Hi Everyone, 

How are you? I hope that everyone is safe and well and that your families are doing well.

I cannot tell all of you how much I missed you and missed preparing the posts and reading your comments and having such wonderful conversations regarding food and tablescapes.

 I would like to fill you all in on what has happened to me during my months away and let you know that I haven’t abandoned you or the blog. I will be back in full force but it will take a little time so I am starting off slow with recipes.

Since my last post which seems like ages ago; not only did our country get hit with this awful Covid19 pandemic, I had personal health issues as well that prevented me from coming back to the blog.

My new heart showed rejection after 15 months (a surprise to all of us but it happens) and I had no choice but to be admitted to the hospital under the careful watch of the transplant team and heavy doses of very strong anti-rejection medications. I spent 10 days in the hospital and Bob was not allowed to be there with me in the hospital or see me for the entire stay. There was a no visitor policy in the hospital due to Covid19 so this was a solo experience and the longest that Bob and I have been apart in all our 35 years together.

After 10 days of treatment and awful side effects, the transplant team came in to tell me that the rejection has cleared and they could send me home on very strong oral medications that I need to be on for at least the next 4 months (along with all the wicked side effects I have been going through). I will have to have additional medical testing and blood work every week along with telehealth appointments with my doctors until I have to be back in the hospital for my next biopsy to check on the rejection status. I need to have readings of no rejection for three biopsies in order to change my medication once again and head down the path of recovery. I am so grateful that this hospital nightmare has ended and I am able to come home to Bob. It was very difficult being away from Bob and only able to facetime a few times a day and my heart went out to all the other patients and families in nursing homes, assisted living and group homes that can’t see their loved ones in person. 

My heart also went out to all the families who lost loved ones from the pandemic because I had a front-row seat to the tragedy that was happening in the hospital and I was scared to death that I would become sick from that as well but the hospital had me in isolation. May the victims rest in peace with the angels and their families find strength. My takeaway from this hospital stay was please wear a mask and practice social distancing – this is not a hoax or a joke. Follow science because this is real and scary and protect yourself, your family (especially the vulnerable), and your neighbors. As the saying goes, “we are all in this together”.

It is going to take us a little time to get the new schedule together and sort out the medications and new restrictions as we face this new step of the healing journey. But we have been faced with challenges before and we will keep going forward and try to remain strong and positive together. A small price to pay for the gift of life and having the ability to be alive for more years with the people I love.

I am sure that before you knew me, many people thought that once a new organ is received, all is well and you are good as new and that is not the case. Transplant is not a quick fix to normal that happens after a new organ and the precious gift of life has been granted and received, but a daily struggle to stay healthy with many restrictions to get the best outcome. Most people don’t realize that the life of a transplant patient is not unlike our lives under Covid-19 protocols – isolation, masks, gloves, disinfectants, constant hand washing, social distancing, and constant vigilance is just a way of life for a transplant patient and can become overwhelming at times. The world now lives like a transplant patient and everyone can agree it’s not easy.

However, it is truly a miracle and I am so blessed to have a fabulous transplant team and one of the best hospitals to rely on for their care and expertise. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today and I think of that every day of my life and thank God for my blessings that I am one of the lucky ones.

I just wanted to say thank you for following my journey from the very beginning and for all your love, prayers, and constant support. I am not just saying the words, I deeply feel your love. It truly means the world to me, Bob, and Michael. You are our family and you give us the strength to go on, step by step, and day by day. We couldn’t do this without you.

I love you all very much and I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have each and every one of you in my life- my prayer warrior family (and BTW- you do great work. Our prayers have been answered).

So, let me settle in and have a good happy cry and I will keep you posted.

Stay safe, stay well, and appreciate each day and each other.

With my deepest love, 

DishingwithDiane