Update from Eliana

I'm still here, more or less! Still very, very tired and on lots of painkillers, but I feel slightly more awake and alert right now and decided to try my own update. I probably won't be taking over permanently just yet though.

B"H things have been going really well, far better than anyone expected. The last drain tube was pulled from my chest today, which seems to have taken away some of my pain, so that's a relief. We also seem to have found a decent painkiller regimen, though we're still working on relieving my pain without knocking me out. And today I was able to walk (with assistance and a walker) a little faster and further, so I'm getting stronger day by day!

Of course, "really well" still involves being very incapacitated, just not AS incapacitated as they expected only a week out from transplant. I feel like Facebook, as it often does, gives a false picture of how wonderful things are. Of course all the good things ARE happening, it's just that I spend far more time conked out in bed or on the recliner than anything else. I'm still dealing with a lot of pain, only just graduated from using a bedside commode to being able to walk to the bathroom with assistance, and am still relearning simple things like swallowing. I have come to really appreciate some very small things in life!

Thank you all so much for your comments and messages and support! I've been been seeing them even though I haven't quite had the energy to wade back into the social world just yet. Katherine has been blown away by all the love! Please forgive us if we are less than responsive, or if I turn down visitors. We truly do appreciate it, we're just also completely exhausted!