Made it Through the Stomach Wrap

We arrived in Durham on Tuesday night around 7:45pm. We stayed at the Hamptons where we lived while we stayed in Durham for the transplant. Wednesday we were at clinic from 8am to 3pm for clinic and preop appointments. On Thursday we got to the hospital at 11:15am for the surgery at 1:15pm, and the place was super busy, overflow I might say. Alan did not get taken back till 1:45pm, and he had not eaten, checked his gloucose levels, or had insulin. He was trembling. They did not do the surgery till 4p - 6pm. After surgery, I did not get to go back and see him till 9pm. There were no rooms available, so he had to spend the night in the post op recovery room which was not the best of circumstances. I stayed until about 10:30pm, and was back by 7:30am. He was so frustrated, because the nurses were not familiar with his meds, the doctor had said he could have liquids for breakfast, and ice chips before that. They would not give him anything. He was starved, and they would not pursue it for him. He was very agitated, and said he was checking out of the hospital. I called our transplant coordinator, and she came over, talked to him, and got the nurses on the right track. It seems we got caught between 2 schools of thought, the old and the new. It used to be that when you had a stomach wrap you didn't get anything for the first 24 hours, and then clear liquids for a few days, and then on to soft foods. With the new laproscopy (spelling ?) surgery, they don't give them anything right after surgery, but then the next day they can have liquids, and some mechanical soft food. The debate continued until we checked out to come home. Alan of course wanted to eat.

We didn't get a room until Friday around 3p, and they let us come home Saturday around 2p. Alan has had considerable pain and swelling. He is very tired and sleeps a lot.

We are very glad to be home, and thank you once again for your continued prayers. I know I am not as good at staying in touch. Going back to work and balancing everything else has drained me. but we hold you all close in heart. Judy & Alan

2009 is Going to be a Great Year

Happy New Year!!! I hope all of you had a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year. We did. The last few years we have started the tradition of spending the night at Traci & Mark's, so we get to see the kids as they find all that Santa leaves them. We have breakfast there, and then they come here for dinner.

We head back to Duke on Wednesday evening. Alan is going to have the stomach wrap on the 15th, and on the 14th we will meet with the anestheisiologist. We will also go to clinic for his usual blood work, xrays, and pulmonary function tests, and see Dr. Zaas. Traci took Alan to meet with the surgeon last week, and he said the hospital stay will be 2 or 3 days. So, I guess we are looking at Saturday or Sunday to come home. Please say a prayer for him as he goes through this procedure.

Love to each of you, Alan & Judy

Merry Christmas From our Hearts to You

I am sorry it has been so long since our last post. Can you believe we have been home for 17 days? Most of them have been hectic, trying to get settled back into our Charlotte home, getting ready for Christmas, and for me going back to work. We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary on December 17th, by going out to dinner. It feels so good to do things like share a leisurely meal together, and just laugh and talk. Not to have to think about anything except our lives ahead.

Alan has been taking me to work and picking me up, so he could have the car. We were planning on buying Alan a truck when we got home. Our daughter, Traci, found him an S10 truck for sale by a private owner in Mooresville. We went to look at it on Saturday. It was exactly what he was looking for, so we bought it. God continues to answer prayers for us in so many ways. He is very excited about his truck.

He is going to the fitness center at Presbyterian Hospital to work out 3 times a week. Around the house he is working like a crazy person. He rarely stops, a real energizer bunny. There is definitely something to be said for being able to breathe.

This morning I was getting ready to leave for work, and I walked by the hall bathroom. He was in there dancing in his sock feet on the tile floor. He could really slide and move and comb his hair all at the same time. I asked if he was excited about Christmas, and he said "NO! I am excited to be alive." My heart melted. I thought about that moment all day today.

