ICU: Stepping Down

December 18

One step closer...

Even the ICU staff could only handle so much of me...

It's cool cause Brad and I were sick of the decor in there

They checked me out of that suite within days and threw me over to Step-Down.

Once I proved I could breathe on my own, and that my sats were rocking the monitors, I walked over to step-down - stretcher no thanks.

Yup, waltzed right over like I owned the joint.

The first time they asked me to try to walk I jumped all over it, knowing that the faster I got my lazy self out of bed, the faster I'd get out of the hospital. I mean, who needs to lay around after transplant?

There is toooooo much life to live.

Step-down is also pretty foggy. I was still hopped up on pain meds, strong, beautiful pain meds that made everything so much better. They keep on top of it to avoid banschee-type screams and slews of profanity. 

The time went pretty quickly in step-down.

I finally was able to eat. It started with ice chips, then soft foods, before graduating to solids. Pre-transplant I had somewhat of a salt addiction (which is perfect for a cystic, as we need the extra salt). I asked Brad for a sub from Subway, and naturally asked for 5000 extra ml's of salt.

WOW. Have things changed. I could barely eat the thing. I thought, "Is this what salt is to normal people?"

Time spent in step-down involved a lot of talking and sleeping. There is never a dull moment with Brad. He kept me on a steady path to recovery, while giving me plenty to watch.

What do you think he's trying to say here?

In step-down you are given one of these to help you with breahing exercises and to cough up left over junk from surgery:

Like, have fun explaining this one kids

The goal is to breathe out for as many seconds as you can, which keeps the white ball at the top. This works in your new lungs, teaching you to breathe and getting you to cough.

COUGH.

What's coughing? As you all know, pre-transplant I was a champ. I could out cough anyone. Life post-crusties is a whole new world.

I had to learn how to cough.

My first cough was so freaking wimpy and really still is. I am working on it. Between not having the urge, and feeling so much pain while doing it, it was a bit difficult.

I believe Brad was thoroughly entertained. However, his entertainment had to come to an end...the day came that Brad had to go back to Nova Scotia.

I was okay with that and he felt okay too. We were lucky that he was able to come for a few days immediately following the surgery, and that it would only be a week and he'd be back.

He also knew that I was progressing like I always said I would post-new-windbags, and that I would not be without support.

Some other cheerleaders

It was only a matter of hours before I'd be moving on...