With everything I have endured lately, I have something to celebrate. Yesterday, I took a deep breath with my new lungs. Yesterday, I celebrated double digits. It has been ten months since my transplant! As I take a deep breath with my hand on my chest feeling my pretty pink lungs filling with air, I say a little something to my donor. A thank you. An I love you.

I have been fortunate to have had excellent help around the house. It is difficult managing on my own. My right arm is immobile in a sling. But it has also been hurting to use my left arm. It makes it a lot more challenging to do anything. I knew my right side would be painful with the incision and all the digging around the doctor had done during surgery in the shoulder area. I did not realize the impact of my sternum being cut and how it would effect using my left side.

I attempted to stop taking the narcotics but quickly came to the conclusion my body is still in need of more potent pain management. My desire to simply will the pain away, isn’t quite ready for implementation yet. Everyday there is a slight improvement though.

I am definitely no longer taking a detour. I’m on the correct road to recovery!