On December 29th he has to go back to Durham. Traci is going to take him, because I have no FMLA, sick days, or vacation left. We initially thought he was supposed to have a stomach wrap, because one of the last tests he had before we left Durham, showed that he had acid reflux at night. The stomach wrap would keep the contents of the stomach from aspirating into his pristine new lungs. But yesterday, he spoke with a transplant coordinator and asked her why the appointment said to come to clinic instead of the hospital. She said it was a consultation with the doctor to decide if they were going to do the stomach wrap. So, maybe he will have the stomach wrap, maybe not. We will let you know.

On January 14th and 15th we have to go back for a bronchoscopy and more pulmonary function tests.

As we move ahead, we want to give back in some way. We want to always remember how precious the gift of life is, how emotional and draining our journey was, how faithful God was and is, how blessed we are, the love and support we received from our family and friends, and how very humble we feel after such a life altering experience. We want everyone to know that God gave us this second chance, and we want to glorify and thank him. When you have no control, and you let go, God does his most beautiful work in and through us.

Home

Hello Everyone, We have been having some internet problems that kept me from posting. I went back to work on Friday, December 5th. After work I drove back to Durham to get Alan, and we came home together on Saturday. Traci, Mark, and the kids came down for dinner. As we sat down at the table Anna Kate said what we all felt, "This feels normal....really good." It does feel so good to be back home.

Alan has a blood clot caused by the picc line. They said it was not high risk. He is giving himself Lovenox shots to thin his blood.

I will continue to update the blog every few days to let you know what is going on with him. Thanks to all of you for traveling on this journey with us. It has been extraordinary. We are so thankful and full of hope and joy for our future. Love, Judy & Alan

God's Many Blessings

I had hoped to get this post to the blog done before Thanksgiving, but I needed to write them out first. So, I am a little late. We give God the Glory for everything that has brought us to the reality of Alan's Second Chance. I will never be able to list them all but here goes

God at work in our lives these last 5 months


- Spiritual Growth
- Physical Healing, Pushing himself at the fitness
center made his body stronger pre and post surgery
- He came off the ventilator with no problems
- He did not have to have a feeding tube or stomach
wrap
- No special diet
- Minimal diabetic
- Walked 28 miles in the hospital the first time and
18 miles the second time in the hospital. After surgery
they require that you walk 1 mile before you leave
the hospital. Alan pushed through the pain and
broke records.
- Financial Security and my Manager held my position
open for me.
- Neighbors to watch our home in Charlotte
- Family in Durham, My cousin Carol has been our
"Angel"
- Our car has had a few quirks, but I only prayed,
did not take it to a garage, and God has been
faithful to keep it running.
- Safety for us and our loved ones as they visited
- We found a supportive church, Berea Baptist
- Duke Transplant Team and all the wonderful nurses, cnas, technicians that cared for Alan in ICU, 3rd flr, & 7th flr
- Everyone at the Pepsico Fitness Center where
Alan exercised 5 days a week
- The people that we met here at the hospital and
the apartment complex where we live, that are
taking this journey as well. Relationship in ( )
- The Carlton Family - Met ICU - (Wife & Mother)
- The Natoli & Shannon Families - Met ICU
(Daughter and Grandaughter)
- John and Barbara
- Paulette
- Don and Brenda
- Sonny and Ellen
There is a wonderful story here. Our daughter,
Traci was a youth minister one summer in
college. She lived with an amazing couple
from the church that have since gone to
Heaven, Artie and Gladys. Sonny is Glady's brother.
It really is a small world
- Jack
- Christian
- We learned something and shared a lot with all
of the people above. We will take them home in
our hearts and prayers.
- Co-incidental Blessing
- My cousins husband is a camera man for a
TV station. He is filming a donor family
the time they make the decision to donate
their loved ones organs, through the teams
coming to harvest all the way to the
recipients of the organs. Alan and I have
been hungry for insight into the feelings
and thoughts of the donor family.
- Our daughter, Traci, has visited with her
family many times since we have been here.
She and her husband Mark came for 2 dry runs
and the surgery. Mark stayed for 4 days and Traci
for 8 days. She called us every day, sometimes more
than once. Our grandchildren, Lane, Connor, and
Anna Kate have loved and prayed us through also.
- EACH OF YOU!!! You have prayed, called, visited,
emailed, sent cards and packages. Your love,
support and encouragement has been invaluable
and will NEVER be forgotten. If your church has
been praying for us, we would love to visit and
thank them in person. Just give us the word.
LAST OF ALL, This would never have been possible
without the DONOR and their Family. They gave us the
GIFT of LIFE.....and a SECOND CHANCE. Our prayer is that we honor them by giving something back. We want to make a difference, and we pray God will lead us in that direction. As always, we hold you close in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. Alan and Judy

