It's no lollygagin Picnic...

Welp, done. Finished with my week of tests for the transplant evaluation. All I have left is to collect pee for 24 hours. But the exhaustive part is done. Today the magnitude of what i just accomplished hit me. Holy crap, did i really just do that? The thing that i was so scared of doing for years before this? The place i never wanted to be? The place i have been avoiding my entire life? It is here???????

Yup.

You don't get a transplant because you are doing well. You get a transplant because you are at the end of your life, without the intervention of a transplant. I am almost 29 (in 10 days) and i am at the end of my life without this? Well then, BRING IT!!!! I have so much more to do, CF does not get to take that away.

I guess the possibilities of the future is where i got the strength to get through it.

It all started on Tuesday at 915am. Fasting for 12 hours for blood work. They drew 14 tubes. Then we met with the transplant social worker for 2 hours as a family. They must assess the strength of your support system and all of your mental capacities.. i hope we passed ;)
After that meeting we had lunch, then a chest-xray, EKG, and Echocardiogram with bubble. Ending the day with a bone density scan, getting out of there at 415pm. Then off to start the nebulizer in the car to get started on my treatment we had to do as soon as we got home.

You can say i was tired.

Wednessday was less intense, but exhausting none the less. I had a pulmonary function test, Arterial blood gas, 6 minute walk, and CT scan of my entire body (except my limbs). The ABG was my most anticipated. One of those things that has developed a bad reputation. It is known as scary and painful. But luckily i had a kind RT, who used a nice amount of lidocane, and had me not watch the procedure, and it went without any pain. SO NICE. The i had to do the dreaded full pft, the hardest part about the PFT was that now that i am O2 dependent I had to do these varieties of breathing exercises in a machine without the O2, which makes it that much more exhausting. So i was seriously fatigued once my blowing was over. Then i had to proceed to do my 6 minute walk. That was not too difficult as i got to walk with my O2. I actually walked so hard, I almost walked 1/3 of a mile, which is pretty good (which doesn't show my sickness) but oh well, i like to do my best!

After all that my mom and i went for a walk to pass some time and then proceeded to the CT scan where they scanned my body. I got to see the pictures, and i could see how gross and destroyed my lungs are. So sad, they have carried me a long way, but it is time to trade them in for a new model.

The next day was More blood, 11 more tubes, An Esophogram, and the Transplant clinic appointment. I got to drink barium and watch it go down into my tummy... fascinating. They told me to drink a lot of fluids because the barium can turn to concrete, NOT what i need, so i have been drinking and drinking all week. I think all systems are go, so that is good.
The Transplant clinic was long. It was great because we could ask as many questions as we wanted. I was examined and told that I passed all the tests, but failed the lung portion, Just how we wanted it ;) So the determination is that I will be accepted into the transplant program. Dr. Weill will present my case to the team at the next meeting (monday July 12) and then we will be able to get on the list soon after that. HOLY CRAP.

My initial reaction was joy, and clapping with excitement. I know this is what i want and need, but man, is it big!!!!!! After that day I was totally exhausted and still had one more day to complete.

Friday was the Cardiac Catheterization, or as i was informed was actually an angiogram. I was NOT AT ALL PREPARED for what was instore. I had to check in at 10am, there was 2 hours of prep (including weed wacking my girl parts), and then the procedure, and then 30 minutes until they could pull the sheathe out from my groin, then i had to lay motionless without lifting my head for 2 hours, with no visitors. I stared at the ceiling. I had been given drugs during the procedure but nothing that made the wait any better, i was too conscious for that. So it was LONG and boring, and i had to supress my cough. Then they moved me to sitting up, and my mom was finally allowed to come back with me. To say the least i was grumpy. My poor mom has put up with a lot of grumpy, frumpy sicky Anna. She is such a trooper. I don't know if i would be able to stick by me like she sticks by me. I love her, and don't know how i could do it without her.

So now we are done, and we gain back the strength to keep going. I have been resting and sleeping today. Not to mention i have a incision in my crotch ;) I have to rest it and not lift anything over 10 lbs for a while. Well, in sum, this week was No lolligagin picnic.....