Speedbump

So I was going to write a wonderful update about how on Thursday I walked all around Shoprite without using a motorized cart, and on Friday I started outpatient pulmonary rehab AND had my first pulmonary function testing and follow up appointment post-transplant. I was going to talk about how my last outpatient testing had my lung function at 42%, and my last inpatient testing was down to 29% (though I probably went even lower by the end), so it was SUPER EXCITING that my testing on Friday was 66%! I also went home on Friday and managed to straighten up and organize my piles of medications and medical supplies instead of collapsing right into a nap. I probably overdid it a bit Thursday and Friday, as evidenced by the amount of pain I was in the following mornings, but I was still very proud of myself, and was feeling super grateful for all the little things I can now do that I couldn't before - like walk from one room to the next without a problem, or take a shower without being utterly exhausted afterwards. It was going to be a really great post.

All those things are still true, and still very exciting! But I probably should have written them before anything had a chance to go wrong.

Saturday afternoon I started having what I thought was indigestion. By late Saturday night, however, I was in agony, extremely bloated, and vomiting. After Katherine talked some sense into me, I called the transplant doctor on call, because they told me to call for anything. Shortly afterwards Katherine, my mom, and I were once again on our way to the ER. Turns out I had a bowel obstruction, which isn't uncommon with Cystic Fibrosis, particularly after a major surgery. There was some talk of potentially invasive measures such as surgery, but fortunately things started clearing out several hours later with less invasive measures. However, things were still serious enough that I've once again been admitted until we're sure my bowels are completely cleared out, which should hopefully only take a few days at most.

I'm really missing my port, which was removed after transplant due to the risk of infection since I'm immunosuppressed. Without the port we're stuck trying to put IVs into my terrible veins, which are still recovering from being abused during and after surgery. The first IV barely lasted 12 hours before starting to have issues, and the 2nd IV is working fine but is awkwardly placed, which makes it difficult to find a non-painful position to hold my arm in. I really hope I can get out of here soon before my veins become too miserable a problem. And of course I'm still uncomfortable and in pain from my transplant incisions, so overall I'm not exactly living my best life right now.

Thankfully as speedbumps go it's looking like this one might be relatively minor. Hopefully I can move passed it soon and get back to my phenomenal post-transplant recovery!