moved to step down unit!

Very sadly I caught a terrible sinus infection and decided it was best for Danny if I stayed in Baton Rouge until I felt better. I have been home Thursday (transplant day 3) and Friday (day 4) and it is soooo hard to be away from him. I do understand that he is well-taken care of by the staff at Ochsner, but I miss him and I miss caring for him. He is also more relaxed when I'm there. However, we both agree that he cannot be around potentially contagious people with a suppressed immune system. I'm on some pretty good meds now so I anticipate being back at the hospital with him Sunday. Yesterday (Thursday--day 3), three of the chest tubes were removed, leaving two. His incisional chest pain is excruciating and is worse than the LVAD post surgery pain. This is because more of his muscles were cut and a large amount of fresh scar tissue was cut out. Since it has only been a couple of months since he had the LAVD implanted, the scar tissue hadn't begun to soften yet. Other than that pain, Danny is doing really well. His kidney is still in failure, but the number the doctors watch for that is steadily decreasing...which is a good thing. 

His parents and sister drive down after work in time to see him for the late shift... and I am really grateful they are going everyday since I cant be there.

Day 4 (Friday)

Today Danny was moved to the TSU, (transplant stepdown unit). They took another chest tube out, which leaves him with only one...That's great! He is tired and still misses me. He still in a great deal of pain, but that's to be expected. His mom said he loves feeling his heart beat!! 

He can't eat raw fruits or veggies because of the potential bacteria he could encounter. That's going to be sad...hopefully that's just for a time and then we could just wash everything really well. But of course, whatever we need to do to take care of him we will gladly do!!

I'm told his color looks better...he was a little pale and maybe yellow. 

I've got to get together the things we will need when he is discharged from Ochsner but we still have to be in New Orleans at an apartment two blocks away or the attached hotel. The social worker told me the apartments are currently full so she has us on the waiting list. If they are still full, we would stay in the hotel for the apartment rate. The apartments are basically furnished.  Two queen beds and we bring all linens. We bring all cooking supplies. There's a couch and table..but no utensils or anything other than basic furniture. The hotel is just a regular hotel room. It has a microwave and a small frig I think. 

This is the step down room. His mom just texted me and said they are training him to take his medicines. That's intimidating because with the LVAD he had 18 bottles lined up on the counter...and no training (just discharge instructions). What in the world will it be like if training is necessary??

From those two pictures, it looks like he shaved today. The OT and PT ladies are really nice and really pushy!! He realized a long time ago that it's easier to just do what they say quickly so they go away happy than to try to argue or complain...He does all sorts of hand therapy to regain finger dexterity since he's a software developer. But even simple things like putting on pants and brushing teeth are difficult for a person who recently underwent open heart surgery... 
Watching Danny try to eat soup is downright funny. His hands shake so much all the soup is gone before he gets the spoon in his mouth!! Hopefully the terrible shaking is better with a real heart rather than a mechanical one. 

I'm so excited to see him Sunday!! Please pray that my congestion is completely gone tomorrow so I can have my one day congestion free before I go back to New Orleans.