Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Rejection rears it's head

I first posted this on Shawn's caringbridge site, so it's written for a general audience, layman.
I know many of you who understand CF and transplant will think it is simplistic, or maybe I am being unrealistic but hey it's the best I could manage. I didn't want to re-hash so I cheated and copied it from there.

Original Post:

Well tonight we got some disappointing news. Shawn had a biopsy yesterday, a tissue sample from Shawn's lungs was taken to evaluate the health of his new lungs.
The doctor called tonight, there was a low level of rejection detected.

Rejection is the word that evokes a plethora of emotions, fear being my personal one, my heavy hitter.

Shawn will be admitted on Friday and put on very high doses of steroids to knock down his immune system. His is working too well, it recognizes Shawns new lungs as a foreign object, despite his anti-rejection meds.
This will hopefully only be a three day stay, he will be discharged on a high dose prednisone taper.

The Doctor assured the two of us that this was very low-level rejection, very manageable and very common. Par for the course, so to speak.

We got the news while driving to a friends house, a friend who coincidentally is also a mother to a son, Dominic. Dominic has had three liver transplants. Needless to say she is an expert. L listened to me blubber and bawl, as I got my news across to her.
L was very reassuring, she talked me down. Early detection of very low level rejection is not total freakout stuff. It happens, it not unusual and due to the relaxed pace of admission, definitely acceptable, concern worthy, but o.k.
Roll with it.
It is so easy for me to have Faith in God when things are moving happily in a positive direction. When things are scary, I have to fall back and surrender my fear and worry to My Heavenly Father.
The Faith of a mustard seed. I have that, I have much more than that.
Tonight I am at peace.
Happy New Year to all of you !Happy New Year and God Bless You !
I am wishing you all peace for this wonderful season of new beginnings.
We have been so Blessed in 2008, I can't wait to see what excitement lies in store for us in
2009 !!!!

3 comments:

Christy said...

So, so common Tina in the first year after transplant.. more common than not actually. I'm sure the docs have told you all the statistics so you don't need me to recite them, but just know that Shawn is in my prayers. I know he'll pull through just fine. Hang in there girl. I don't know many post-transplanters who get through that first year post-transplant without a few complications. You and Shawn are both tough cookies that's for sure. Hopefully those steroids will knock out that rejection and he'll be tapered down in no time.

Kim said...

Not what you wanted to hear, I know. I'm glad they found it early and can treat it right away. You guys will be in my thoughts even more now. Hang in there!

xo,
Kim

Alicia said...

I'm sorry to hear that. What awful words! I wish there was something I could physically do, but know that I will pray.