5/27/26 - Hump Day

Hello blog readers!  Two weeks ago tonight, my family and I got the call that they had found a match for my heart transplant!  That was the ticket to ride this emotional roller coaster that we've been on ever since!  Everything is working out great and I'm stoked for the future but I can't help to think that I'm now two different people kinda rolled into one - God Bless this donor family wherever you may be! 

Early today was filled with tying up loose ends business wise and making plans for the next few days!  It seems as if we don't look down the road 1-2 weeks at a time, this boat ain't gonna float?!  My meds have to be slightly altered for my 2 week heart cath tomorrow at 12:30 and I'll have to have some labs drawn to check my medication levels.  I'm hoping / praying that everything goes smoothly tomorrow and everything looks good?!  

This afternoon we ran a couple quick errands and then got some sweet drinks at Dutch Bros for a little outing!  My afternoon got even better when my friend, Giana Schumacher and her family stopped by for a visit!  It was good to see some friendly faces and have some girl time - what a great way to wind down the day!  

I think I'll retire on that note and watch the Royals - hopefully we avoid a shellacking like last night....flipping Yankees.  Goodnight!  Peace and love to all!   

Exodus

Good day, mates!  Hope you're all having a great kickoff to summer?!  Mine is going splendid - I'm another step closer to going home yet this summer!  My family and I were praying for a call in May but never in a million years did we think it would be May of 2026?!  We were initially told that once listed, it could be up to a two year wait.  My family fought like gangbusters to get me on the list and I even had some help from our good friend, Jeff Seibel, and Senator Jerry Moran!  Senator Moran, you have our support and our vote 100%.  Many thanks to everyone for all your thoughts, prayers, and contributions - we are truly blessed!  

Today was busy with a couple last suture removals, IV removal, and meetings with various healthcare disciplines.  Mom and dad passed the test when it came to medication administration but they've been dabbling in that for the past 16 years, so that was a piece of cake!  The pharmacist came by and made sure that the pill box was big enough for the plethora of pills I'll be taking but that's just the cost of doing business I guess?!  As time goes on and I get stronger, the number will decrease but I'll always be on a couple anti-rejection meds that need to be taken at the same time each day!  Again, we are so grateful and often talk about the donor family that made this all happen for us - you will always be a part of our crazy family whether you like it or not?!  

They decided to hold off on the echocardiogram today and are just going to do it on Thursday, May 28th after my 2 week post-transplant heart catheterization.  That helped to speed up the checkout process today!  The time it was all said and done, we were dismissed about 1:00pm today!  Dad and I made our way to the Donho to unload all our things while mom and the rest of the crew got westbound and down.  We are semi-settled and the rest of them made it home safely, so another successful day!  It sure was nice to leave the hospital with my family and I'm excited to not sleep in a hospital bed tonight!  Time to say some prayers and get some shuteye!  Goodnight, I love you!  

                19 in the morning & 7 in the evening to be exact
         

                                 My circus, I mean family

                                         Donho, Day 1

                                               WOW!

Memorial Day 2026

Hello all!  I hope / pray everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend with family / friends and remembered those watching over us from our heavenly home?!  Hopefully tonight is the last night I blog from the hospital?!  The plan is to be discharged tomorrow after all the necessary paperwork and an echocardiogram!  Mom, Gemma, Warren, and Layla are heading west to begin all the summer activities!  I get to at least move out of here and take up residency at the Ronald McDonald House (Donho as we like to call it) for the next few weeks!  It may not be home but it sure beats dad's cooking!  Say what you want about McDonald's but what the Ronald McDonald House Charities does for people is out of this world!  My family and I are forever indebted to anyone that donates or contributes to this organization - THANK YOU!  Please save those pop tabs / beer tabs! 

Not a lot of info to share from today!  My family and I didn't kill each other in here yet, so that's a big plus!  We did have to delicately balance the solitude and the family circus but like I said, no one got seriously hurt and we're all still talking so we'll chalk that one up as a win!  The rents have been giving me my meds today and taking care of the incision that is healing up quite nicely!  I'm officially off all monitors tonight so they must be serious about this whole getting out of here tomorrow?!  I'm sure some here appreciate the chaos we bring to the table while others are probably quite thankful we're leaving?!  Either way, it's that time, so we're taking the show on the road!  Time to hit the hay, I love you, and I pray for you all as I appreciate all of you praying for me and my family!  God Bless.  

                     Guess nobody else really wants to leave?!  

                                            Sista salon

                                                  ?!

                                         

     

  

   

I don't read the articles.

           Excuse me, I'll use as much ranch as I dang well please.

                                         Sisterly stroll

                                          

                                               Cheese!

