devondancer wrote: I was unable to tell her how I love her before the surgery as she did not know me, so I am just waiting in hope, and praying for her to pull through.
Roland, dear, she knows...... she knows........
I was in a conference all day, and was praying to open the board tonight to good news. As soon as I walked in the door from work, my family asked if I had heard anything - we are all following along and praying for and with you.
Get some rest, my friend.
Yes, friends and family members are in on this too... hmm... kind of like a web of support ... hmmm....
anniemcu
--- "You are what you do, not what you claim to believe." -Gene A. Statler
--- "Olé to you, none-the-less!" - Elizabeth Gilbert
--- http://www.sassafrassgrove.com
At 0300 I was called back to ICU as Lesley was waking up. She had already decided she would no longer have the ventilator and was breathing on her own! After about half an hour she opened her eyes, saw me and whispered "Are you OK?" Oh my, am I OK! Then she took a deep breath, looked startled and said, much more loudly "I can breathe!" A huge smile, and back to sleep. I stayed for a while in case she woke again and wanted me, but I have again been sent home for a while. The next few days are still very scary, and she will be kept in ICU for longer than usual because of her history, but - she knew me! And she didn't have tunes to write, or words, so she was so much more relaxed.
Thank you all, and your families(!) for your care, support and love so freely given. Neither of us will ever forget.
Here I am up at 4 AM for some strange unknown reason I'm happy to be the first one today to respond to your good news, and will pass it on to my prayer circle at church. They have been hearing about you both for the past few days and will be glad.
Isn't it amazing how the circle of people who care about you and are wishing you well, is growing ever larger!
It's only midnight in my time zone. I've been up finishing getting ready to teach tomorrow, and just checked in to see if there was another update on Lesley's condition before I go to bed. It's so good to get good news!!
devondancer wrote: She had already decided she would no longer have the ventilator and was breathing on her own! After about half an hour she opened her eyes, saw me and whispered "Are you OK?" Oh my, am I OK! Then she took a deep breath, looked startled and said, much more loudly "I can breathe!" A huge smile, and back to sleep.
Ro
Excellent news Ro, and don't forget you need your rest too, to keep your energy levels up. You'll be in and out at odd hours for a while, so grab sleep & food when you can.
Sleep when she sleeps and eat something good for you every day. It sounds like simplistic advice, but I've been where you are (with my sweet wife nearly dying and in ICU for a while) and it's easy to just eat junk food and not sleep much. She'll need you to be strong and healthy and on top of your game when she comes home, so take the time to eat as well as you can.
It would be good for you to get a good book too or play your guitar or one of Lesley's whistles. Your mind could use a rest from it's stresses while she's sleeping.
So glad to hear she's hanging in there. My kids were thrilled when I told them. What a lady!
Wonderful, wonderful news. I'll ditto the advice about self maintenance as well. Take care of yourself too.
5 hugs from my family!
anniemcu
--- "You are what you do, not what you claim to believe." -Gene A. Statler
--- "Olé to you, none-the-less!" - Elizabeth Gilbert
--- http://www.sassafrassgrove.com
devondancer wrote:Then she took a deep breath, looked startled and said, much more loudly "I can breathe!" A huge smile ... .
I'm going on a limb and say what this sounds like to me. I'm not giving any advice, so I hope it's OK. And of course, you can correct me if the situation is something different.
It sounds like Lesley was dying from congestive heart failure, and she couldn't breathe because of pulmonary edema (fluid in her lungs), which is one of the problems with congestive heart failure.
And the fact that she woke up after her heart transplant surgery, took a deep breath and discovered she can breathe, I believe is tremendous good news.
You are right, Jerry. I have been trying not to get too "medical", with such a medical post anyway! The heart attacks during and after her original surgery mashed her heart, basically! Any longer and it would have been a heart/lung transplant! (If she had made it to that, which I doubt).
Our news continues to be good. I spent three hours early this morning in tears, feeling very glad I knew nobody and was not needed on the ward at that time. After that I slept and woke up feeling as if my insides had been freshly washed! All clean and worry-free - for a few minutes, anyway! Having checked in with ICU - still sleeping - I went across to the canteen and had a meal (there are no cooking facilities here; just a kettle.)
Soon after that Lesley's friend Patricia and her husband arrived, having driven our car up in convoy with their own. So incredibly kind. Now I know how we will eventually get home again! And I will be able to take Lesley out when she is better. They also brought my guitar, books, CDs, clothes (ah yes - forgot those), tea bags, coffee, instant soup - what a pleasure. They were able to see Lesley for a short time - still asleep! - before setting off for the long drive home. They will bring or forward our post for us, so important things like bills will still be dealt with. I hadn't given any of this a thought at the time!
I went back to ICU, where Lesley had just woken up again. I was glad I got there then, as she was frightened about where she was and why she didn't know anyone, but was fine when she saw me and I explained. She looked pretty annoyed that she doesn't remember anything about the helicopter flight! She is still very tired, attached to equipment from all parts of her, and no one is yet complacent about her recovery. But at least she has a chance now. If she gets through she will be able to relearn to walk properly now that she will have the breath to do so, will be able to play her instruments again, may even dance again. I know she will grasp this chance with both hands and fight for it, especially as we are both so grateful to the donor and family. She will want to live for them, as well.
I told her how many messages of love and encouragement we have received from all of you, and she said she had felt them, felt the warmth holding her up and keeping her here. So thank you all - if you have done that for us I have no words to say how I feel. It is an amazing thing that you have all done - you, your friends and families, church groups, prayer groups, folk groups - everyone. I can never thank you.
I have left her sleeping again, and about to have more tests and checks to ensure that all continues to go well. I shall go back late this evening to see her before the night, and then hope that we will both sleep tonight.
With my love, and love sent from Lesley.
Ro
Last edited by devondancer on Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm happy to be the first one today to respond to your good news, and will pass it on to my prayer circle at church. They have been hearing about you both for the past few days and will be glad. 
