Well it has been three months for us, Dad has been a frequent guest at Lahey due to the VRE and his drains needing extra special attention. We spent his birthday in the hospital because he or shall we say his body just decided to give him a rough time with recovery. At this point it is safe to say that he can speak of himself in a third person since his body seems to be a foreign vessel keeping his spirit captive, he has a bile bag and a grenade bulb thingy hanging out of him still. He also has a pick line where he has to give him self antibiotics with a syringe. He has become his own Nurse. His pain level is still that of a nagging feeling and slight moves are a painful still. Sleeping in bed is not a comfortable with all that he has hanging out of him, but despite the pain and discomfort it beats the "dirt nap" and we still find lot's to laugh about.
I keep joking that we found the fountain of youth with this liver stuff. Dad is quite the slender man these days, minus the fact Dad will not grow his hair back, he is as thin as he was when he was 19 and he is sporting a 39 year old liver and had a double bi-pass which gave him the ticker of a 29 year old. Once he is fully healed, watch out people!! Haha. Me, well let's just say I lost some weight, am hormonally challenged and have regained the wonders of pimplehood, my hair is growing faster than ever too, (friggin grays!) ya I feel like I am 19 too.
Despite all the medical issues we still deal with, and I say we because, well, the way I see it, I gave my Dad a piece of my liver and until he is 100% back to himself and scaling the side of his sailboat to clean her for her seasonal summer travels I still feel like I am right there with him in this recovery. Dad is still ever the funny man. He and I are well known at the Lahey Clinic, Dad for his Bullshit Button (it's like the Easy Button but it calls BULLSHIT instead) that he has now passed on to Nicole one of the many Nurses who have given him the best care and laughter possible. The 6th Floor Central Nurses Station is now equipped with a Bullshit Button for those nights when they are dancing as fast as they can and the need for laughter is the only thing to get them through. The nursing staff on that floor are truly remarkable ladies. I am known as the "blog girl" room number 36 and the one who gave the "fellows" nicknames.
As for me 95% healed, my scar looks pretty awesome so I am told and I am not tired anymore. I am still anemic so I have to keep eating right and taking my vitamins like a good girl. I had my 3 month follow up and was cleared to go do whatever I want. I was told I could go tubing. I was so excited like a 12 year old but ummm HELLO!! I miss tubing seasoning by a week! Who makes these rules anyway?
Everything that has been put on hold is now picking up again for me, I start my new job in a few weeks, that will require a commute but the wanderer that I am it really does not matter. I have toyed with idea of moving closer to my new job, but the truth is I am not ready to leave my Dad yet until he is 100%, and of course moving inland away from the ocean would be terrible for me.
We are almost there and I will continue to update everyone on what is going on now with us, this journey has opened many doors. I will be part of an advocate program at some point for other Live Liver Donor's, I continue to reach out and meet other families like ours. We met the Fles Family, they are the father and daughter that did the same thing we did 9 days prior to us at Lahey. Broghann an 18 year old determined young lady donated a piece of her liver to her father Jack. In a word meeting Jack, Becky (Jack's wife) and Broghann at my 3 month follow was powerful. They are "family" the similarities in character especially in humor and love was utterly amazing, we talked, hugged joked and held hands for a very much needed healing circle prayer. Thanks to the internet we are all still in touch and will continue to be for years to come. I plan on becoming a loud and proud advocate for Live Liver Donation, because if I can do this and make it through anyone can...well ok maybe not anyone but I will do what ever I can to keep educating others.
Three months out I can now add to who I am...
I am friend, a sister, a mother, a cousin, a comedian by nature, a semi optimist mostly realist, an observer, a babbler, a writer, a dreamer, a LIVE LIVER DONOR and most importantly I am Greg Charbonneau's daughter.
