Semester One Done

I have been thinking about going back to school for many years. I have always changed professions every 10 years or so. I have been a nurse anesthetist for 18 years now so I'm way passed due for a change. I want to go to business school and work on achieving an MBA. I was in the process of submitting applications when Drew started going into renal failure. I put my plans on hold until after his transplant. Last summer I picked up where I had left off with my applications and I started school in January. During the application process I looked at several schools in a geographical area. Since Drew was not willing to move for me (again) I looked in this area. Lucky for me there are several excellent business schools in this area. I went to several information secessions and I talked to the faculty at a couple of schools. I also talked to every one I know who has an MBA. I liked Queens University of Charlotte the best. It is geared towards people like me who do not have a background in business. I really enjoyed meeting with the faculty and I liked the way the program was set up.

I have finished my first semester and I can't believe I passed! It was a lot of hard work and it was difficult getting back into the studying mode but I did it! Drew has been very supportive, I couldn't do it with out his help.

Life is Back to Normal

I love the spring time, before the humidity creeps in. I love to see the flowers bloom and the smell of freshly cut grass. It has been 14 months since Drew's transplant. This time last year, Drew was struggling to plant our vegetable garden. This year, one afternoon he decided it was time and now it's done. Drew is back to his old self with boundless energy and his love of all things that grow in the dirt. The other evening while he was planting the vegetable garden, he called me outside (with his cell phone) to come look at a snake. Normally I would just say no and continue to do what I was doing. This time I was just thinking how lucky we are to be at this place in time. I was truly grateful to have Drew outside playing in the dirt. I went outside to look at the snake Drew had found. It looked like a really big earth worm but when I examined it closely I could see that yes it was a snake. That was not the only time Drew called me outside that evening. I went every time he called me. Drew sees the world differently than I do, but I enjoy his view when he shares it with me. Drew stops and smells the flowers, he notices the hawks on the light posts as we drive down the interstate. I am a very lucky person.

Tis the Season to Tailgate

Tailgating season is upon us (which corresponds with football season). For the last 12 years we have met with the same group of people at the same spot to tailgate. Everybody is welcome to come, so friends will invite their friends who in turn invite their friends. I have met so many people from all walks of life, it's always a blast. There is always a food theme for each weekend and this coming Sunday it's Italian. Our friend Bob, always brings anti pasta on Italian day that is to die for. I always look forward to going to tailgate with my friends.

Oh, yeah, then there's the football game. My Panthers aren't doing so well. We have not been going to the games because Drew does not want to be out in the sun. Our tickets are in the sun for most of the game during the early part of the season. This is a small price to pay for being on anti rejection meds (they make skin cancer go wild).

Yes we go just to tailgate and then go home to watch the game.

New Kitty

We have a new kitten. We got him from a friend who found the kitten in an empty rental house. The kitten was headed to the animal shelter so we took him in. Drew and I are not very inventive when it comes to naming our pets. One of our cat's name is Spot because she is mainly white with a couple of black "spots" hence the name. Another of our cats unofficial name is dumbitch (with small letters). She is truly a dumb cat. Drew saw her fall from the second floor landing on her head as a kitten. She has not been the same since. Drew swears the fall gave her brain damage.
When we were trying to think of a name for the new kitty I sent an email to many of my closest family and friends and got many good suggestions. The most obvious name was Socks because the kitten is all gray but has four white paws. We started calling him dumbdick since it was a male cat and dumbdick is an affectionate name Drew and his brother call eachother sometimes. But that didn't seem right since we barly knew the kitten and we didn't know if he was truly dumb. We finally settled on Richard the proper name of Dick from dumbdick.
Richard has been a joy. He has given our other cats hell. He is a ball of engery and wants to play all the time. Richard sleeps with us at night and jumps on our feet in the morning. He is the sweetist cat we have!

All Restrictions are Off

Drew has finally been set free. He is free to work out and do any activity he wishes. His Achilles Tendinitis is 80% better and he feels so much better then just a few weeks ago. He has planted our vegetable garden and finished the project we started a couple of weeks ago. It's nice to have my old Drew back.

