Skip to main content

Month 8

 Month 8 happens to be the busy month of May filled with fresh flower buds, mother's day, birthday celebrations, and end of the school year activities. As we transition into summer we move into memory lane. Reflecting back on the last couple months before Mike went into the hospital, the activities we did just a year ago that we are repeating again, now with the feelings, emotions, and lessons coming to light. Those memories that felt like the last at one point, are now becoming wonderful moments of treasured time spent together. As the weeks grow short and the activities seem endless take a deep breath and remember that those moments are times in history that you will never get back. Take those moments and enjoy the craziness, learn how to slow time and make the most out of every second. 

This month's rejection level was 0, we have been so blessed to have these results and thank God for Mike's new heart and body to be working together. We have noticed some extra bloating and water weight from the new medication, the doctors feel confident that Mike's heart is doing well. We were surprised with the news that we don't have a June doctors appointment, skipping a month is exciting but yet a little unnerving. We are so used to Mike getting checked on, this just means he is improving and we are getting closer to a year post transplant. 

Enjoy some new low sodium meal ideas: 


Blake and Easton both had Scouts camping trips this month. Blake went to Ohio to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base and Museum. He was able to see some crazy planes and learn about the Air Force. Blake also ranked up and earned his first merit badge, he has some great Scouting events coming up this summer. Easton and Mike went to Camp Gerber where they participated in a Scouts adventure event and spent the night camping. Easton played till sun down and crashed from walking over 20,000 steps that day. 

This Memorial weekend we were able to take a family trip up to Alpena to see Mike's mom, sister and family. We had a great time catching up, playing, and celebrating Sydney's birthday. We were also able to play mini golf at Lee's. Mike and I had our first date there just over 21 years ago, it is special to share time with our family and create memories together. 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Miracles Do Happen

 It's been 3 days since Mike got his new heart, and I can hardly believe that it actually happened.  On Thursday September 5th Mike was told we had another match. Dr. Hooker said he was bound and determined to get Mike a new heart by the Michigan game that Saturday. At this point Mike was a level one on the Unos Heart Transplant List and basically top of the top. With both sides of his heart being supported he needed a new one badly. Mike, the boys, and I shared this little secret that Friday and went on about our day. The more we learned the more we became excited that this was actually the heart. This heart was a DBD heart (Donation after Brain Death). Througout the day we learned that it was a great match and Mike's OR time was set for Saturday, September 7th at 10am. We were confused that we were not given a donor OR time, and as time went on we realized there was no transport time for the heart...the heart was in the same hospital as Mike.  I got to spend time with M...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lub-Dub Lub-Dub

 A normal resting heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. If you listen to a heart it often is describe as if saying Lub-Dub Lub-Dub. Mike's heart rate is between 120-140.  If he laughs hard (which is often), gets agitated, or someones gets him on his favortie topic of finace it starts to soar about 140+. Every once in a while it will peak up to 180 when he gets into V Tach and it skips a few beats. The nurses watch him carefully as he walks on the treadmill and talks away or while he is working, and sometimes they have to shut him down for a bit. Except for some weight and muscle loss Mike's body and mind are in good working condition, but his heart is just failing him.  I had previously reported that on August 7th Mike recieved the Impella Pump to support the left side of his heart. Since then the left side has significantly decreased in function and is almost not moving at all on its own. Over the past few weeks they have been watching the right side of heart...
Post a Comment
Read more

Free Ice Cream & A New Heart

 As we celebrated 7 months off the heart transplant list we quickly found ourselves back on the list. Many of you will be shocked by this news...and I won't lie...we were too Mike came down with the tiniest of colds and a little cough at the end of June 2024. His appetite dwindled and he just wasn't interested in being super active. By the devine grace of God and His perfect timing Mike's doctors office called and randomly wanted a blood panel completed. The results caused them to call and Mike expressed his concerns about his little cold and other small symptoms. They had him come into the office gave him an IV to help get some fluid off his body. He lost 10 pounds in less than 24 hours...and his cough went away. They set up a right heart cath for the next day to see what was going on. The results came in a bit worse than the previous November 2023 cath, but not too alarming and they released him to go home.  We took the boys to SpringHill, enjoyed some alone time, picked ...
Post a Comment
Read more