                                

TGIF

Howdy folks!  Hope you all had a great Friday!  Please be safe and have a fun Memorial Day Weekend!  If you're traveling, watch out for them smokies - probably gonna be thick out there?!  I wouldn't know cause I'm stuck here, but guess what?  Tuesday is project get the sam heck outta here - if everything goes as planned?!  I'm so excited!  All those thoughts, prayers, and good vibes y'all been sending work miracles - don't ever discount them!  

Today my family had CPR training bright and early but everyone passed so check that off the list for saying sayonara!  We also had some transition training for when we leave the hospital next week!  Then it was time for a meeting with the pharmacist to go over all the meds that I will be taking.  Next Monday is basically the nurses monitoring the rents caring for me and proving their competent so say an extra prayer for them, JK - they've gotten me this far!

I put the finishing touches on Gemma's nails before she goes to church camp next week with some friends and got Layla's done as well!  We splurged for dinner tonight and used a door dash gift certificate from some good friends and had Chipotle - YUM!  We all got to hang out together today as a family off and on which felt good!  We've made new friends down here and even ran into a couple families from Hays here - we pray God's blessings on all of you!  I finished the night out by getting a shower which felt oh so good and hoping for a good nights sleep!  That being blogged, it's time to saw some logs!  Goodnight, I love you all! 

                      Layla practicing her chest compressions!

                          Rounds in the room = packed house!  

                        Leaving my mark at the chapel patio

                                                Vittles.

                            Lego Flower Bouquet - 1/2 done! 

                                    

  

So Happy It's Thursday!

Greetings and salutations my good people!  I hope and pray you all had a good day cause I'm a poet and didn't know it!  Not really, just a girl - a whole hearted girl and I gotta tell ya, it feels good!  I had PT and OT this morning!  We did some walking and other activities to help strengthen the ol' ticker which I tolerated quite well!  So well, that dad and I decided to go exploring the hospital while we waited for my ma, Lee, and the graduates to get back.  We found a new cafe on the other end of the hospital that is all gluten free which is music to my ears beings I was recently diagnosed as having celiac disease!  On our way back to my room, we ran into one of my surgeons, Dr. O'Brien, and he was amazed that I was up walking around where we were less than a week after my transplant!  

After lunch, we welcomed the fam back and played a little bingo!  I won a sweet Royals lid but this was after someone already bingo'd and won the Owala bottle before me - dang it!  Speaking of the Royals, lets hope for a better series with the Mariners than Boston!  Where was I?!  Oh yeah, we had a meeting with infectious disease to go over some of the do's and don'ts - a whole lot more don'ts than do's but that's understandable with the state of my immune system for at least the next 6 months to 1 year!  I'm still so far ahead of schedule, that it's surreal, so I really don't care - let's just hope and pray this trend continues!  I was super hyped that Gemma brought down all my nail supplies cause I was going through some withdrawals!  My family and I are continually reminded of our blessings every day, now more than ever!  All for tonight!  God is Good!  Love to all!

                                     Got my crew back!

                                      Lee loves her bubba!

                               Doing my thang with Gemma

      

Hello 4th Floor

Thank heavens!  About 1pm this afternoon, I was transferred up to the 4th floor out of the CICU!  It's WAY more laid back up here - I hope to get some more rest and further my recovery!  Last night, after I blogged, the nighttime docs were rounding and said it was time for the PICC line to come out so at 10pm, I had it removed!  Ah, talk about relief having that mainline out of my neck!  I rested a little better but still had the usual intensive care unit checks for good reason!  I was a little saddened today that I wasn't able to attend Warren's 5th grade graduation and Gemma's 8th grade graduation but was able to live stream the 8th grade graduation!  Congratulations to all the graduates today and last weekend for that matter!  I had lots of friends that walked the stage last weekend and I haven't forgotten you, I'll catch up with you later this summer!  

Not a lot of news to share today with the move upstairs - a lot of hurry up and wait but it was worth it!  I did take a stroll around the entire CICU again today and then did some exercising with PT!  After moving to 4th floor, I was hungry and asked if I could go down to the cafeteria to look around?  To our surprise, they granted me the wish as long as I signed out and promised to come back!  It was so good to spread my wings a little but I was ready to get back to my room after a short stroll through the cafeteria and the gift shop!  All in all, I'm one step closer to getting out of here, but don't want to rush it and know that there can be set backs!  It's crazy to think that just a little over 6 weeks ago I was listed on the transplant list and 1 week ago tonight, we were east bound and down heading this way!  By the Grace of God this is all working out for me and again, I can not begin to tell you how grateful me and my family are for all of your support!  I love you all, thank you! 

                                       Bye, Bye PICC line

              5th Grade Graduate of Woodrow Wilson Elementary 

                                   New home on 4th floor!

                                              Cheese!

                   Gemma graduating from Hays Middle School