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. Our family has so much to be thankful for this year.....we are especially thankful for all of you. It is your prayers, encouragement, and love that has brought us through. We are so excited that we will be going home on December 6th. We thank God for this journey and the precious gift of life.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

We are excited to tell you that Alan is doing very well, getting stronger every day. He has to do 11 more days at the fitness center and then we can head home. We know we have asked for so many prayers and you have lifted us up, and now we have another one. My leave is up and I have to go back to work on December 5th. Alan should finish his time at the fitness center on December 4th, if he doesn't have to miss anymore. Please pray that we get to be at home and with our family for Christmas. We have been here a little over 4 months, it will a week short of 5 months if we go home on the above dates. The Christmas classic "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has real meaning for us this year.

Traci, Mark, Anna Kate, Lane, and Connor are coming for a couple of days for Thanksgiving. We are going to Cracker Barrel for our Thanksgiving meal.

Our oldest grandson, Lane, fractured a bone in his ankle this past Sunday. He now has a bright red cast. Please say a prayer that the fracture will heal completely. He did not take his crutches to school today because he has to go up and down a lot of stairs, and he was having some pain this afternoon.

Happy Thanksgiving! We thank God for each of you. Judy & Alan

Normal is Nice

This week has been the closest to normal we have had since being here. Alan is stronger. We went to clinic and the doctor yesterday and his pulmonary function tests that checks his breathing volume were greatly improved since the fluid has been removed. The doctor and the entire transplant team are very pleased with how well he is doing. He does need to gain some weight, so he is supposed to eat 3000 calories a day. Since the surgery he is diabetic, and that was making it a little tricky for me to know how to cook and get that many calories a day in him. We talked with a dietician yesterday, and she gave us some good sound advice that helped a lot.

He is back at the fitness center everyday. He really enjoys the staff and having the opportunity to talk to other pre and post transplant folks that are there. He is walking really fast, riding the bike, and doing some exercises with weights.

Yesterday we spent some time together. We went to a store in Chapel Hill that we have ordered gift baskets from, and it was amazing. We had lunch at their restaurant. The name of the store is A Southern Season, and if any of you order gift baskets for the holidays, we highly recommend them, www.southernseason.com . It seemed like a small miracle to just browse the store and then have lunch together. I hope we never take these moments for granted. We even went out to dinner after the doctor's appointment. It was a wonderful day, because it held the promise of many more to come.

Thanks again for your prayers. We pray an thank God for all of you. Judy and Alan

Three Liters Later

I am sorry that I haven't posted since Monday. I have spent most of my time at the hospital. On Tuesday they drew another liter of fluid from the right chest cavity. On Wednesday they did an xray and found that the left side had fluid collecting again around the lower lobe. This time they put in a chest tube to drain it. They got around another liter. It slowed to very little drainage just a few hours after they put the chest tube in. So, yesterday they watched it, and decided they would pull it today. They pulled it this morning and said everything looked good on the xray except one spot which they think was caused by the lung collapsing a little when they pulled the chest tube. They said when he gets an xray at clinic next week, it should be gone. He got his picc line out and his staples from surgery out. I counted the staples before they took them out and there was 78. The fluid removed from the lungs showed no bacteria or infection, and there is no sign of rejection. Hallelujah!!! We got back to the apartment around 4p.

The doctor we were leary of was pleasant. Thanks for the prayers.

Traci and Anna Kate are with us until Sunday. Anna Kate is doing very well since her surgery.

