The Life and Lungs of Kim

Last weekend marked my two-month lungaversary.  It is a little stunning to me that it’s only been two months since we got The Call that Saturday evening about a set of lungs that may work and that I should come into the hospital to start the process. On Monday, October 15, I was granted an exception to my Lung Allocation Score and that put me at or darn near the top of UW’s lung transplant waiting list. Seven weeks later, I received my first call that there was a potential match and that I should come into the hospital…but after 18 hours of waiting, the donor lungs were too damaged to transplant so I was sent home.  The next 10 days after that are a blur: lots of holiday gift buying, decorating, planning; busy kid schedules; a brief respite from the hustle with a restful and luxurious visit to a spa, followed a few days later by an ambulance ride to the ER for some stitches in my chin after passing out.  On Saturday, December 15, we got The Call Part Two – Scot and I...

Definition of Mulligan: a free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played Today was a banner day.  It started off a tad grumpy, with sister-in-law Robin and me hopping in the car at the ungodly hour of 6:15am to make our way to Seattle.  But our drive-thru coffees were delightful, traffic was smooth and we were at the University of Washington Medical Center by 7am to have a quick X-ray and then meet Scot at Dr. Mulligan’s office for my official post-op meeting.   Dr. Mulligan is my surgeon , whom I have only met once before (well, when I was conscious) and the reverence with which he’s treated by colleagues and staff is unparalleled. It was a pretty quick meeting, maybe 15-20 minutes but it was huge.  Among other things:  We FINALLY clarified how he opened me up!  He used a clamshell incision to cut the skin under the breast, from armpit to armpit (this is where he took care to avoid any cosmetic implication...

I've been home a week and it's been WONDERFUL! Love my flannel sheets; the sounds of the kids (at the moment, Charlotte is singing loudly in the shower); all the yummy food that's still being dropped off to help out the family; the surprise new car Scot bought for me (apparently these lungs are too good for a mini-van -- I have the prettiest Toyota Highlander you've ever seen, though sadly I can't drive it until mid-March); and all the help I'm getting in the house -- currently, my awesome sis-in-law Robin Kinnard is here and it's such a treat for all of us...and I don't know what we would do without niece Jessi Nunes being the "primary parent" still, as Scot's been back at work and I'm not ready to take that on.  I'm getting stronger each day -- made it up 4 stairs unassisted twice today and am turning into a pretty good putterer around the house. I had my first post-tx clinic appointment yesterday and have my first outpatient ph...