RELOCATION
Since our oldest son Rob and his family still live in the Seattle area, we thought “this is a no-brainer”, I just stay with Rob during the wait time and the 3 months after surgery. It was at this point we ran into the insurance nightmare but we won’t go there, this isn’t about how ridiculous health insurance companies can be. I decided to relocate before my colon surgery so that when it was all done, I would be immediately ready to be listed. The first part of March 2008, I packed the few things I thought I would need or want (not to over-run Rob’s home) and said goodbye to my husband and son in Keizer. Average wait time for lung transplant is approximately 90 days, recovery time 90 days, if all goes well, I could be home for Christmas.
Rob lived in a 2-bedroom townhome. You had to walk a flight of stairs BEFORE entering the home! I don’t do stairs well, I require 4 liters of oxygen to just sit around the house and parking was not convenient. In order for me to park within walking distance for me, Rob would have to move my car each night and I had to plan my outings so he could bring the car to me before work. Well, since 2 bedrooms wasn’t going to allow a comfortable stay, Rob decided to find a new place – maybe one without stairs.
A home in Seattle without stairs is like a filet mignon, available but EXPENSIVE. The new home had to be a place where they would live after I went home, so needed to be affordable to him. Alas, we settled for another townhome. This one has stairs to the bedrooms though so I don’t HAVE to traverse them the minute I walk in the door. We moved in the end of March, 2008. Believe it or not, it snowed the day we moved!
So far, it has worked out well. I have gained some muscle strength from the much-needed exercise (I only go up and down the stairs as much as necessary) and since I spend most of the day-time hours in my bedroom at my computer, I have managed to work on several projects.
By May, I was settled enough and had seen the GI surgeon, surgery scheduled for May 21. Whew! I was soon to be done with all of this and just have to wait. On June 24, 2008, I was officially listed on the Lung Transplant Waiting List. Still might be home by Christmas.
To continue my journey with me click here. (The Waiting)