Still in Hospital

Tomorrow they are going to decide about how they are going to remove the fluid from the outside of Alan's right lung. They might drain it or they might put in chest tubes to drain it. The good news is that the ecoli bacteria is gone, and his last IV of antibiotic for the ecoli is tomorrow. He is eating well and walking 4 miles every day.

We do have a prayer request. The pulmonologist making rounds this week is the only person we have had any problems with since we have been here. Alan had requested not to see him again. They can honor that request at clinic, but not on rounds at the hospital. So, Alan saw him today, and he got upset, and will have to see him again tomorrow. We think he must be a fine doctor or he would not be part of the transplant team. Maybe it is just personality conflicts. Please pray that he won't upset Alan anymore.

Thanks to all of you. Alan & Judy

A Liter is a Lot

Yesterday they did a bronchoscope on Alan and drew around a liter of fluid from around his lungs. They didn't put any chest tubes in, which is good, I think. They are running tests on the fluid to see what kind it is. I looked up plueral effusions on the internet and there are 4 different kinds of fluid, I can't explain them but the internet does a good job. There is a little pocket of air they are watching since they drained the fluid. They want to keep him for a few days for osbservation. Wanda, Eddie, and I could tell a big difference in him immediately after they brought him back to the room from draining the fluid. They used a local anesthetic so he was wide awake, talking, and in a great mood.

Anna Kate's pain is less today.

Thank you all for keeping tabs on us and praying for our specific needs as they arise. Judy & Alan

Still Waiting

Alan went back to the hospital about 7p last night. I came home about 10p because they said his procedure wouldn't be until 10a today. My sister Wanda and her husband Eddie are here with me. We all got up at 5a and got to the hospital a little after 7a. They put Alan's procedure off until tomorrow at 1p, because the doctor was backed up today. He will have a bronchioscope and they will remove some fluid and I think put in a chest tube or tubes. They said they did not know how long he would have to stay. I came home early tonight because Wanda and Eddie are cooking a wonderful homecooked dinner for me. It has been awhile since I ate someone else's cooking. I am excited.

Anna Kate's surgeon said her surgery went well but that she would have some pain. He gave her some medicine for pain. I talked to her and her voice was soft, sweet, and a little groggy. When I asked how she felt, she said "I had to take a little nap when I got home, Nana." I said "Surgery is tough." She said "YEP". Please keep praying her through the pain.

Love, Judy

Back to the Hospital

We went to clinic yesterday and saw Dr. Lin, the surgeon who did Alan's transplant. When Alan was in the hospital, he told us that Alan had pleural effusions (fluid) between his lungs and the wall of the chest cavity. They did an xray yesterday, and the effusions are still there. Late this evening or tonight they will call to tell us they have a room ready for us at the hospital, and Alan will be back there for 2 to 3 days. They will put a chest tube (tubes?) in to drain the fluid, and give the lungs room to expand. It is important to do this as soon as possible, otherwise the lungs might not expand as they should. We are trusting God, he has been with us every step of the way.

Wanda, my sister, and her husband are coming to stay with us for a few days. I am grateful.

Please remember Anna Kate as she has her surgery tomorrow.

Thank you. Judy & Alan

Getting Stronger

Alan is getting stronger. I have a cold or sinus infection, and am feeling puny. I am wearing a mask and have the hand disenfectant in every room, so I wash my hands continually. I have been sleeping in the spare bedroom, and until last night he slept on the couch. Last night he slept in the bed. I put his meds in his pill box, but he is remembering to take them on time, check his insulin, and give himself the shots. We tag team the IV, and have it down to a science. He even laid on the bed and did some arm weights today. Determined is a good word for him. It seems like we are taking baby steps, but we gain ground every day.

