My First Week Home

So I’ve been home for one week and it’s been a very busy one at that. On Friday of last week I went to Surgery Clinic and had the last of my sutures taken out. My surgeon even told me he was finished with me and from now on surgery was not taking the lead with my care and it was reverting back to my pulmonologist. I was very pleased when he asked to take a picture with him on his phone, so of course I took one on mine. This is a picture of Dr. Shigemura, my surgeon. After I came home my OT Marlene came for the first time and it turns out that she did a bikur cholim (visiting the sick) and visited me when I was in CTICU when Mom and Scott were in New York for Dovid’s Bar Mitzvah.

On Sunday the weekend physical therapist came and did an assessment and let me know that a regular physical therapist would be assigned to my case. Monday, my nurse Melinda came to the apartment to draw blood. Afterwards, we headed back to the hospital for a pulmonary function test (PFT), a chest x-ray, and an appointment with my pulmonologist, Dr. McDyer. I took a picture with him too so that you can see who he is. Prior to going into the hospital my lung function (FEV1) as measured by the PFT was at 12% and now, as of Monday, my lung function was at 77%. Dr. McDyer explained that my lungs will not be at full functioning for six to nine months and he was surprised that I got as high as 77% and told me I should frame the paperwork that said that; apparently I’m a superstar. It made me feel really good to hear that.

Tuesday I had both OT and PT, one in the morning one in the afternoon, and was exhausted by the time that was finished. Wednesday was my first day without any appointments and we purposely arranged it that way because the building was having work done right outside by Duquesne Light and we were informed that part of the day we may not have electricity or water. Mom and I decided that meant it was a good day to get out of the apartment and do some errands and go shopping. That wore me out just as much as the OT and PT.

Thursday we have to go back to the hospital for a bronchoscopy. That’s when they knock me out and stick a tube down my throat and take samples from the lungs to see that I’m not growing anything I shouldn’t and I’m not rejecting the lungs. (I won’t have the results until next week.) I will likely be out most of the day due to the anesthesia and didn’t want to forget about posting our weekly update and our Thankful Thursdays. So I decided if I posted pretty close to midnight I could still be considered appropriate for Thursday. For those of you that read this before 7:30 a.m. (which is as of now my approximated time of the procedure), please feel free to daven and keep me in mind that all should go well during the procedure. For those of you reading it afterwards, still keep me in your prayers that I get positive results back and that’s all is good.

So here’s our slightly early Thankful Thursdays:

Meri :

1. That Chavi had a very happy birthday this week (she turned 11 on Tuesday)
2. That Dovid’s hockey team won their first game and he had two assists.
3. That I have a great team of medical professionals helping me as well as a mother who does everything in her power to help me when the home medical team is not here

Sandy:

1. That Mer is progressing so nicely in only a week back at the apartment
2. That the OT, PT, and nurse are so pleasant and are here to help Mer in her recuperation