Finally an update.....

Yes, I have been ignoring my blog for a while.  Sorry.  Here is the latest.  I was released from the hospital on Dec 30 (our 22nd anniversary) and it was the best anniversary present - ever!  Our entire family was just giddy.  I didn't count days this time but it was over 6 weeks - I was admitted on Nov.17 so you can do the math.  Some people have asked what we did for our anniversary and the answer is nothing.  We ate something at some point and then our family proceeded to sit and snuggle on the couch and watch some show that I don't recall.  The most important and memorable thing was just being home and holding our kids.  As I walked in the door, Callie met me with a huge hug as Emily and Elizabeth held a banner made by our good friend, Heather, that said Welcome Home Wendi.  I ran thru the banner with lots of cheers.  Then we knelt in family prayer to offer a prayer of thanks for being home and for the many blessings we have received during this time including all of the prayers, visits and messages of support we have received from all of you.  Then we danced to We Are the Champions!  My family are champions for how they have weathered this very unexpected storm in our lives.  They are amazing people.

Since then my time is gratefully filled doing "mom" stuff...making dinner, doing laundry, making appointments, and just being home for our girls to talk to.  We have a lot of catching up to do.  Thankfully I also have a small contingency of friends and family who fill the day with visits and errands - I can't be left alone for 100 days after transplant for fear an infection can come on suddenly and I become disoriented.  I consider them my army of angels.

My job is to eat and drink, manage all my meds (there are a ton!) and get stronger.  Most days this also includes a nap :)

I am able to do whatever activity I feel up for as long as there aren't any crowds involved.  So no going to church thru flu season which I do miss but the risk of getting sick is too great.  I still have the immune system of a baby.  All of those colds and sick days that add to your immune system as you grow I no longer have.  I will even have to get my childhood immunizations again!  So, I stay away from crowds and am  a fanatic about handwashing.

Future treatment....still waiting to taper down off some steroids and then a plan will be made.  I go back to LDS once a week to meet with the docs and to get a bunch of labs done so right now we just have a week to week plan which has been fine with me to just rest and gain strength back.

Yesterday we did take a field trip to a sledding hill in Midway which was fun and doable for me since they put you on a tow rope to get you up the hill!  Didn't think I would make it the full 2 hours but I did and then I slept really well that night.  I was just so grateful to be there and to be outside and with my family.  There will be more family dates in the future.

I will update as more info and planning happens but for now I am in recovery mode and loving every day!