Well, the purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family updated about Caitlin’s health/transplant. We were lucky she’s been so stable for so many months, but she has had a rough week+, and since I know a lot of you would like to keep her in your thoughts during her trying times, I thought I’d let you know what’s what.
Her heart has some issues, like supraventricular tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) and now, pulmonary hypertension that has worsened as the lungs worsened. Episodes have been managed with the right dose of beta-blocker, but about ten days ago, she started having issues. Long story short–a trip to the ER on a Saturday night ended up in a 4-night stay as everyone worked to adjust her dose and get it under control.
She came home last Wednesday and seemed well. But by Thursday she was looking anemic, listless; it was hard to cough and clear her lungs. She was in overall pain. Her sister-friend Katie visited for 2 nights, and was so wonderful and loving and helpful. By Sunday our Kitten was a bit better, although starting to feel new pain in her lung.
We were getting ready to watch MadMen when an evacuation alarm went off in the building here. She had to climb down 10 flights of stairs. (There was no emergency.) It took everything she had, and took away the gains. There was a marathon in Pittsburgh on Sunday, and I would bet that no one post-marathon felt worse than Caitlin did post those 10 flights. She said she felt like her legs had gone through a meat grinder. The pain in the lung worsened and kept her awake all night.
Yesterday at noon, we returned to the ER for fluids, x-ray, CT scan. Last night she was re-admitted to start a course of IV meds, and re-evaluate the heart, which hadn’t completely settled down on its new dose of beta-blocker.
This morning, she reported that the lung pain had eased a bit. They are putting a PICC line in (a long-lasting IV line) at the moment. We’ll see how today goes. The plan will be to do the course of IV meds at home. We are old pros at that.
Thanks for thoughts, prayers, good energy, all of it. She needs deep sleep, a calm heart, weight gain, and a perfect-match lung transplant!
–Maryanne
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