Live life to the fullest

[Myrrh_Quetz]

Alright lol

5 years old: Split my balls on a fence.

Between 6-10: I don't remember much but I was told that I spent 3 months in the hospital cause of a horrible Lung infection. Told it did some serious damage to my lungs.

13th Birthday: Doctors informed me that I wouldn't live to see 25. That's when I first started to hate Doctors.

14: Twisted a testicle, died on the operating table cause "We didn't take into account that you had Cystic Fibrosis when putting you under". So, I died, and that also caused me to get a serious lung infection. Spent a good 6 weeks in the hospital.

14-16: 1-3 Lung Infections a year, spanning between 2-4 weeks per.

17: Transition from Child's to adults. I went from 3 caring Doctors and like 10 Nurses to 1 over worked 70something doctor and a 40something cunt of a nurse who didn't show any emotion and didn't give two shits about me. I was young and stupid and based the seriousness of CF on how much my doctors. They didn't show worry, neither did I. I went from 70% Lung Functions down to roughly 33% in 2 years.

18: Found out my childhood friend with CF died on the table during his transplant on my Birthday. That put me off the idea of transplant till I was 21.

19: Lungs got so bad I was being considered for the transplant list. I switched doctors so an amazing one who cared and her first words to me "If I don't see those PFTs(Pulmonary Lung Functions Tests) above 60%, I will kick your ass" and she was serious. Because of her, I put off transplant for 4 years.

20: A nurse nearly kills me because he pushed a very strong antibiotic into a PICC Line. If I didn't know how to force little amounts of air into my lungs, I would have passed out or died. My heart rate during that jumped up to, and I shit you not, 220 Beats per min. That lasted about 10 mins. The nurse did lose his job though.

21: PFTs dropped so low that breathing became a challenge. I couldn't laugh without coughing up mass amounts of black phlgem. Often, I'd cough so hard that I've vomit. That was pretty much every few days. Wasn't so bad then. My friend Carl(The one who just passed away) had his transplant. He was a superstar. All the nurses were amazed by him. He came to visit me while I was sick with another infection. I remember the look of fear on his eyes at the time. His body was so shaky and everything. He was unsure then whether or not he'd live.

Feb of 2010. I was playing video games with my roommate, My breathing felt a little labored so I decided to do my Ventilator. That didn't work and my breathing became heavy, it was hard to move or breath. Said, "okay, we're going to the hospital". Tried to walk, couldn't, sat down, called 911. Got to the hospital, started coughing so hard that I was in immense pain. They gave me morphine to help but it wasn't working as well as it should. I started coughing up mass amounts of blood. From there, it gets hazzy, I believe this lasted for 2 days. I remember crying, asking a doctor if I was going to die and if I was, to please not let me die. I made him promise me that I'd make it out of that okay. I don't remember the answer.

After that I remember waking up to my mom screaming at a nurse. 5 days had gone by as I had to have been put into a coma so I wouldn't break my ribs and so they could stick tubes in my lungs to clean shit out. I was told by countless friends, family, nurses, and doctors that I should have, by all accounts, died. The fact that i woke up was nothing short of a miracle.

After that, I was on Oxygen 24/7. My PFTS had dropped to 14%. They started the transplant assessment.

That, in it's own rights, fucking sucked. Here's how they explain it.

"You can die 10,000 different ways from this but you could also survive". I only knew 2 people to have transplants. Carl, and my childhood friend Christian. Carl waited 3 years for his, got it, and was successful but Christian died during his so, it was still pretty much 50/50 in my mind.

Finally, I said fuck it. Figured I'd die before I'd even get it. Went through the process, got on the list on Oct 17th 2010.

Nov 21st comes around. My 23rd Birthday. We go to a place called Itchiban. It's a japanese steak house where they cook the food infront of you. I go there every year for my Birthday. We then usually go back to my place and nerd it up till 8am the next morning. Well, this time I started coughing up too much blood. Called the afterparty off.

Dec 3rd 10:55pm. My phone rings. I'm on skype with my friends farming lights before we do a Cleave. I was always forced to go Smn for Alex(remember, this was early cleave) so I never got to leech. This time, I was allowed to leech. Just as we finish Lights. My phone goes off. I mute my mic, think to myself "Jesus christ, why is my mom calling this late", look at the caller ID. See it's the hospital. I think to myself "Oh shit, this could be it....please be a mistake", I answer.

