Saturday, March 10, 2012

This Week in Chapel Hill

It has been another sort of wet week here in Chapel Hill. Not a lot of rain but several overcast days and lots of high humidity.

And we noticed yesterday that there are lots of trees and flowers blooming now. Hope that we will not see any hard freezes so that they can finish their cycle unharmed!! Unfortunately, that means that the Spring pollen season has started. Not good news for folks like me with breathing problems. Heat with high humidity and pollen are the worst things I have to cope with.

We had clinic visits two days this week so my rehab/exercise schedule has suffered. Had to get several tests done including one new one that had not been done before and several follow up tests (labs, breathing test, blood gases, that sort of thing). We also met with another of the pulmonary transplant doctors and two of the transplant surgeons. Dr. Hartwig looks so young but I imagine he must be older than he looks. Dr. Reddy looked more of the age you sort of expect, but he is not that old either. But maybe being young is a good thing for this? Liked both of the surgeons. Managed to get explanations for several things Charley and I had questions about.

Did find out that my weight is the one thing standing in my way of getting listed for a transplant. I now weigh 92/93 which is 10 pounds more than when I started my rehab in early January. According to Dr. Reddy my ideal weight would be 125. BUT we don’t think they are going to expect me to gain that much. As a matter of fact they have promised to provide me with a target weight to shoot for between now and my next series of follow up clinic visits. We should get this information by the end of next week, after their committee meets on Tuesday.

Some great news, one of the ladies I was in rehab with during January and February got listed about two weeks ago and she has already had her surgery to get her new lungs and is already coming back to exercise!! She looks great and seems to be doing very well. I love these success stories! It sort of settles my fear about going through such major surgery and the recovery process.

Charley and I have been talking about how to handle our fur babies when the time comes for my surgery. We will be away for whatever length of time I am hospitalized and that is an unknown. It varies with each patient. We are thinking about finding a good facility where we can board them, rather than asking our kids to come and get them and take them back to SC. The fur babies, especially Cheyenne, would be much happier with this plan since she is so attached to us. Sadie would probably go with the flow on whatever we decide to do.

If anyone out there in blog land has ever used a pet facility in the Durham/Chapel Hill area that you were happy with, or had bad experiences with any of them, please let us know. We want to make sure that our fur babies will be well taken care of while we are away. And yes, we know we have plenty of time to address this but it never hurts to plan early. This way maybe we can try them out ahead of time.

Well, that is our update for this week. Almost wrote a novel today, huh?

Thanks for stopping by!!

8 comments:

  1. your 'novel' update was just fine!..have a great weekend..enjoy the spring blooms!

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  2. I sure wish I could give you a few spare pounds that I'm carrying around! LOL Glad to see your update. I know it's a worry with the fur kids. That's why I'm dragging my feet on my surgery. I think it's especially difficult because our pets are with us all 24/7, and never left alone.

    It is great to see success in other people before you go through something. I've had my fingers crossed since I first found you and Charley, Sherry. Keep on keeping' on and eat lots of cake and ice cream and pie!!

    As far as young doctors, they know the latest and greatest technology so I think that's a plus.

    Look forward to another update. Wish I lived close to where you are--I'd take care of your babies for as long as you needed.

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    1. You are so nice!! Sure you don't want to move here temporarily?? :)

      And I just drank a milkshake that the nutritionist gave me the recipe for that has 1070 calories!! And it was so-o-o-o-o good!! Peanut butter, choc syrup, choc ice cream, whipping cream. Gonna try a strawberry one later!

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  3. So glad things are progressing for you Sherry. I, too, have a few extra pounds I would LOVE to be able to give you! :)
    I would probably gain 2# just looking at that milkshake!

    My sympathies on the horrible pollen you are starting to experience. It gets really thick there.

    Wish I could recommend a facility for the "kids" but I'm afraid we never had any so haven't a clue. I'd ask around at Duke also. Someone will know of a good place.

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  4. Same here - I've got lots of pounds I'd like to get rid of but then I'd start with milkshakes again!

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  5. I just put you on my prayer list. You have such a great attitude.

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  6. Hi Sherry, this is your back yard neighbor from Avebury. I just sent a friend request to Charlie and looked to send one to you but could not find the tab. I have thought about and wondered about you two for years and am so glad to see that you two are living your dream and traveling around and living the way that you want to. I am just so happy about that and it's good to see "the girls" too. I know they love the traveling and special attention that they get from you and Charley since ya'll are both retired. Looks like you are having some health problems and I pray that things are working out for you to get what you need. Take care and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Sandy Thomas

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  7. Sure wish we were out your way so we could take care of your furbabies along with ours. Keep drinking those milkshakes and hopefully they will keep the weight going in the right direction. Prayers for all of you.

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