Category: hospital
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MARCH FORTH!
March 4th, huh? March Fourth? March Forth! To celebrate today, I’ll share an update where MARCH FORTH! seems like a good motto. In my last post, I wrote that I’d done some tests related to my shortness of breath. It feels a little silly to say that as a person with cystic fibrosis (CF) because,…
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I’ll be home for Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas when I finally broke freeTo finish healing at home with the help of IVs;I plopped on the couch, dogs wrapped in my legs,And waited for Santa to deliver my meds. Well. That was the least Christmassy Christmas ever, but I’m okay with it. My virus-like symptoms began in mid November,…
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Ho-ho-hospital
I just spent my seventh night in the hospital. I went to sleep when my IV antibiotic finished just after 11:00 p.m. Then the nurse came in to draw blood at midnight. Then the tech came in to get my vital signs at 1:00 a.m. Then the nurse came in to hook me up to…
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Marry Christmas
A decade ago today, I woke up in a cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia, ready to become Ramón’s wife. Typing “Ramón’s wife” still feels odd because, in many ways, it’s as though I never got to fulfill that role. It’s also weird because I tend to avoid titles, meaning I’d never really called him my…
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You heard it here
Guess who was on a podcast?! Me! I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on Pam Baker’s podcast, The Lost Love Stories. Pam is a legend in the CF community. I feel cheesy saying that, like I’m trying to puff her up, but I mean it. Pam has two sons with CF, both…
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I’ve got a leg up (per doctor’s orders)
Today my leg is a little less screwed—literally. The leg I fractured (x3) last year is still quite painful, so a doctor removed four of the screws yesterday. What remains is a rod inside my tibia and a screw near my knee holding it in place. Call me Rod Drewart. Rod Screwart? Womp womp. If…
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I went to medical school
“Making Death Casual” should be my tagline. Most people don’t want to discuss mortality, but it’s one of my favorite topics. When I talk about death, I’m really talking about life. Yesterday I spent the morning at the Emory School of Medicine. A pulmonologist I love, Dr. Linnemann, was giving a lecture on cystic fibrosis…
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Happy/Sad New Year!
We’re almost a week into the new year, and I’m ready for a do-over. In some ways, I fulfilled my intention to be simple and deliberate. I made a lengthy to-do list for the week and accomplished most of the tasks. I’m five days into a 24-day Pilates challenge. I’ve already finished reading my first…
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Day +9: Cloud not-so-nine
Today has been, by far, the scariest day of my life. This morning, at about 5:25, Ramón lost his airway, most likely due to swelling caused by an infection or allergic reaction. He went into cardiac arrest and ultimately had to be resuscitated. During the process, Ramón had to be intubated. He is now sedated…
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Days +0 to +4
Day +0: A cup of hope – April 10, 2020 Thank you for all the ways you’ve been #RootingforRamon! The transplant went off without a hitch, and we’ve already walked a few laps, watched an awful movie, and napped. We’ll be sipping from our cup of hope as YuSun’s cells boss Ramón around (as all…
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Day 300
We made it to day 300! Sometimes it’s still hard for me to believe Ramón was diagnosed with leukemia last May. It’s even more difficult to believe that, after about nine months in remission, it occasionally feels like we’re back where we started. But, on the bright side, we’ve had 300 love-laden, laughter-loaded, gratitude-packed days.…
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Enjoy the ride
It’s hard to believe we are where we are. Last Sunday we were near Blue Ridge where Ramón kick-started the week by running up a mountain – no exaggeration. Then, on Monday morning, we sipped coffee while watching the sunrise from the comfort of a hot tub, soaking in the glorious moment unfolding before us.…
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Back in the garden
We saw the hematologist/oncologist on Monday and stopped by the healing garden. Though I believe in the garden’s restorative powers, they’re apparently not strong enough to fix someone’s refusal to cooperate for photos. But hey… I’ll settle for questionable smiles if the garden focuses on the leukemia. Despite our brief hospitalization last week/weekend, Ramón is…
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A room with a view
We’re not where we planned to wake up today, but this sunrise helped immensely. Ramón was admitted to the hospital yesterday after running a fever. They don’t believe it’s anything serious, but we have to be extra vigilant while his immune system is at its lowest. Ramón’s spirits are high, his appetite is hearty (minus…
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It’s the cliiiiiiiimb
At this time last year, we were enjoying the picturesque Colorado Rockies, and now we find ourselves facing a different kind of mountain. Ramón was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday after spiking a 104F fever (Go big and don’t go home!). Following a multitude of tests, we’re still not sure of the source, but…