I graduated!!

It has been a very, very long two months since my last post.  Through all the trials and tribulations of it all, I finally got to walk across that stage on May 23rd.  It was such an exciting day.  Woke up 15 minutes before my alarm excited that it was the day.  It was a rather quick ceremony, then I went out to lunch with my family who attended.  Words cannot express how happy I am to have finally graduated.  When I decided to go back to school 3 years ago, I knew I'd eventually make it to the end, but to actually make it there is something totally different.  I can honestly say it was one of my most proudest, most amazing moments ever.  I can't believe I have a bachelor's degree  :) 

Now, on to the last 2 months of student teaching.  Yikes, I felt like a train wreck for the better part of it.  It started on Easter. 

Krysten got admitted to the hospital. 

My mom and I were in Hatteras.  We thought it was just a minor complication of Cystic Fibrosis (CF).  Which it started out as, but then quickly became something very major.  On the Thursday after Easter, she had to go in for a lung embolization.  We decided to come home that day.  My mom and I drove up to Hopkins on Friday morning expecting to see her in bed hanging out.  Nope, they had to take her in for another lung embolization, which quickly turned into a very long 4 hour procedure.  This time they found the source of the bleeding but couldn't stop it, so they put in a vent and stabilized her while the Dr's consulted each other to make a gameplan.  On Saturday the Dr's decided it would be best to have a lobectomy, which is surgery to remove a portion of her lung.  After a very long discussion with the Dr's discussing the pros and cons, it was decided she would go in the next morning (Sunday, one week after Easter) for the lobectomy. 

Oh, and during the week of all this my great aunt who is like a grandmother to me had a major stroke.  She passed peacefully at home about a week and a half after her stroke.  I love and miss her so much.  She was such a wonderful lady who is greatly missed by all. 

Back to Krysten, the lobectomy was a success!!  The Dr's waited a couple of days and took the ventilator out (Tuesday).  We were so happy and thought she'd be going home soon.  And then she started breathing hard.  It was pneumonia.  Back on the ventilator she went (Friday).  From there it was just constant antibiotics.  About a week later the pneumonia was clear and they were discussing taking out the vent.  She was getting anxious with it being in that long and she had been given a two different anti-anxiety meds throughout the week. 

Well, one had a very bad side effect.  She was having this weird reaction where her whole body would tense up and she would shake.  I went there after school on a Friday afternoon.  My mom had been there and said something was wrong and a Dr. was supposed to be coming in.  I got there and still nothing.  Krysten was unable to really communicate, but my mom and I knew something was wrong, so when these reaction happened every 5-10 minutes we would ask her if something was happening.  She squeezed our hands hard.  The MICU Dr. finally came in and called in for a neurology consult.  Neuro came and had said it could be either a dystonic reaction to the anxiety meds or seizures, and that they were going to treat both for the night until they could get an EEG the next morning. 

The next day (Saturday) I was there for about 16 hours.  Patrick went to work and I stayed and hung out.  She was much better than the night prior, but was still having a few of those reactions.  It turns out that is was the dystonic reaction, and benadryl cleared it up within 4-5 days.  Talk about scary though.  Krysten has since told my mom and I that she remembers that time clearly (not others) and that she is so thankful that my mom and I realized something was very wrong because she was in so much pain when the episodes would come. 

She ended up finally getting the vent out on Sunday morning.  HOORAY!  She had a hard time breathing at first.  We think it was a combination of the anxiety of being on the vent so long and she was afraid she couldn't breathe on her own.  Within a few days it stabilized out for the most part. 

With all the hurdles we crossed during these 2 weeks, we finally started hitting some good milestones.  She was able to start eating some foods (yogurt, mac and cheese, thickened juices, pureed stuff, yuck).  She didn't like it to much but they threatened to put a tube down her nose so we made her eat.  She was not happy with me or my mom.  haha.  Patrick let her get away with more but we gave her tough love ;)

We finally made it out of the MICU a week after she got the vent out.  Once she made it to a regular room, she was cleared to eat regular food.  Then she finally made it home on May 14th after 44 days at Hopkins.  It's been a rough journey and still is.  But, we have a wedding to plan and get to on August 31st.  She is a fighter and one of the strongest people I know, that's for sure. 

During all the time in the hospital I had to truck through and still go to school, finish some huge projects I had due, and keep up with life in general.  What a crazy time during my last semester at college.  Glad it's done.  I've spent the last few days celebrating being done with school with family and friends, and just being lazy.