"Uh...hello"
"Hi, Randy. It's Doctor Freed. How are you feeling today, you sick or anything"
"I feel fine, I don't think I'm sick. Uh...what's up"
"Well, we got some lungs in for you"
"Uh...are you joking?"
"We wouldn't be joking about something like this"
"Uh....okay"
"So, are you good to come down?"
"Uh...ya, I guess"
"Good, Admission will call you in 10 mins with the details"
"Bye...."
I turn my mic back on
"Guys....I just got my phone call...."
"Phone call? for what?"
"My fucking Pizza is ready. My fucking lung transplant"
"Oh...then get the fuck off skype and get going"
"Guys, if I don't come back....goodbye"

From there, I called my mom. Pretty much the same reaction to telling her I got my call. I burst into tears till she arrives. I was crying so hard that when I packed my clothes, I only packed Tshirts. Nothing else.

Get to the hospital. All my friends are there. I never cried once infront of them. I ended up going in at 5pm on Dec 4th. But at 3pm, my younger brother comes up to me and says
"Randy. I'm tired. I'mma go home and get some sleep"
"Jason...I could be wheeled down any minute"
"I'm fucking tired"
"Whatever, Jason"
"Go fuck yourself, Randy"

And with that, he walks off.

2 hours later, the Doctor comes in and asks me "So, Randy, do you know why you're here?" As he holds up my chart. I looked him right in the eye with a straight face and said "Ya, it's for my sex change." He looked so confused. He reread my chart but then my friends burst into laughter.

I get wheeled down, it's only my mom, my step dad, and me before i go into the OR. I tell them to say to my brother for when they hear I didn't come out of this alive "Tell Jason, I' disappointed in him". That was it. And with that. I get wheeled into the OR.

I asked the Surgeon to sing me "Eye of the Tiger" before I get put under. He refused.

I said my final goodbyes in my head, went under expecting not to wake up.

I awake roughly 12 hours later.

Theres more but I'mma leave it there for now.

[Myrrh_Quetz]

Holy fuck, I didn't realize I typed so much.

[Vandole]

A+ read. have you considered blogging/recording this for the future? is your brother really young?

[Myrrh_Quetz]

A+ read. have you considered blogging/recording this for the future? is your brother really young?

Nope, he was 21 at the time.

[Apelila]

All condolences probably seem hollow right now, but I'm sorry about your friend.

Myrrh, I'm curious do you support yourself? How if so, I dont want to be insensitive I'm just curious. Are you in school? What you described sounds like it has occupided a good portion of your waking life.

[Myrrh_Quetz]

Man, when did BG trolls get so lazy?

All condolences probably seem hollow right now, but I'm sorry about your friend.

Myrrh, I'm curious do you support yourself? How if so, I dont want to be insensitive I'm just curious. Are you in school? What you described sounds like it has occupided a good portion of your waking life.

I had to drop out of highschool cause I got so sick. Funny story though. While in the hospital one time. I'm on IV meds and whatnot. My mom gets a call at work from one of my teachers. He claimed to have seen me in the Cafe skipping and that I'd be suspended. Needless to say, that didn't end well for him lol

Right now, I'm currently on disability, I'm trying to get a job that won't be too hard on me as I have a fractured spine. I'll save that story for tomorrow when I'm not so tired. I enrolled into security training. My nurse recommended it as a nice easy job so I'll see how that goes. I did live on my own my before transplant but 2 months before I got my call, my roommate kind of...vanished. He skipped out on 3 months rent and I ended up having to pay for it. That wasn't cheap.

But ya. I do enjoy answering these kinds of questions. I even gave my number to the lung transplant people to give out to recent assessments. I want to be there for people like my friend Carl was there for me.

Oh, and the Disability I get is fucking sad. Because I live in Manitoba and am white, I got 800 a month when I was dying. Now that I'm no longer dying, I get 600 a month. That would even be the same if I were to move out. So, that's 600 a month for food, rent, utilities, ect. But, If i was Native, I'd get 2000 a month and an extra 500 if I had a kid. So, If I was a father of 1, I'd get `2500 a month and I wouldn't even have to be sick. I hate this fucking city.

[Myrrh_Quetz]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...n129800260.gif

[Enedin]

Always good to read posts like this, keeps reality in check. Reminds me to not freak out about things that don't matter.

