4/22/16 early update from John

In the new room and sorta settled.  Now that we know when we might be out, Co brought some clothes down.  I don't need the 'one size fits none' hospital garb they supply here.  Huge shorts.  2xxl.  One size fits two in most cases.

Two lifestyle changes are starting.  We have been avidly following a low sodium diet for years.  Very important for heart failure folks.  Well, we are not heart failure folks anymore.  In the past, we adhered to a 1500 mgs of sodium diet.  Now we are switching to high protein and low sugar.  A heart healthy diet.  The UWMC heart healthy diet shows 3400 mgs of sodium.  Now high protein (14 grams) is an important goal daily.  That level will drop a bit in time.  Sugar is now a big no-no.  So what have I been drinking mostly?  OJ in the morning and Coke the rest of the time.  The only good thing about this is that you will not have to listen to me rant about sodium.

I need to do a glucose test four times a day.  Diabetes can be a side effect of a heart transplant.  Some of the new meds also can cause high sugar levels.  I've mostly been within range so very little in the way of insulin injections.  The hospital gave us a glucose tester and a starter vial of strips.  The nurse said it was similar to the printer/ink cartridge game.  The money is made on the strips and needles just like the printer companies profits are from ink.

Big medicine changes.  New drugs mostly, torsemide in smaller doses is the main one from the old regimen.  Even though I may eat more salt, I'll retain less water.  Weird, eh?  Names have changed, purposes are different.  Anti-rejection medicines, anti-viral medicines.  Lots of concern about infections.

I'll need to wear a mask in public for months.  To protect me, not others.  Restrictions on things like ice in public places where others hands might have touched a scoop.  An example would be in a restaurant when they serve water.  Not to be trusted.  Same thing with salads and fruits.  Buffets are on the bad list.  Not a real change there as the sodium content was usually an issue.  No cold cuts.  But still, more freedom  to eat out. 

I had heart failure  from 1994 until the transplant.  Now, with the new heart, I have an ekg screen that shows an even heart beat.  Unknown to me, weird to see.