still at the U hospital - brief update!

Good evening, my Stars and Angels:
Sorry for the silence, but it has been a bit of a waiting game, not too much to report. Today I changed my terminology from, "Yes, I am a freak of nature," to the less negative, "I am an enigma, always have been and may always be!

The long and short of it: At this point, the docs. are keeping me in the hospital for another day or two, maybe the remainder of the week.
The Cardiac MRI yesterday (Mon. 9.14) showed patchy inflammation in the left ventricle (LV), which is consistent with rejection. However, despite the alleviation of my symptoms from late last week (shortness of breath, sleeplessness, fatigue, slight belly bloating, etc.), the MRI showed that the LV is still not functioning properly, which is not good and not normal if rejection is truly the cause and has been sufficiently treated (Heretofore, I have had excellent, above normal LV function since transplant).

A couple of explanations: This could just be a "time lag" so to speak, and the docs wanted to give me and my LV another 48 hrs. to respond to the treatment before repeating an echo.
Could be another unknown cause (that enigma part, remember); I am baffling the extended team of 4 hospitals here (my case was discussed at this morning's weekly meeting of the "Utah affiliated solid organ transplant program.")

So, despite some additional blood testing to check for antibodies (which can create white blood cells to attack the heart, sim. to rejection), today was really just a hang out day of visiting, talking, walking, showering, and that mindless stuff.

Tomorrow (hopefully morning) I expect to have another echo to see whether the LV function has improved. Depending on the results of the echo, they may keep me in until Thurs./Fri. for another biopsy (even though the first was negative). Not sure what the course of treatment will be in the event the biopsy is negative again, or even what it will be if it were positive for rejection.

Another interesting tidbit (and a bit of peace of mind for me): the team assures me nothing I have done caused this; rejection is more common in women than men and more common in young women; I just had been lucky so far in not experiencing it. It is treatable and I expect to make a full recovery so I can be back home, playing in the sun, leaves, and snow with Pete, the boys and Maggie! It just may take some time.

In the meantime, I am talking to my heart, asking the LV to kindly ramp up back to its great function, doing my own sort of praying and positive thinking.

Understandably, the docs have put me back on higher doses of the 3 immunosuppressants (and some of the other drugs I had been off since winter (anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial meds). This means I am at higher risk for infection, so we'll be playing that safe, staying away from swine flu & other influenza, and keeping up our great hand washing routine, just doing the best we can to stay healthy. I also will have frequent follow-up care again at the U (more frequent blood tests, echos, and biopsies), for a while anyway, though I am not yet sure of that schedule.

Pete and the boys are doing as well as can be expected. Of course my dear Pete is doing an amazing job holding down the fort, dealing with the breakfasts, lunches, laundry, soccer, snacks, baths, etc, the mundane and necessary of every day life! We thank you all who have again offered (and brought) yummy dinners for their sustenance and offered all kinds of help.

Last, but not least, thank you most of all for your continued thoughts, prayers, energy, vibes, love, support -- you name it -- that you send our way!
Lots of love and peace to you all, and good night,
Em