Midge Rollins
05-10-2004, 09:03 AM
I just read some posts after not checking for a while and saw Shirley's inquiry about me. Thank you for caring. I am doing well. I have about 4 1/2 weeks left to stay here at the transplant house. It is an awesome place with 47 rooms, you are required to have a caregiver with you. We prepare our own meals, go to our appts at the clinic or hospital. I am now in cardiac rehab 3 x a week. Plus workout here at the house the other days. My exercise tolerance is higher than it has been for 5 years. The anti-rejection drugs are very difficult to get just the right level. They do biopsies every week for 4 weeks and then every 2. I had one episode of rejection but they turned it right around with high doses of steroids IV. The side effects of these drugs are I shake a lot but they say it will get better. I have never taken so many meds. Right now in the house are 6 heart transplant pts. The most ever at one time. We age from 20-60. Lots of stem cell transplant people here, a few liver and kidney. It is truly a house of miracles. I have met some life long friends. We laugh together and cry together. I have become a Grandma again while I have been here and hope to see the little guy soon. Even though I no longer have HCM I will continue to be part of this board. I did get to see my old heart. It is in a bag cut in sections and looks nothing like a heart anymore but they did point out the thickened walls. I hope to be home by June 18. I certainly do see why they keep us here 3 months though. I must close and head off to exercise. Stay healthy and stay positive. :o