Sweet dreams, Judy

Special Prayer Request

Good Morning, Today we have a very special prayer request. It is not for us, but for our Granddaughter, Anna Kate, who is 6 years old. Most of you know that she has mild to moderate Cerebral Palsy. On October 30th she will have surgery on her legs, they will lengthen the achilles tendon in her right leg to get her heel to go down flat when she walks, right now she walks on tiptoe, and they will lengthen her hamstring in both legs so her legs will turn out and not in when she walks. She will have a full cast on the right leg AND the left leg. She has requested 2 different colors for the casts. The cast on the left leg will stretch the muscles. Anna Kate is VERY excited about the surgery because her doctor told her if it does what it is supposed to do she won't have to wear braces anymore. She does not like wearing the hard plastic braces. They make blisters and are very hot and confining, she gets very tired quickly. You have been so generous with your prayers for us, we know you will join us in praying that Anna Kate's surgery will be a success. She brings us such joy and laughter. We know that God hears our prayers and answers. We have felt the power of your prayers. We are living proof that prayer works. We will keep you posted on Anna Kate too. Thank You!!!!

Getting into a Routine

I feel like today we have started settling into a routine. Alan went back to the fitness center, and he was tired when I picked him up, but a good tired. We gave the IV of the antibiotic together this afternoon, and it went smoothly. We have much to be grateful for.

He just fell asleep on the couch. He says it is more comfortable than the bed.

Thinking of all of you, Judy & Alan

We are HOME!!!!! (Apartment in Durham)

I am so happy to say we are out of the hospital and back at the apartment. We thought we would get to come home on Tuesday, but the infectious disease folks wanted to keep us an extra day because of the ecoli. They needed time to study the cultures of the ecoli and determine what type of ecoli it was and which antibiotic would be the best to treat it. Yesterday he got his first IV of the antibiotic, Ertapenem. The transplant coordinator had to come before we could be discharged and go home, she was there from 4:30p - 5:30p, and we left the hospital around 6:45pm. We had to drop prescriptions off at the drugstore. I hadn't eaten since breakfast, because I was afraid I would miss the coordinator, so I grabbed a sandwich at Wendy's. Alan had all 3 meals at the hospital. We went by the apartment to unload and for me to eat. Alan went back to the drugstore with me and went in. When we got back to the apartment, he walked across to the mailboxes to check the mail for the first time since we have been here. Before transplant he did not have the energy to walk over to the office and check our mailbox. I am going to like having my husband back. Since we have been here I have pretty much done everything by myself, now I have my best friend back. JOY! JOY! JOY! JOY! Down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.

His insulin is up since surgery as are all (most?) transplant patients. So he came home on insulin. Very small doses. Last night we were too tired to even try to figure out the machine to check blood sugar levels. So this morning we hit the floor running, he had to have meds at 8a, we worked on the machine and figured out how to do the test, only to realize we had no syringes to administer the insulin. Meanwhile the home health care nurse showed up to train me on giving the IV of anitbiotic for the ecoli and how to flush his picc line. She left at 12p and we ate breakfast, and then I went back to the pharmacy to get the syringes to give the insulin. Got home and we tested his glucose levels and he gave himself the shot.

Now he is napping, and I am blogging. But I have to get busy on organizing everything. This is very much like bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital. Everything is new. I am grateful he did not have to go back to the Center for Living (fitness center) today, that will happen tomorrow, and we can have today to get a handle on everything.

WE APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERONE OF YOU WHO ARE TRAVELING WITH US ON THIS AMAZING JOURNEY. OUR SECOND CHANCE IS BECOMING REALITY.

Sunday and Monday

On Sunday Alan got the remaining 2 chest tubes out. Traci, Mark and the kids were at the hospital with us when his surgeon, Dr. Shu Lin came by and said we would all need to leave the room while he removed the tubes. So, we went to the ICU waiting room to visit with some of the families we had come to know. After about 15 or 20 minutes, Traci looked up and said "Daddy is coming down the hall." We looked up and he was walking with no walker, no chest tubes,no IV tree, and of course he has not had oxygen since the surgery. It was so miraculous to see him. When we all ran toward him, he started to sob and just kept saying that God had given him a second chance. God gave all of us a second chance. Then Alan did 3 jumping jacks. He said it hurt, but felt good at the same time.

