THE CALL (Part 1 of Transplant #2)

October 11, 2016

THE CALL (Part 1 of Transplant #2)

Given that it is 2 months today since that I was at Stanford with the family waiting for the second transplant, I figured it was time to start blogging again about the adventure. My last two blogs since my “dry run” were 1) honoring my donor and donor family; and 2) my last blog on Friday October 7^th was to give a shout out to my awesome husband Scott for our anniversary.

For those who know me, I like order. So I’m going to do the blog in chronological order again from the second call that will have now become THE CALL.

Four days after my “dry run” call; once again I was settling in for bed. Scott was brushing his teeth and my phone rang. I saw the Palo Alto number and said, “No way!”. I couldn’t believe a call could come in that short of time from the first call.

I answered the phone and a doctor from Stanford told me they had another heart for me and it was a “perfect match” as well as being low risk. I mentioned I hadn’t been off the other medication for the 7 days yet, but he told me that was not a problem. Again, we were told to be at Stanford at 7am the next morning-which was August 11^th. Scott and I attempted to get a little bit of sleep before waking the kids, again early in the morning.

The troopers that they are, as soon as we woke them up, they completed their tasks and the four of us were on the road again to Stanford for the second time that week! I was in awe that this could be happening again so quickly. I had finally made it on the list on July 26^th after trying for a year to get listed. And now within less than 3 weeks of being listed I had 2 calls, and within the same week!

Prior to our departure from the house; I wrote a tribute to Eli and the 26 years his heart kept me alive. I asked Scott to share it with everyone after I went in for surgery. Hopefully you all had a chance to read it.

I don’t remember much about the drive to Stanford other than I listened to worship music and thought about the donor family…and probably slept some. We arrived at Stanford around 6:30 am on the 11^th and I checked in at admissions and in all honesty…I don’t remember a single thing after that. I know that sounds strange, but I truly have no recollection after being admitted. Even to the point I see messages I texted or sent on FaceBook with updates until I handed it over to Scott. I don’t even remember sending those messages.

Truly it’s an odd experience having no recollection of one of the most significant days for your life. I remember the first transplant like it was yesterday, but this one is completely blocked from my memory. Scott tells me it was just a long day of waiting and the actually surgery didn’t take place until the 12^th.

It's a surreal experience to see photos Scott took of my time waiting in a room and even to the point where he has a video of me awake with surgeons taking me to the OR; with a barrage of family following, and I remember nothing of that either! I think as soon as I was taken back for my vitals and all the blood draws again for that second time I just “checked out” and crawled into Jesus’s lap and fully surrendered myself to God. There is not a single thing I remember from August 11^th after I left the kids and Scott in the waiting room.

I’ve included a few pictures that clearly show me awake but seriously I don’t remember any of this!