Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Yet Another Post-transplant Email - I Finally Leave ICU after 18 Days!

Friday, December 22, 2006 11:26 a.m. (sent by Gene)

Dear friends,

News Flash: Jay is out of ICU!

I just wanted to send a quick note to share the good news... Jay just continues to surprise... on Tues. evening (12/19), she endured another round of complications that I was convinced would set her back. But Jay bounced back miraculously the next day, and then last night - after 18 days in ICU - the doctors pronounced her healthy enough to move to intermediate care!

Within the last 24 to 48 hours, Jay has:
* completely stopped using the ventilator; breathing all on her own. (She still has a trache tube as a precaution, but this likely will be removed within a few days. Should be able to talk soon.)
* started sipping drinks (water, Gatorade, apple juice).
* yanked out her feeding tube - for the third time! Nurses not happy about this development, but finally have caved in to Jay's persistence. They now say if she can eat enough food on her own and get sufficient nutrition, she can ditch the tube.
* ordered husband to fetch her a hamburger meal. He refused following doctor's orders; Jay not happy with husband.

That's all the good news I have for now, but it should be plently. Thanks for all of your prayers... they are definitely working.

I'm off to visit Jay in her new room...

Gene

1 comment:

Nancy said...

Hi Jay, I wanted to say hi and introduce myself. My name is Nancy and I am a 49yr old female who received my liver on Nov 16th 2008.

I also have a blog. I started it a year ago when I found out I was going to need a transplant. You can read about me at www.reallife-withus.blogspot.com

I was reading about you being so thirsty in ICU and boy can I relate......I was NPO so often in my 3 weeks and wicked fluid restriction as I gained 35 #'s of fluid when my kidneys shut down. You just can't describe that kind of dry mouth...you have to experience it. I think I would have done extreme things to have even a sip of something wet....LOL

My e-mail address is on my blog as well. Feel free to make contact.

Hugs,
Nancy in Calif.