Today the infectious disease doctors came in a couple of times talking with us about the ecoli in his lungs. The first bronch they did showed ecoli but the culture itself was not growing, the second bronch did not show ecoli but ecoli is growing on the culture from the 2nd bronch. They are going to let him come home tomorrow, but will have a home health care nurse come by every day for 2 weeks to give him an IV of an antibiotic that is good at killing the ecoli. They don't seem overly worried because Alan is doing so well otherwise, but they still feel like this is necessary. We are now in isolation. When I or anyone else go into his room, we have to put on one of the paper gowns and plastic gloves. Those gloves make my hands sweat. If I leave the room for anything, I have to throw the one I have on away and get a clean one when I come back.

Alan is in very good spirits, but a little bored. He is inspiring a lot of the other patients.

While we were in ICU waiting for Alan to get his last 2 chest tubes out, I saw a young man that I had come to know just a little in the hallway. I guess he is about 16 or 17 and his name is Xavier. He looked upset and I asked if he was okay. He told me that his brother (19 years old) had just died. I didn't know what to say. I just put my arms around him and prayed. I was so rattled. I hope God let me say something of comfort to him. The last name of the family is Ramirez, please remember them in the loss of their loved one. And remember Martina who is 17 and had a lung transplant and is still in ICU, and Elois Carlton who is 56 and had a lung transplant and is still in ICU, and the many other people in ICU and their families.

I hope all of you have a great week! Hugs, Judy

Plugging Along

Saturday was an eventful day for Dad.  We found out that unfortunately the bacteria he has is ecoli.  They are treating it with an inhaled antibiotic and feel confident about the ability to treat it.  He had another bronchioscope and then the doctor clamped his two chest tubes as a test to see if he could do without them.  Dad is really hopeful as he has been told that his pain will reduce drastically once the chest tubes are out.  He walked 72 laps around the unit which means he walked 4 miles.  I know, we cannot believe him either.  The doctors, nurses, and other patients are amazed at him.  The local pharmacy prepared all of his home meds and Mom picked them up yesterday, so they are prepared when he is discharged.

We will get the results of the bronch and xrays Sunday to see how the lungs are expanding.

The best part of his day though was getting to see his grandchildren.  By age, only Lane is allowed to see him, but his nurse let all three kids come up.  Dude was thrilled!  The kids were also very glad to get the see him and know he is really okay.

Continued prayers are still appreciated.  Love, Traci

Still Ahead of the Norm

Hey Everyone, It is 8:03pm on Friday. As Traci told you yesterday Alan still has 2 of his chest tubes in for drainage. He is still draining more than they want him to be when they take him off them. Also, the left lung has not inflated as much as they would like for it to and the drainage cylinders pump air into the lungs as well as remove drainage. They did a bronchioscope yesterday and told us this morning that he has a little bit of infection in one of the lungs. The doctor that came by today did not seem concerned. The are sending a tissue sample to the lab to find out exactly what is causing the infection and how to best treat it. Meanwhile, they are giving him antibiotics. She also said that sometimes the lungs will be a little slower to expand, but that will come if Alan does everything he is supposed to do. He had been on thickened liquids and soft food, and today he was told he could eat and drink normally. He is doing everything he is supposed to do, breathing exercises, walking several times a day (3 2/3 miles today, or 66 laps around the hospital hallway, coughing to get everything out of his lungs that shouldn't be in there, asking for pain medicine before it gets unbearable, and so much more. Everyone that meets him is quite taken with his spirit, determination, and sense of humor. We probably won't be going home over the week-end, so we will just have to wait and see. God has brought us this far, we know he is with us.

Traci is with him tonight at the hospital. I stayed last night, so I am tired and going to bed soon.

I have been reading your emails, and it means a lot to hear from you. I have not been very good at responding, because when I come home and read them I am pooped and going to bed for a nap so I can get back to him. Please keep emailing us though, because when I come home the first thing I do is check emails and go to the mail box. It lifts our spirits to hear from you. When he gets home, I will have more time. I hope all of you are well. Judy