I'm home!
Yesterday, (Thursday) I said goodbye to all the incredible nurses on 7B, thanked them for their humanity and help in keeping my spirit thriving, and rang the bell in honor of my donor and their family. I'm crying with gratitude even as I type this because I know that the rest of my life will be dedicated to honoring and living up to the sacrifice of my donor and the choice their family made.
Which is why it's finally time to let my mind and soul catch up to the healing already begun by my body. Being in our new house with Josh is the very best balm I could have asked for.
But I need one more thing from all of you:
Space. Part of this process was resetting my immune system back to 0. I had no defenses at the hospital and even now I'm severely immunocompromised. I will remain this way for a couple months yet, and only then will we slowly allow my own immune system to begin to strengthen. The entire process will take about a year and I will forever be somewhat immunosuppressed. For now, sadly, this means absolutely no visitors. You cannot come see me and I cannot go out without significant risk. I know so many of you want to come by and say hello and I've had numerous invitations to come spend time with friends and I would love nothing more! But. For right now I'm safer if we don't. This includes offers to bring me food or to stop by with gifts. There is an incredibly small circle of people allowed to interact with me and we have agreed to follow strict rules to keep things healthy for me. Even Josh has to take precautions if he goes out so that he doesn't accidentally bring something back home. (Fun news: we've jumped on board the grocery pickup train and I have no idea how transplant people and introverts did their shopping before this was a thing. I'm in love.)
So if you think of me in the next few weeks, please turn your hearts first to my donors family, and then to my own family. Both have sacrificed much to give me this second life. I promise all of you I won't waste it.
Here's to hoping I see all of you soon! We'll be together again, if I have anything to say about it!