Journal entry by Kevin Seals —
Hello Family and friends,
It Has been a while since I have updated you, but really had no new news. However the last 2 days has brought a flurry of new information.
First the good news, and it is mostly good news. I am in my 10th week of rehab this week and as of yesterday I have already met all the exercise goals they had set for me, so now they have increased my goals for the last few weeks! I am able to keep my O2 saturation up at 98% or higher during rehab. I have also started additional walking in the afternoon and have walked as far as 3.14 miles. Granted slow, but was moving. My last Bronch showed no rejection of lungs and no infection!
Now the bad news, and it is nothing serious. They tell us all Transplant patients experience problems along the way these are mine. Even though I am able to exercise fine, I am unable to get my Pulmonary Function tests scores out of the low 50%. Usually a persons score rises as they continue to increase exercise. Mine isn't because I have what they call a Plural Effusion(Fluid) between the lining around my right lung and the lung itself. This is partial collapsing my lung. They expected the fluid to dissipate over time but it hasn't. So sometime in the next few days they are going to do a procedure called Thoracentesis which will use a needle to draw out as much of the fluid as they can get. Fluid will be checked to make sure no problems with it. I also have a fungus growing in my upper respiratory system. This is common for people in the Midwest who have lung transplant. It comes from the soils and you get it in the air. I will be treated with antibiotics for 6 months. This will affect some of my transplant drugs and they will be adjusted accordingly.
So all problems that God and the Doctors will handle easily. Not sure of my exact date to come home for good yet as they have to have 4 weeks between Bronchs and I had one the 5th of June. I have to have one more. This has been an amazing journey, frustrating at times, especially as the cataracts worsen and my vision blurs more. Have an appointment in July with Eye Surgeon to see about getting them fixed. Still have a goal of returning to work by November so keep that in your prayers as well as all the things described above work well.
I know too much information, but rather give too much than not enough. Hope you all are well and Nancy & I continue to praise God for all he has done and we thank all of our friends and family for their help, thoughts, prayers, calls and emails. You all mean the world to us. God bless!
Love in Christ,
Kevin & Nancy
P.S. Samson says HI!
It Has been a while since I have updated you, but really had no new news. However the last 2 days has brought a flurry of new information.
First the good news, and it is mostly good news. I am in my 10th week of rehab this week and as of yesterday I have already met all the exercise goals they had set for me, so now they have increased my goals for the last few weeks! I am able to keep my O2 saturation up at 98% or higher during rehab. I have also started additional walking in the afternoon and have walked as far as 3.14 miles. Granted slow, but was moving. My last Bronch showed no rejection of lungs and no infection!
Now the bad news, and it is nothing serious. They tell us all Transplant patients experience problems along the way these are mine. Even though I am able to exercise fine, I am unable to get my Pulmonary Function tests scores out of the low 50%. Usually a persons score rises as they continue to increase exercise. Mine isn't because I have what they call a Plural Effusion(Fluid) between the lining around my right lung and the lung itself. This is partial collapsing my lung. They expected the fluid to dissipate over time but it hasn't. So sometime in the next few days they are going to do a procedure called Thoracentesis which will use a needle to draw out as much of the fluid as they can get. Fluid will be checked to make sure no problems with it. I also have a fungus growing in my upper respiratory system. This is common for people in the Midwest who have lung transplant. It comes from the soils and you get it in the air. I will be treated with antibiotics for 6 months. This will affect some of my transplant drugs and they will be adjusted accordingly.
So all problems that God and the Doctors will handle easily. Not sure of my exact date to come home for good yet as they have to have 4 weeks between Bronchs and I had one the 5th of June. I have to have one more. This has been an amazing journey, frustrating at times, especially as the cataracts worsen and my vision blurs more. Have an appointment in July with Eye Surgeon to see about getting them fixed. Still have a goal of returning to work by November so keep that in your prayers as well as all the things described above work well.
I know too much information, but rather give too much than not enough. Hope you all are well and Nancy & I continue to praise God for all he has done and we thank all of our friends and family for their help, thoughts, prayers, calls and emails. You all mean the world to us. God bless!
Love in Christ,
Kevin & Nancy
P.S. Samson says HI!
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