What's up Nina? Thoughts from a Cystic Fibrosis Survivor & Lung Transplant Recipient

My Transplant Story: Part 5 – Released from ICU

I was then released from ICU, only a day after the vent was removed, and sent to the regular floor, where I was free of a lot of cords and IV's and I got to take my first shower!!! Which was awesome, you'd never know how much you miss water and showering when you have not gotten the chance for over 3 weeks. I also never want to see a baby wipe again! The other amazing thing (that I had not been able to do for over 6 months) was that I was able to shower by myself with ease!! Completely amazing.

Mom and I in my new regular hospital room.

After a day or so on the floor I was completely off all my IV's, eating good, walking, and people had been visiting. Besides how good I was doing I had very bad cabin fever and wanted to be home, the only bad thing about that was, I had to stay in Seattle for a while. For 3-6 months or whenever the doctors said I could return home.

In my regular room, only a few days off the vent and I finally got to wear REAL PAJAMAS!

I was only in the hospital a month (3 weeks ICU, 1 week regular floor) which after pretty much just getting out of the ICU we thought was pretty soon, but I was doing awesome and it was safer to be out of the hospital anyways. Going back to the thing I said about being sliced open and having one of your main organs swapped out, you would think that a month in the hospital isn't long at all! So my mom and I got a condo-like hotel in Seattle for the week, since it was my birthday that week, and a couple groups of our friends came down to celebrate it with us. Talk about the BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER. The gift of life!!! Really, tell me what can top that! My most amazing birthday celebration ever celebrating not only my birthday but my second chance at life which my donor and their family had given me so generously.

The only thing bad about my birthday is I had been getting sick over the past few days. Stomach issues, nausea, and vomiting. My mom and I were super sad since I had walked over a mile from the hotel just a day after we had checked in. As my tummy gpt worse I wasn't getting around as well and wasn't keeping food down. It was sort of off and on and we saw the doctor the next day and they gave me some anti-nausea stuff and said to try that as we thought I was just having trouble with all the new medications.

Read part 6 of the story tomorrow!!

If you missed the previous stories, you can find them using these links!
My Transplant Story: Part 1 – Listing.

My Transplant Story: Part 2 – The Call.

My Transplant Story: Part 3 – Waking up in ICU.

My Transplant Story: Part 4 – More ICU & Ventilator Troubles.