21 Months Post-Transplant

Yes it's been quite a while since my last post.  I'll try and fill you in on the little that's going on in that time.   Let me again thank all those who have participated in my treatment and care including the family of my donor. Life is good and filled with wonder! "God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good!"

Just 20 days after the transplant my wife and I were with the family and greeted our first grandchild, Alejandro, into this world! My "little girl" Kasey was now a mommy and we all were there to celebrate, she and her husband Nelson's joy! The first grandchild of both the Corl and Palacios families, "it's a boy!" He's now 20 months and I'm 21 months. Vickie says I'll always be five years old though. 

To start at the beginning, go to Start Page
http://heart56.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-new-normal.html

I spent two months of "house" arrest during the "sterile" phase of recovery. Folks could visit though and did. Vickie had to watch me like a hawk because of the powerful meds and their affect on my thinking.

Yep, I was on drugs! I had my "release date" countdown on my calendar and when it arrived:

I celebrated with a drive in my little, yellow roadster! Woo Hoo! I found out later that I have "misunderstood" that I could go out at two months, I wasn't to drive until three months. Oops

The meds were reduced in quantity and variety as my health, strength and quality of life rapidly improved. Down two just two handfuls; pillbox refill went from one-two hours to just fifteen minutes!

 “The Shakes” It is common to have hand tremors after transplant – these start out bad and lessen over the first year. Due to the drugs being reduced and you become adept in what to, and not to do. Making decisive and direct movement with the hand and not “hovering” helps. Do not drink from crystal stemware for quite a while (oh yeah – no booze either.)

The "New Normal" just becomes the normal. Life is good, very good. I got back at church, getting with friends, managing my business and singing praise to God for the Corl Family’s "Year of Blessing!" I was normal again and was free of heart disease and failure that, over ten years, had shrunk my world and my life. Now, life blossomed like a garden in spring!

I can say that I am changed, profoundly changed.

I did not have any “out of body”, “visit to heaven” or other experience but if you read on – I’ll tell you about the change and the wonders I’ve been a part of. That telling is in the audio link below.
In October the church heard testimony of my journey and how the Lord gave me exactly what I needed, at exactly the time when it seemed as if all hope was gone. Time and again, over and over, I was shown that in all things, "God is in Control". Hear the recording is at the St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Dunedin website sapcd.org under  "Teachings". Quick link to the recording http://goo.gl/Tp7iB4 The text and graphics link will be added, soon. 

There are times when the church needs to laugh, sing and shout for joy - for celebrating the very Greatness of Our God, this was one of these times! We celebrate Victory! There are worlds beyond our limited vision that we are shown in Christ Jesus.

We have a purpose here - and - this is the point, God is in Control.  If your are happy with the evil and hurt of this world and want to continue under your control, God will honor your desire: but, when you give God Control through Christ, love becomes the purpose of life. God's love in you will become love for each other. The New Life!

When you get a new heart and a new life, every effort is made to assure that it beats on and that you continue to health and long life.  

During the first year this means tests, blood and biopsies of the new heart. Many, many, many heart biopsies. I was thinking of getting a "welcome mat" sticker for my left groin - their 'entry point of choice'.  First its weekly, then bi-monthly (the 'off' week' means a day-long visit to the transplant clinic) then monthly until "The Annual" Yes, you make friends that are pre and post transplant, and with heart and lung transplant folks. Heck - its a regular family gathering.  

You also get to talk with terrified pre-transplant folks and answering their questions and calming and ministering to them in their own, time of great need.  I learned from newbies and veterans alike. You also learn where the sandwiches, frozen yoghurt and good coffee are!

I made Facebook posts to let folks know when I was “in” for biopsy and the results a few days later.

The “feet” are before and “Zero Man” is the after the results. The reason is that the best “score” from heart biopsy is Zero rejection in all samples. Zero is Good!

Christmas, Easter, New Years, birthdays and get togethers are sweeter. The air smells scented, well, when 'outside the glass' of the hospital - even diesel fumes smell sweet.  

I settled in to my transformed, New life. That means all of the good and all of the bad that everyone has but, the second time around is different because I am different. Some call me “short bus” different.

This brings me to my first “birthday” July 23, 2015

The medical 1st Annual is two days of glorious fun, with all the tests and scans and yes, another heart biopsy! That was in early August of 2015. Skipping ahead, it’s now January 2016 and I got an unwelcome visitor.

CMV for short, became active. We knew it was in the donor heart and I was on a drug to suppress it until after the Annual plus a few months. Like Mono, CMV makes you very tired, has some flu-like symptoms and just, su..., er, is unpleasant. It’s over it for now – but unlike true love, CMV is forever! Dermatology is a constant thing for me, immune suppression lets skin pre-cancers go wild. If you look at my face at the top of this post you will see the results of ten sessions and multiple PDT peels. I'm in at least quarterly and now I'm doing PDT on my arms. OUCH!

I'm good, it's great to be alive and thriving! My second birthday and Annual are coming in July. 

Oh! One more thing – many ask if I know who my donor is or have had any contact with his family. There is a contact process and there is a grief process, after long thought I decided that the latter should be most respected, so, no, but they didn't contact me either. I have the greatest respect for my donor's family and encourage all to be or become donors. 

The good time to "sign up" and to "sign up" family is at Easter or Thanksgiving. What better way is there to give thanks but by giving up to 8 people life and taking your family "off the hook" should something happen. Hispanics and Blacks are real important as few are donors. As the population increases these groups have to rely on white donors and that math is failing now! Sign up - it's right, not white. Be an organ donor, prove that we are all "God's children."