Journal Entry 3: The Best Medicine

Debbie Kinney
April 17 – 23, 2009

During the past few weeks I've been feeling very tired. I wake up every morning and begin my daily chores and errands. Lately, those simple chores and errands seem too difficult.

Last Friday, I talked with my home health care nurse, Chris, about how I was feeling. As I started to talk with Chris, my eyes welled up with tears and I began to cry. I told Chris I was feeling "frustrated and lazy." I explained to her that lately I didn't feel like doing anything and I felt like all the energy had been zapped out of me. Chris was so sweet and attentive as she listened to me "babble" on. After that "good cry" I felt better. Chris also reminded me that the right side of my heart wasn't doing well and I needed to go along with how my heart was feeling each day.

I talked to Larry about my conversation with Chris and explained to him how I need to live each day according to how I'm feeling. Larry understood completely and reminded me it was a small price to pay for the big reward ahead.

On Sunday, April 19, three of our grandchildren came over to see "Ammie and Popo." When our grandchildren come to visit, we (including Larry) seem to forget about our ailments. We become "kids" ourselves! Lilyanne, Olivia and Juliet made us laugh throughout the night. Their love gives me an "energy" that I can't describe. For me, it was the best medicine ever! I can't wait to get my new heart so I can "play" with the grandchildren instead of just holding them in my lap.

After the grandchildren's visit, I'll admit, I was exhausted. It's amazing how one "little" visit can affect you for several days. That still didn't stop me from planning ahead. We purchased tickets and we're taking our grandchildren to see the "Sesame Street Live" show in June. Now that's something to look forward to!

Last night (Tuesday) Larry and I attended a Heart Transplant Support Group meeting. It was interesting to talk to and hear the stories of other heart transplant recipients. Each one had their own unique experiences. Many of them were feeling wonderful after the transplant, however, some of them have dealt with uncomfortable side effects. A few of their stories scared me a little, but most of them gave me hope for the future.

It's Thursday afternoon and I just received a call from Kristi, my transplant coordinator. She informed me they want to do a scan of my brain and labs at the hospital tomorrow. They want to make sure everything is all right since I've been feeling lightheaded lately. It looks like my week will end with a trip to the hospital for some precautionary tests. Follow more of Debbie's heart transplant journey.

For More Information
To learn more about the heart transplant program at Sharp Memorial Hospital, please contact the program directly by calling 858-939-3831, Monday through Friday, 7 am to 3:30 pm.

To find a cardiac support group, visit Classes & Events and choose the group that fits you best.

To learn more or to find a cardiologist affiliated with Sharp, please call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-824-4277) or go to Find a Doctor.