1 Week Down...Forever To Go!

20 years ago Mike and I started dating. But before we started dating we had a conversation.

Mike discussed with me about his dad passing and about his heart disease. He told me he was looking for a wife, not just a girlfriend. Then he posed this question: Would you be willing to marry me, have a family, and then one day you become a widow with young kids. Mike just thought that his fate would become his dad's fate. I thought, prayed, and talked with my mom for three days. I don't think as a seventeen year old you can truly comprehend what that would look like and feel like. However, I knew that the life we would create would outweigh the fate that he portrayed, every second we would have together would be worth the devastating loss in the end.

My husband almost died twice on me...but now he has a new heart...a new life...a new ending.

I am beginning to see that ending, picturing us growing old together and having him around as the boys grow older. Something that we never thought was possible, is somehow growing clearer now. The fear and worrying of his heart just stopping...is gone now. There are still things to worry about; rejection, illness, his disease coming back. But now we know that there are options. We have an amazing Transplant Team behind us for life. There is the option of another heart transplant down the road. And we have a village of friends and family to support us. I don't expect it to be easy, but I know it will be good.

Mike is progressing so well in his recovery! The tubes, lines, stiches, bandages, pacing wires, and all are slowly coming out. We are learning so much about recovery and what life looks like as a transplant recipient. The do's and don'ts of food/yard work/pools/places/and people. Doctors, nurses, PA's, therapist, and the transplant team are filling our days right now. Mike is doing so well that they are thinking of sending him home on Wednesday the 18th, 49 days in the hospital.

Mike loves his new heart and I truly think it was made for him. We do not know his donor or donor family, but we would love to get to know them. This gift is the greatest gift of all and we are so blessed that this donor family said yes. Ezekiel 36:26 is describe as the Heart Transplant verse. "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." I pray that Mike's donor is in Heaven rejoicing with the Lord while his heart lives on in Mike.

The next part of this journey is scary, unknown, and exciting at all the same time. A new life for the Neubert's is about to begin...and I can't wait to share it with you!

Comments

3 Months with Christmas Around the Corner

This month we celebrate Jesus' birth and Mike's 3 month anniversary with a new heart! A wonderful month to celebrate in! We started off December trying to cram in every holiday activity that we could. Hot cocoa, cookie baking, craft shows, Christkindl Market Downtown, and visiting with loved ones. Mike had his 3 month (Dec 10th) check up, left heart Cath, and biopsy. It was a long day at the hospital as left heart caths take more time. Nothing some raspberry sherbet and peanut butter crackers couldn't fix though. On the 11th we each (Mike and I) received some news. Mike was at a level 2 rejection and my position with Learning Care Group was eliminated. It was a tough day for the Neubert household. Mike started on a higher dose of steroids and an extra 3 day boost of steroids to help kick the rejection. He was also scheduled for another biopsy on December 23rd. After 15.5 years with AppleTree/LCG I am transitioning into a new era in my life...what that is is still to be de...

Cabinet Doors & Dirty Socks

From New Hearts to Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas...Happy Holidays! When Mike and I were first married I remember his Aunt Sandy asking me what I found the most irritating about living with my new husband. I told her it was his dirty socks that he would leave all over the apartment but mostly slightly shoved into the couch cushions. She then proceeded to tell me about her pet peeve with Uncle Ted. In the morning he would get ready and start to make breakfast and a coffee. He would leave every cabinet door and drawer open as he went through the kitchen. She would be so mad as she went behind him and closed every opened door and drawer. One day though, Ted went to a conference and was out of town for a bit. As Sandy got ready and went into the kitchen she noticed that the cabinet doors and drawers were all closed...Ted wasn't home and there was no sign of him. She told me to cherish the cabinet doors & dirty socks. From then on when I found the dirty socks shoved i...

6 Months...180 Days...and so Many Moments Together

2025 is going by so fast! I can hardly believe that six months have past since Mike got his heart transplant. March 7th marks half a year through this journey, and oh what a journey it has been! Over the last couple months we have celebrated Blake's 11th birthday, my 38th birthday, and a few more birthday parties on top of those. Blake crossed over into Boy Scouts and went on his first campout with his new troop. Easton and Blake wrestled in a few tournaments where they earned some new medals, they have Regionals coming up this weekend. The boys are doing great in school and growing so fast, Blake is catching up to us all and already 5'4". While I am writing this blog tonight I had to put them back to bed three times...they are getting creative with their procrastination techniques. In the not so far future I can only imagine that they won't be coming back out to ask silly questions and want to be tucked back into bed. These times are so precious and fly by so fast. ...

Search This Blog