta boy.
  I can do almost 2 mins of Jogging atta time, on the tread mill.  No one
can remember a single lung guy doing that (over 50 adult).  I suffered some
nerve damage to my right foot in the surgery and was told I'd have to use a
cane to walk, I told em, I didn't go thru all this to need a cane, so I did
it the hard way, I fortituded myself thru it.  When I tire, I limp some,
just goes with the territory.  Also, have a memory problem, hard to define,
just forgetful at times.
  No one can remember a single lunger taking a "normal" stress test, never
mind scoring just under average (average for my "class" is a 35 YO, none
smoker).
  So, I'm much better, but there are still issues, I'm still terminally ill,
and have a limited life expectancy.
Bruce   aka Grumpy





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