Drew gets to do more

Drew has been given the OK to do some gardening. He still is not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds but you know how that goes. The day he was told he could work in the garden Drew went straight outside and he has been there ever since.

More playing in the dirt

Today I spent all morning helping Drew "play in dirt", that's what I call his gardening. He talked about what he wanted us to do all week, he knew I would not just jump up and help him. He talked all week about what he wanted to do and how much he needed my help. We spent 4 hours digging, planting and moving landscaping rocks. We worked on an area that Drew has long ignored. It's an area that we can see when we sit in the breakfast nook (were we eat our meals together), so I really wanted the project to go forward. It was hard work and I sweated my butt off. It's not quite done, Drew is already talking about working on the project on my next day off.

Don't tell Drew but I really kinda enjoyed it this morning. I got to spend some real quality time with Drew. We used to spend Sundays on the boat but we sold our boat this spring. Drew battles skin cancer and the anti-rejection drugs cause skin cancer to grow wildly. Drew tries to avoid the sun like the plague.

Playing in the Dirt

One of Drew's passions is gardening. My late sister-in-law Trudie, was a certified Master Gardener. During holidays and other gatherings with my family, my brothers and I would be hunkered down at the computer while Drew and Trudie would talk gardening. Drew became a certified Master Gardener in 2007 because of this. You can see a little of his handy work on the April 20, 2008 entry in this blog.

At Drew's doctor's appointment yesterday, Drew asked when he could go back to playing in the dirt (what I call his gardening). The doctor said it will be quite a while, from the very beginning they said Drew would have to stay away from bacteria. This means sick people and dirt. Right now is prime gardening time (I think) and he is disappointed about this. I am thinking about a "gardening party" where Drew would make a list of things he needs (or wants) to get done in the yard and vegetable garden and invite people over to help get things done. We would provide all materials and refreshments. Just a thought.

Achillies Tendinitis

If there was a possibility of a complication Drew has experienced it. Just when Drew starts to feel better another complication hits. Drew started experiencing heel and lower leg pain. Since he has not been that active he knew he could not have hurt himself. His ankles started swelling- which I attributed to the high dose predisone he is on. So he spent two weeks with his legs propped up, which helped the swelling but not his pain. Drew went to see an orthopedist and the diagnosis was Achilles Tendinitis which was due to one of the medications he was on from his transplant! I have never heard of a drug causing tendinitis (shows you what little I know). Luckily the solution was to stop taking the offending drug which in this case was Bactrim. Bractrim is an antibiotic which targets bacteria which grows in the urine. Drew has not had any Bractrim since Wednesday and already his pain has gotten better.

Back to Work

I have been back to work for a week and a half. It felt like I never left. I kept up with my work (as a manager) by staying on top of my emails and attending managers meetings when possible. I could have used a another week or two off, I feel I worked the entire time off. Drew did not really start feeling good until the week I went back to work. Physically I feel great.

Drew Is Getting Stronger

Yesterday, Drew went out in public for the first time in 5 weeks (excluding doctors visits). He gets tired very easily but he was a trouper. His hemoglobin is low. I thought the docs would just let it come back up naturally especially since the pheresis treatment has stopped. But Drew has been getting blood drawn 3 times a week and his hemoglobin has dropped from 10 to 8 since he has been out of the hospital. So he received an injection of Epo (Procrit) to help stimulate red cell production.

We went to Dresslers last night. It was so good to see everybody last night and of course the food was excellent as always. Jon Dressler explained to the staff not to come up and hug or shake hands with Drew, which we appreciated. Drew still should avoid crowds for a few more weeks.

Millie's World as She Sees it

It occurred to me that the name of my blog is rather harsh. I first started writing on my blog just have a blog without any real purpose but just to write my thoughts out. Then about 4 months later Drew's creatinine started creeping up and I had a purpose for the blog. I should have changed the title but as you see Drew has encompassed my world for the last several months.

No More Rejection!