[Ansems]

I had a friend pass away on Thursday Night because his body rejected his lungs after 3 years. He lived every day to the fullest and sometimes he did stupid stuff. He went on a 6 month Boat trip with his uncle and took many risks with his life but he did everything that made him happy and I'm sure he had no regrets.

I owe my life to him. Without him, I wouldn't have gone through with my own Lung Transplant(The only other transplant I knew of was my childhood friend who died on my 18th Birthday during his surgery) and it was his advice on what to expect that kept me from panicking when I woke up after the surgery. Because of how well he did, I pushed myself so fucking hard Post Transplant that I beat his Surgery to Discharge by 4 days. We were supposed to go to Hawaii in 2 months as a We survived thing but it looks like I'll be going alone now.

I know he had no regrets and you people should never have regrets. I miss him so much. He was the only person I met in my life that truly understood what it was like to be that sick and have the same amount of shitty luck.

Always live life to the fullest. That's all.

My condolences.

[Deadgye]

I asked the Surgeon to sing me "Eye of the Tiger" before I get put under.

Best request ever.

[Anso]

Waking up from general anesthesia is always horribly confusing and scary. I don't know why that is.

(also, my sincere condolences)

I can relate to this, by which I mean the feeling of being put out and not knowing if you will ever wake up. I went through that when I had my brain tumor removed. Granted, I was only 5 at the time (wow I can't believe it's been 20 years) but I remember most of it vividly, including the feeling of not knowing if I would ever wake up again as they were putting me out. I have no memory of waking up after the surgery, I was all drugged up, but apparently I punched a nurse in the face!

I am very sorry for your loss, I know a few people that have died from the same thing I had, and it is a very strange feeling to think that I survived when their situation was only a slight bit different than mine and they did not. Keep your chin up, even though it's hard, and take that trip to Hawaii and try to have a good time. Your friend would have wanted it that way.

[arus2001]

2 hours later, the Doctor comes in and asks me "So, Randy, do you know why you're here?" As he holds up my chart. I looked him right in the eye with a straight face and said "Ya, it's for my sex change." He looked so confused. He reread my chart but then my friends burst into laughter.

This got me going.

[Eticket]

Amazing read.

I've tried to live life as care free as possible for a number of reasons, but this just helped solidify that belief.

Sorry for your loss.

[Dimmauk]

Best request ever.

My 5 year old daughter is having a cyst removed from her neck tomorrow, and she wants to hear that same song. I chocked up when I read that post.

[Pirian]

I have a question! How has it been getting your insurance to pay for all this? I have a good friend that survived cancer at 16 (23 now) and she has had a real tough time getting ANYTHING from hers.

[Snick]

I have a question! How has it been getting your insurance to pay for all this? I have a good friend that survived cancer at 16 (23 now) and she has had a real tough time getting ANYTHING from hers.

He lives in Canada. Shit's free yo.

Was A+ read, i want more :c

[Pirian]

Oh? Well that much less exciting than I hoped for

[Heavencloud]

OP how do you have money to pay the hospital bills? Great insurance?

I only ask because I work in emergency departments and... well for example, yesterday, a guy who used to be an alcoholic months and months ago came in with severe jaundice (he was literally glowing, like yellow eyes and skin)... needless to say, his liver is now shot, and he has a few weeks to live (at best) at age 48.

The reason he said that he didn't get on a transplant list or see anyone sooner as he started to worsen was that he didn't have money to pay for simple checkups due to lack of insurance. We wouldn't have even seen him if it weren't for his family making him come in and he would've just passed away without seeing anyone. The doctor that I work for said that if he had been seen sooner, he probably would've been able to get a transplant... but now it's too late.

I know this case doesn't even come close to yours because it's the guys fault for drinking his liver to oblivion, but it kinda made me wonder how the whole transplant thing works...

Great story by the way, really motivational to see a good outcome. Even though you say you hate doctors, stories like this are what really drive me towards becoming one.

[Anakron]

I'm sorry for your loss, but at the same time, thank you for posting this.

[Myrrh_Quetz]

OP how do you have money to pay the hospital bills? Great insurance?

1: Canada
2: Before I went on Disability(Which now, they cover anything medical, it just needs approval first), I was on something called "The Life saving Drug Program". It pretty much meant that I'd never have to pay for anything medical as long as I lived.