Feb 28, Day 264, Lindsey has left the Building!

After a total of 264 days, Lindsey has left the building! She is out and home at the RMH.  Lindsey handled her biopsy very well.  She came right out of anesthesia, without any difficulty, ready to eat.  Her Prograf levels were now 7 (too low), but they still felt good about her going home.  She will have a blood draw in the morning to see the official trend of the Prograf.  There is no school tomorrow for Sierra or Lindsey, so it will be a nice relaxing morning at the RMH.  We will be checking Sierra into short stay for her last plasma pheresis at 12:40 pm and the IVIG is to follow.  She will probably get released at 3 or 4 in the morning on Saturday if all goes well.

Lindsey was very excited to leave the hospital.  We took our victory laps around 3 west and CVICU on our way out.  Needless to say they were brisk walks.  She waved and said, "I'm  leaving." Then walked on.  When we got in the suburban, she said, " turn on some music.  We are out of here." Here are a bunch of pictures that I took throughout the week that I haven't been able to post, due to not being at the RMH where the computer is.

 Dr. Rosenthal getting his bright pink fingernail polish on.

Taking the stairs

Her sweet friend Colette bringing her the letter she wrote about their friendship.

Lindsey before her biopsy today. Very nervous.

Me gowned up to go with her into the cath lab until she is asleep.

Done, awake and eating her Popsicle.

Fun nurse Susanna.  One of many that made our days brighter and better on 3 West.

Amanda who will be discharged tomorrow.

Dr. Ashwin Lol, a fellow we were hoping to talk into getting a transplant program going in Boise, ID or Portland, OR ( a little closer to us).  Looks like back east will get him.  They have hired a great asset to their program.

Ashok, the surgeon fellow who took out Gage's staples, did push ups for Lindsey and made our many evening walks fun.

Stephanie, a fellow who has been here through it all.  Admitted Lindsey the night she was life flighted from Boise, admitted Gage when he was in complete heart block, kept us updated on Lindsey's surgery during transplant and even went into Lindsey's biopsy today.  An amazing person!

Our favorite PT, Mandy.  Her other half, Sandra wasn't there today.  We will miss them for therapy.

Mary Alice, our Berlin "go to" person.   She helped get policies in place for our Stanford excursions and was working on the policy for us to have a little more freedom on the Berlin.  We just heard today, starting tomorrow, families on the Berlin can go to the Sobrato room unaccompanied by a nurse.  All because of Lindsey paving the way of what these Berlins can do.  Thank you Mary Alice for all of your hard work!

Lindsey's last trip to the Ronald McDonald cart.

"Let's go already Mom, not another picture."

Lindsey heading into our apartment at the RMH.  Fun signs Hunter and Grandma Coleman made for her.

Lindsey cutting off her hospital bands.  She was supervised.

Here we go! Lindsey's medicine.

Our last sticker for our collection.  We are done!

There were so many other people that we would have loved to have gotten pictures with.  So many staff members have helped lift Lindsey up and made our stay in the hospital so much brighter.  We thank you nurses on 3 West, playroom volunteers, child life specialists, librarians, massage therapists, doctors and therapists (physical and psychological),and the information desk.   To all of you, Thank you!