Drew saw the doctor today, the lab work drawn today showed no rejection causing antibodies in his blood! The Plasma Pheresis treatments have worked and he does not need any more PP treatments. Drew had his Vas Cath removed, YEAH! He still has a pressure dressing on his neck which he has to keep on for 24 hours but after that he can shower normally. His creatinine is down to 1.8 and he feels great.
Drew was given the OK to go out in public as long as it's not really crowded. Friday we plan on being at our favorite restaurant, Dresslers, during our usual time at our usual table.

Thanks to everybody who kept us in your prayers, I know that's why Drew is better.

Getting Better Every Day

Drew had a great weekend and hopefully just had his last Plasma Pheresis. The last 2 treatments did not drain him as bad as the prior treatments, but he still naps after wards. He still has his Vas Cath in (the catheter in the side of his neck). Drew does not want to go out in public with that in his neck. We will know more Wednesday when he goes in to see the doc and I can interrogate the doc about what is next.

I feel wonderful. All of my soreness is gone. I have a week and a half left before I go back to work:-(

I Know Drew is Feeling Better When...

...he decides to put a hat on when visitors are due, instead of greeting them with bed head,

...he wears tennis shoes instead of house shoes to his Plasma Pheresis,

and the number one reason I know Drew is feeling better...

...he complains I'm not doing something fast enough or well enough for him.

Sweet music to my ears.

Drew's' transplant coordinator called him yesterday wanting to know if we have killed each other yet. (Maybe she has seen it before).

Another Week

Drew resumed his Plasma Pheresis today after having the weekend off. They are giving him Immunoglobulin instead of Rituxan after his treatment. I have not spoken with the doc since I am not allowed to be with Drew during his treatment. So I dropped Drew off today and then just came home. Drew's brother Casey left over the weekend. Drew will have the PP on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week and twice next week. His creatinine is 2.5 today so it looks like the treatments are working.

Drew is feeling tired and drained. We are both looking forward to warmer, sunnier weather so that we both can go walking in the neighborhood.

Life at Home

Drew and I are so grateful Drew is at home. Drew's brother Casey has been driving Drew into Charlotte for his Plasma Pheresis every day, which has been a huge help. Drew's creatinine has been slowly dropping which is such good news. He is also receiving a drug called Rituxan which will prevent his body from making more antibodies against his (formerly my) kidney.

Drew is in a kind of isolation, he can't do any gardening (what I call playing in the dirt). The yard and inside plants are in sorry shape because of this. Drew moved several of his inside plants outside the 2 days he was at home before his bowel obstruction. It had turned warm and was raining, Drew likes to put his inside plants outside when it rains. I totally forgot about his plants when the snow came a couple of weeks ago. You can tell from the picture what happened. These Jades were propagated from a very old Jade plant I had before we were married. Luckily we still have the original Jade plant.

Our neighbors and friends from the gym where Drew works out have been bring dinner every night. We have been getting wonderful food, it has been awesome.

Home

Drew is finally at home and I can relax a bit. I have been doing way too much and I feel it right now. I have been getting the house ready for Drew's homecoming and Casey's visit. Today I can relax.

Finally at Home

Drew made it home about 8:30 last night. He was started on Rituxan which the doctor said would prevent Drew's body from making more of the antibodies. It's given as an infusion over a couple of hours and the medication did not arrive to the floor until 5pm. You can imagine Drew was not happy when he heard he had to wait while the Rituxan infused.

Casey's visit is a God send. Drew's brother picked the perfect time to come visit. Drew has not seen Casey for several years but they keep in touch through phone calls and Facebook. As a matter of fact, I set up Drew's FB account just so he can see Casey's page and listen to his music. Casey's day job is on ocean going tug boats. He is at sea for weeks at a time, in his spare time he writes and plays music. Casey frequently uploads his song and videos to Facebook. With Casey here, I feel I can relax a bit.

Going Home

We just got great news X2. Drew will be able to go home today after his treatment. Drew is ecstatic. We think he will be home by 6pm tonight. Drew is so looking forward to sleeping in his own bed tonight (me too).
The other good news is the Plasma Pheresis treatments appear to be working. His creatinine is down to 3.9. Drew will continue with daily PP treatments until Friday, on an out patient basis.