Discharge Day

Shirley has graduated from the need for in-patient rehabilitation.  Today they will discharge her.  It has been 174 days since her transplant and all but 14 of those days have been in a hospital.  Hopefully, this will be the last of the long stays, but we have been told that for transplant patients, they will often check you in for short term observation for things considered minor for non-immuno-suppressed people.

All that aside, today we go "home" to Pete and Caroline's for the next stage of our journey.

Before we can leave, we have to meet with the Pharmacist to review medications and see what has changed since the previous discharge.  We also have a Respiratory Therapist coming up to assess Shirley's need for supplemental oxygen. After 5+ years on O2, Shirley acknowledges it could just be a crutch, but although she has basically not used it for the last 72 hours, she is uncomfortable at least not having some oxygen available if she feels short of breath.

We'll also be meeting with scheduling clerks to book more outpatient Physical Therapy visits; Transplant Clinic appointments, etc.  She may not be spending the night here any longer, but we'll still be coming up 2-3 times per week for a few weeks before they will let us head back to Oregon.