New normal

We are day +23 today and going strong! N has only had some issues with chest pains since coming home, which doctors have so far attributed to bad reflux. They explained that though he looks great and has been doing great, transplant nonetheless requires a significant amount of healing. So he may be sensitive to any change in diet from what he was accustomed to in the hospital for the weeks we were in there.

I was pretty nervous leaving the hospital, armed with a tight schedule of about a dozen pills I need to give him daily. I double, triple check every bottle and every pill before his doses, I scan his body for any changes, I take his temperature if I think he MIGHT look a little different, and most of the time I'm thinking about how to get him to eat. In N's mind, he is excited to eat foods that he used to enjoy, but at every meal, after one bite I can just see the disappointment sink in on his face. His palette just isn't quite right yet and meal after meal, he gets disappointed that food just doesn't taste like it used to.

It's been so wonderful to have everyone home. N used to sit back and be entertained by the VonBooger twins, but at the same time their ridiculousness would drive him mad. He used to love saying, "They're easy to love but so annoying." But absence certainly made his heart grow fonder. As the day quietly ticks away, he waits for them to come home and is even looking forward to them being around all the time next week for Thanksgiving break. I'm grateful he has built in friendships at home, and I'm grateful they have one another.








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