Cleveland Update

Hello World!

Well I went to Cleveland!

SUPER impressed with their hospital, staff and program. We (Me, Ma, and Gram) took 2 days to drive out there. The place we stayed at was part of the Hospital, it was awesome!! Hhaha, I mean they had a phone in the bathroom. It was a really nice place.

The first day was all bloodwork and PFTs. 1st blood test of the day... they took.... drum roll..... 35 TUBES!!I wasn't sure if I would have any blood left in me! Those vampires! Then I had a full Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) work up. The worst part of that was the ABG. Oh my gosh I HATE ABGs!!!! Those are Artial Blood Gas tests for those who don't know. They have to take blood directly from an artery. Usually in the wrist, where your pulse is. But I also found out in Cleveland that they can get it from the pulse in the crease of your arm. Well neither is a pleasant spot. Oh and Cleveland doesn't use lidocaine (numbing medication). I already have anxiety with needles, always have and probably always will. So to say I was upset while they did the ABG in an understatement. I was hysterically crying, almost hyperventilating. It was AWFUL. So the first try, the blood in the needle clotted before they got a big enough sample..... so they had to poke me twice! It was awful, awful, awful. My blood pressure is usually 80/whatever and after the ABG it was 129/whatever..... talk about stressed!

The 2nd day was all radiology type stuff. That day was fairly easy. I had to fast for most of the day so I was hungry all day. I also had to drink this yucky water solution for my CT Scan. It was water with a contrast solution so I glowed during the CT scan, haha. That tasted gross and I had to drink 900ml in 30 minutes. Thats a lot when you don't like the taste. They also had to push some contrast through an IV. That burned, very uncomfortable, it also gave me this sensation like I was peeing! I totally wasn't expecting that and totally though I was peeing myself on the table, haha. I was just thinking crap, another Kmart incident! hahaha. But nope, no pee, just a sensation!

Day three was the Social Worker, Transplant Team, and Surgeon. That day was LONG! The appointments were so spread apart we we there 7am-4:30pm. Those all went well. Really liked everyone I met.

We planned on heading back home the 3rd day, but the last appointment of the day got pushed back by 2 hours so we stayed 1 more night in Cleveland. We left the next morning at 7am and got back to our house around 8-830pm. It was a long day of driving, but we had to be home in time for Christmas! We weren't missing that. Not an option.

Overall it was a great, long 3 days. I'll know, officially, by the 2nd week in January about being on their list. I can't wait.

My gut says my perfect pair is coming Feb/March. 2012 - The year of the Lung!!!

Breathe Easy