So many tests!

I'm sitting here with a tube up my nose (and down my esophagus) and taped to my cheek, hooked up to a monitoring machine I'm wearing like a purse. The machine is recording the pH in my esophagus (not *my* PH, Pulmonary Hypertension), one of the many tests done before they can say you're getting on the lung transplant list. After the hour and a half spent at this yucky esophagus appointment (it really was not fun, I'm still grumpy about it), Scot, Mom and I went the hospital's Lung Transplant Education class. I'll write more about it later but suffice to say it was very overwhelming.

Yesterday, I picked up my jugs for this weekend's 24 hour urine collection (if you're around, be careful about what you pull out of the fridge), got my hep B shot, and met with the social worker. The transplant social worker's job is to make sure we've got an "out of hospital/home care plan." To make sure that I have caregivers lined up and available for 24-hour a day help for three months post-transplant. To make sure that when I get "the call" that says there's a donor lung available, that I have a way to get to the hospital immediately (most likely within 2-3 hours) and that someone is ready to take care of the kids for at least a few days. That all of us are doing okay emotionally and if not, to line up resources to help. To work with insurance if needed -- basically, the social worker is an all-purpose helper and advocate.

Back to the hospital tomorrow for more tests then I'm done until a mammogram next week then more tests and appointments on the 17th. I'll do a bigger and better write up this weekend but wanted to get this progress report off to you all today.