Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone had a very good Christmas today! I know that I did! I got to spend the morning with my boys, baked a pumpkin pie and a lemon poppyseed loaf. We then packed up and headed down to Toronto to be with Andrea, Shaun, my parents, my sister and Andrea's mom and dad.

How is Andrea?

Well to start, she was moved out of the ICU and into step down! This happened yesterday later on in the afternoon. Hard to believe that less than 72 hours after receiving a new heart, she was already being moved out of the ICU eh?

She is without any IVs and the line that was in her neck is also gone!

She is still having issues with her right arm/hand and her legs being "tingly". Neurology did see her two days ago and she was sent down yesterday afternoon to have an MRI done. No word yet on if they saw anything or any idea on what exactly is going on with her. Again, we just hope that it is either to do with the medications she was on, the way she way laying for so long or even just a pinched nerve.

She is also very very tired, but I am sure that anyone would be given what she just went through! Pain is also an issue, but again, who the heck wouldn't be in pain after what she just went through?! She said to me tonight after I told her she looked good that "the doctors keep telling me I am doing well, but I don't feel very well." BUT being only 96 hours out, again, expected.

I did some work on the keepsake book that I wanted to give to her today and although I didn't "finish" it, I did take it with us today to give to her. I felt that today being Christmas was a good time to do so :) I had taken it in with me initially when I first got there and went in to see her, but every time I even thought of giving it to her, I would feel the tears coming. So I ended up walking out of her room with it still in my arms. However, after we all ate dinner and she was on her way out I gave it to her then. And I am proud to say that I did very well! Yep, Ms Emotional didn't break down! And by the way, you can still send a message for Andrea as this will be a work in progress for a while, I am sure!

I felt really special tonight because I got a text from Andrea telling me that it was her second text since her new heart and that I got her crying. Its kind of a joke between us, because she is always making fun of me and how emotional I am. My tears always fall easy! I felt so special because I was also her FIRST text :)

Here are some pictures from our MOST AMAZING Christmas!!! It still doesn't feel real at times that Andrea has her brand new heart! I found myself sitting there a couple times tonight just looking at her and thinking just how freaking incredible it is that the heart in her chest beating came from someone, somewhere that we do not know. I know I have already said this, but MAN, I can't even tell you how amazing it is!!!!

"Just follow your heart and you'll never get lost"

Funny how some things turn out too. I had bought the above plaque for Andrea about six weeks ago. Perfect? I say so. 

I know that this Christmas is probably a horrible time for the family and friends of the donor who gave the gift of life to Andrea. I can't even imagine the sorrow that they are feeling and then being so close to a holiday....I am sure it is just THAT much worse. I often wonder if they are curious about the heart and where it went. If they know just how much it means to us. If they realize that they have done the most amazing, incredible thing that could EVER be done. So many questions. I hope that they have some peace and comfort in knowing that other people have been given a second chance. My thoughts and prayers are with the donor family every day now, and especially tonight.

xxxooo

The Day After...

"Hi. I'm Andrea's Mom. It is the day after, and her heart is beating beautifully. Her blood pressure is perfect, her oxygen is perfect, her heart rate is perfect!! Yes, a rough road for a few days, but doctors are VERY pleased with her progress, and we are SO thankful for their work and expertise. I want to say a very special thank you to the donor's family and loved ones for the generous gift of life. I often cry for that family, and I feel their grief, but their choice to give Andrea a chance to live a full life is appreciated, aplauded, and hopefully will give them some comfort in their loss! Bless you!! I wish we could meet in the future, but for now I send out a huge hug to you all! Thank you! Thank you!! "

Shannon:  Andrea as you can see is doing well today! I heard from my brother that they are hoping to have her sit up on her own later on this afternoon!!! Incredible isn't it?

This is a picture I took last night when we were able to go in to see her. It was just so incredible to stand at her side watching her chest rise and fall and know that it was a new heart doing this! And then to watch the monitor knowing it is all the works of such a wonderful donor. Words cannot even describe how it felt.

I also wanted to post the next picture. On our way home last night I stopped to grab the mail. In it was a Christmas card from Shaun and Andrea. They are handmade of course but the card gave me chills when I opened it. It couldn't be more true could it?

Those who know me, know that I am the BIGGEST believer in things happening for a reason. I know that sometimes things that happen are horrible and so forth, but I still believe. And I think that sometimes we might not "understand" why things happen that do but I believe that ONE day we will know why. We will learn to understand.

I will leave you with a quote that an online friend said, quoted by Catbert: "It only looks like a coincidence."