Whata long day! Started out with registration at about 6:30, followed by labs and then EKG and chest x-ray. We then had about a 2 hour break before we saw anyone from the transplant side. Saw 2 nurses and then spent an hour with Dr. Yip.

As always there is good news and bad news. The good news is that he was pleased with Bill's overall health and the medications he's on. He did add 1 new medicine and tweaked another one but made no other changes. Depending on the results of the psych evals tomorrow and Monday, he will decided if Bill will be listed for transplant, recommended for the heart pump which is the device that Dick Cheney has implanted, or just managed for heart failure. If he thinks that Bill would be a good candidate for transplant we would come back here in a month or so for some more extensive testing. Also, if he is listed, and he moves more toward the top of the list, we would have to spend several months here in Florida.

Now, for the bad news. Because Bill is O+ blood type, which is the most common, the waiting list for those hearts can be several years. Since he had been on the list for 2 years in Memphis, we already know it can be a long wait.

He did want Bill to try walking more to see if that helps his fatigue. Starting at 10 minutes twice a day. He said it wasn't the speed walked, or the distance walked, but the time walking. So, he's going to try that. This is also to try to build stamina because he wants to do a pulmonary treadmill test if we come back.

All in all we learned quite a bit that we hadn't been told before. The 3 drs we would see if he does get included in the program are pretty well known in the medical world. Dr. Yip is the head of the department, another one has written the textbook that all transplant drs. use and the other one came from the Cleveland Clinic which is one of the premier transplant centers in the nation. So he would be in excellent hands.

So, it was a really busy day and we are really tired. We've had an early dinner (I love crockpots!)and as soon as it gets dark we may hit the hay. We have to be back at 8 in the morning but that is the only appointment and then we may hit the beach and do some shopping.

I'll update everyone tomorrow!

It's a good thing I decided to call home and check messages! There was a call from Mayo changing Bill's 1st appointment time from 9:30 to 7:10! We would really have been late!

We drove to the clinic today. What a huge campus, but well marked and easy to get to. We'll see how it is in the morning when it will be shift change. We don't know when his other appointments are since the message said that we could pick up a new schedule at our first appointment.

After checking out the clinic today we drove on to Jacksonville Beach. Didn't go to the beach, just drove around and looked at the sights. Since we're supposed to have a lighter day Friday we're planning on going to the beach then. But, with the schedule changes, who knows what we'll do. Bill's sister Shirley and her husband Donald are coming up from Clearwater Saturday. She's judging a musical contest in Brandon tomorrow and Friday and will only be about 60 miles from here. So, before they go home, they're going to come here and meet us for lunch.

All for tonight. I'll post more tomorrow after we start seeing the doctors.

We have made it to sunny Florida! All of our travelling has been uneventful except for through Memphis on the first day. But, that rain was nothing compared to what friends and family are dealing with at home.

We haven't been to the clinic yet. Our hotel is about 8 miles from there. We are going to check it out tomorrow to see just how to get there. His first appointment is not until Thursday morning so we're just going to relax the next couple of days, maybe go to the beach.

I'll keep ya'll posted when we know what's going on.

Heard from Mayo yesterday and Bill has an appointment on May 6! We were already going to be in Georgia the week before visiting the boys so now we'll just go one to Florida from there. He was told they would try to get all of the tests done in 1 day, but it could take 2. But, that's not a problem!

He's very excited about this new chance! He tries not to worry me too much about things, but I know it had bothered him that he had been put out to pasture with no thought what that decision means to the patient.

He had a really good day Sunday. Said that he felt better than he had in a long time. I, on the other hand, was feeling poorly. Spring is going to get the best of me since it's starting to bother me already. The pleurisy signs are all coming back. This is not good, especially with the news yesterday. I'll have to see if there is some kind of treatment that can be done. Just an inhaler would probably help. I just feel all congested.

All for now. This will be updated a little more often now that something is happening! Think good thoughts, please!

Well, we've sent the records off to the Mayo Clinic and have confirmation that it has been received. They have to request the records from transplant so we included the release for that.

We took Brianna and McKenna to Illinois last week to have lunch with Mom, Ronna and Brooke. Had a good time, but it was a long day of driving for a 2 hour visit. I'm just glad that Mom felt like doing it since it's the same distance for them.

This week we made reservations in Georgia to see the boys. Haven't seen Harris since 2008 I think and haven't seen Joe or John since 2009. It should be a good trip.

Other that this, nothing is happening here, which is good and bad. But, like I said before, this is just a waiting game.

No apologies for not updating this sooner. As I said before, sometimes on this journey nothing much happens.

Bill has been removed from the transplant list in Memphis due to his age. It was discouraging when he first received the letter. But then, we decided that we are not really tied to home. The house is paid for, our income is good without including my income, so we could go to another area if necessary. So, online search for other transplant programs that do not have age requirements. So far the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fl. is at the top of the list. Bill has talked to them and they emailed a form to fill out. They also have requested the last 90 days of medical reports. Got the paperwork from Dr. Burnett and still waiting on the file from the transplant clinic.

On a more positive note, another device check was done last week and everything looked good. The med tweak that was ordered last month is working.

We spent the week-end at the Tennessee River at Pickwick Landing State Park. It is a very peaceful place, just sitting and watching the river. Heard a large ship go through the locks in the night but it was too dark to see much. We only left the lodge once and that was to get something to eat on Saturday night. Jjust getting out of town was the best part.

So, all for now. I'll let you know when we hear something, good or bad. Thanks for caring enough to read this, and for the prayers.

The month seems to be flying by! I had always heard that time goes faster when you get older and I never actually believed it, but it sure seems like it's true.

Bill had a monitor check yesterday in the wee hours of the morning and the results this time were not good. He apparently has a lot of fluid build-up this time, unlike December when everything looked good. He said he hasn't had any weight gain but he has had some shortness of breath and being tired. Of course he put that down to helping Ron get this project finished. He is concerned about it enough that he talked about it some after we went to bed, not just when he told me that they had called.
Of course these are just the monitoring people. They can interpret the reading but they can't adjust his meds or anything. All they can do is show the results to the doctors. He has appointments all day long on February 15 so we will probably find something out then.

It bothers him so that he can't do what he wants to do! He says he doesn't feel depressed about it, just kinda of discouraged. I think his mind kind of tells him that he can do everything he did before and then his body lets him down.

I told him that I can tell that he has deteriorated some just by looking at him and watching him. I don't think he realizes how many little catnaps he takes watching tv. for example. I keep trying to tell him to stay in bed in the morning instead of getting up so early with me. I also wish he would tell me when the shortness of breath happens. He does tell me that he is tired but that's all he tells me. I told him the shortness of breath was a major danger sign that he needs to pay attention to, but, stubborn man that he is, he won't do it.

We'll see after the dr visits if I need to definitely retire or if just tweaking some drugs will work to help. Keep the prayers coming. We wouldn't be this far if it weren't for them.