Homecoming for Jess!

07Jan13 - Monday
Ok, so I'm a month behind with the blog and I've always been careful to get caught up chronologically  but this post must go up now...today...out of order - too bad!

It's Monday...Monday is a tough day because we've had the weekend "off" - no trip to the Treadmill Room for 3 consecutive days, means it's tough to get outta bed, tough to get dressed without the O2 de-satting; tough to get some food and meds down, get the gear ready and get out the door on time and tougher still to do the workout.

It was also a day of greatness...we picked up June at Jess' condo and headed to TGH for lunch, then Physio. Our friends Jane & Al were in from Oshawa - today was her 6 month post-transplant check-up! Jane is doing wonderfully well - and was able to dance with her son at his wedding in December!

Jane & Me

Jess & Hélène

June brought Jess down to the food court, where Jane & Al joined us after her 6 minute walk test. Then we were surprised when Hélène and her Mom, Manon arrived (also in for a check-up) and then our friend Don came by for a chat (his wife Ruth is back in hospital with a non-lung related issue - she and Jane were transplanted within days of each other last July).

June & Hélène

Pamela & Hélène

Pamela & Jess

We ended up with a table full of chatter, New Year's wishes and comparative war stories. It was really hard to tear ourselves away and head to the Treadmill Room, but alas...it is Monday!

Physio was another round of reunions - Ron was back after a nasty cold just before Christmas; Marie-Éve is back and looking fantastic as her course of antibiotics is doing its work; James & Adena were there - he is such a trooper, fighting back from being in hospital the last couple of weeks, unable to eat and still he was pumping the weights! Pat was her post-transplant bouncy best, harassing Carman and teasing Barb while the three of them were biking - the two of them unable to talk back (no talking on the bikes for pre-transplant folk).

Carman was very lonely when it came time to do his squats though, with Jess still admitted and Mark's Physio session bumped by a clinic appointment - he was the only Squat Squad member in attendance, once again.

Flashy feet of Carman & Shilpa

Later in the afternoon who walked in, but Shilpa! She and Carman did treadmill side by side (and I didn't get a picture of that). Then Peter & Sheila arrived, followed by Phyllis & Gerard, Retta & Rob, Ruth & Gary. It's so exciting to see our friends again after the holiday break - and to see the transplantees walk into the room without an oxygen tank in tow - wow!

Carman & Shilpa

Physio was a challenge for Carman today, his sats kept dropping below target range on the bike and on the treadmill. I finally gave him the choice of dialling back on the speed or having me summon one of the PTs to talk to about it. He rolled his eyes, quickly dialed down the speed, and kept on walking...but his sats came back up!

After Physio we spotted Mark & Diane in the waiting room by clinic, so stopped for a little visit while they were waiting to go in. Then we headed to Jess' room...

Carman, Diane & Mark

She had everything packed up and sitting on the bed waiting for a porter to take her to x-ray. All tubes and lines were gone and she was ready to be gone as well! June and I headed out to secure a java treat for her and Carman and had only just returned when the porter arrived. Off to xray - and we were back within 15 minutes!

A short while later I squeezed in a short visit with Ruth (who it turns out was in the room next door). We juggled visits between her and Jess when Peter & Sheila arrived, followed by Retta, Rob, Ruth & Gary.

Around 5 Jess' nurse came in to do a couple of final checks and then we were free to bust outta there!


We packed up all her gear and headed downstairs...by 6:08 she and June were headed up to the condo so she could see Griffin for the first time since she had left for new lungs on Decemeber 13, 2012!

All in all, a good day!